huntrule

Windows Registry: Enable WDigest UseLogonCredential (Use clear-text logon credential setting)

Flags registry writes that enable WDigest UseLogonCredential, turning on potential clear-text credential storage.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
registry_set
Author
Roberto Rodriguez (Cyb3rWard0g), OTR (Open Threat Research) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2019-09-12
Updated
2026-07-30
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Defense Evasion

  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 registry modifications that set the WDigest UseLogonCredential value to DWORD 0x00000001 under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\WDigest. Enabling this setting can allow logon credentials to be stored in a form that increases exposure to credential theft. The detection relies on telemetry indicating registry value writes for the targeted registry path and expected DWORD data.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1112 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Enabling of Restricted Admin Mode via Registry by UAT-8837
Suspicious Enabling of Remote Desktop via fDenyTSConnections Registry by DeadLock Ransomware
Malicious Service DLL Hijack for Persistence via Lotus Blossom
Suspicious Loopback Proxy Server Configured via Registry (via registry_set)
Malicious WDigest Credential Caching Enabled via Registry (via registry_set)
Suspicious Remote Desktop Enabled via fDenyTSConnections Registry by Sandworm
Malicious Gh0stBins RAT Registry Marker HHClient
Suspicious PebbleDash C2 Configuration Stored Under WMI Security Key (via registry_set)
Suspicious WDigest UseLogonCredential Enablement for Plaintext Credential Theft (via registry_set)
Windows Registry: Enable WDigest UseLogonCredential (Use clear-text logon credential setting)
Pivot detection · T1112 · 9 related

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