Windows Registry Event: Pandemic implant key path contains null Instance

Detects registry activity targeting CurrentControlSet\services\null\Instance, associated with Windows implant persistence staging.

FreeReviewedSigma · Critical · v5

Product: windows
Category: registry_event
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2026-07-31

Analysis Detection

ATT&CK techniques

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
- T1105Ingress Tool Transfer
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule matches Windows registry events where the TargetObject contains the path fragment \SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\null\Instance. Attackers that use registry-based persistence or configuration changes may write service-related keys, making this a high-signal indicator of implant deployment. Telemetry relies on registry event logs that capture the TargetObject value for write or modification operations on Windows.

Reporting behind it

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Suspicious Velociraptor Agent Deployment via msiexec From Cloud Storage

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Windows Registry Event: Pandemic implant key path contains null Instance

Pivot detection · T1105 · 9 related

Changelog

v5
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v4
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v3
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v1
No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

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

windows-registry-event-implant-service-key-under-currentcontrolset-services-null-47e0852a

title: "Windows Registry Event: Pandemic implant key path contains null Instance"
id: 08877975-d3ec-4a84-bf75-5788c703c26c
status: test
description: This rule matches Windows registry events where the TargetObject contains the path fragment \SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\null\Instance. Attackers that use registry-based persistence or configuration changes may write service-related keys, making this a high-signal indicator of implant deployment. Telemetry relies on registry event logs that capture the TargetObject value for write or modification operations on Windows.
references:
  - https://wikileaks.org/vault7/#Pandemic
  - https://twitter.com/MalwareJake/status/870349480356454401
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2017/TA/Pandemic/registry_event_apt_pandemic.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2017-06-01
modified: 2022-10-09
tags:
  - attack.command-and-control
  - attack.t1105
  - detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
  category: registry_event
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    TargetObject|contains: \SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\null\Instance
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: critical
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 47e0852a-cf81-4494-a8e6-31864f8c86ed
    type: derived

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