Windows Registry: MiniNt Key Added to Disable Security Event Logging on Reboot

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1112Modify Registry
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1112Modify Registry
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies when the MiniNt registry key default value is added under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\MiniNt, indicating an attempt to disable Windows Event Log behavior after reboot. Disabling event logging impairs auditing and can reduce the visibility of attacker activity that would otherwise be recorded. It relies on registry set telemetry capturing the TargetObject path for the write operation.

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: MiniNt Key Added to Disable Security Event Logging on Reboot

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.

windows-registry-minint-key-added-to-disable-security-event-logging-on-reboot-8839e550

title: "Windows Registry: MiniNt Key Added to Disable Security Event Logging on Reboot"
id: ff410488-b22b-4927-90d8-ba380d827123
related:
  - id: 1a4bd6af-99ac-4466-b5b2-7b72b4a05462
    type: similar
  - id: 8839e550-52d7-4958-9f2f-e13c1e736838
    type: derived
status: experimental
description: This rule identifies when the MiniNt registry key default value is added under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\MiniNt, indicating an attempt to disable Windows Event Log behavior after reboot. Disabling event logging impairs auditing and can reduce the visibility of attacker activity that would otherwise be recorded. It relies on registry set telemetry capturing the TargetObject path for the write operation.
references:
  - https://www.hackingarticles.in/defense-evasion-windows-event-logging-t1562-002/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_create_minint_key.yml
author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2025-04-09
tags:
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.defense-impairment
  - attack.t1685.001
  - attack.t1112
  - car.2022-03-001
logsource:
  category: registry_set
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    TargetObject: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\MiniNt\(Default)
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Highly Unlikely
level: high
license: DRL-1.1

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

SplunkSPL