Windows Registry: DisableRestrictedAdmin Value Tampering to Change Restricted Admin Mode

title: "Windows Registry: DisableRestrictedAdmin Value Tampering to Change Restricted Admin Mode"
id: 26b72786-47c2-4688-8580-f31ad2bdec3e
related:
  - id: 28ac00d6-22d9-4a3c-927f-bbd770104573
    type: similar
  - id: d6ce7ebd-260b-4323-9768-a9631c8d4db2
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule identifies updates to the DisableRestrictedAdmin registry value under System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\DisableRestrictedAdmin, which controls whether Restricted Admin mode is enabled. Disabling RestrictedAdmin mode matters because it can allow reusable credentials to be transmitted during Remote Desktop connections, increasing exposure if the remote host is compromised. The detection relies on Windows registry set activity telemetry that records the TargetObject being modified.
references:
  - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/a8e3cf63e97b973a25903d3df9fd55da6252e564/atomics/T1112/T1112.md
  - https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/32905.remote-desktop-services-enable-restricted-admin-mode.aspx
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_lsa_disablerestrictedadmin.yml
author: frack113, Huntrule Team
date: 2023-01-13
modified: 2024-08-23
tags:
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.defense-impairment
  - attack.t1112
logsource:
  product: windows
  category: registry_set
detection:
  selection:
    TargetObject|endswith: System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\DisableRestrictedAdmin
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1