huntrule

Windows Registry: Disabling Windows Defender PUA Protection via PUAProtection DWORD

Flags registry changes that set Windows Defender PUAProtection DWORD to 0x00000000 to disable PUA protection.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
registry_set
Author
Austin Songer @austinsonger (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2021-08-04
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies changes to the Windows Registry value Details set to DWORD (0x00000000) within the Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\PUAProtection path. Disabling PUA protection can reduce defenses against potentially unwanted applications, which attackers may rely on to broaden what gets allowed or missed by security controls. The detection relies on registry set telemetry that captures the targeted key path and the value data.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1685 — drag to rearrange
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Malicious Windows Defender Disablement via MpCmdRun RemoveDefinitions
Malicious Unsigned VIB Installation on ESXi Host via esxcli (via process_creation)
Suspicious In-Memory PowerShell Execution from Web Server via Automation Assembly (via image_load)
Malicious EDR Evasion Driver Load from AnyDesk Directory via k.sys (via image_load)
Malicious Zemana Vulnerable Driver Load for EDR Termination (via image_load)
Windows Registry: Disabling Windows Defender PUA Protection via PUAProtection DWORD
Pivot detection · T1685 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.