huntrule

Windows Registry Policy Change to Disable/Impair Internal Tools and UI Features

Detects registry policy edits that disable Windows tools/features or alter related system behavior via specific DWORD values.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
registry_set
Author
frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), CrimpSec (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-03-18
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 flags registry modifications that set specific Windows policy keys to values consistent with disabling system tools, restricting functionality, or impairing user interface elements. Attackers may use these registry changes to hinder defense and user response by reducing visibility and functionality, leveraging Windows policy-based controls. It relies on telemetry from registry set events capturing the TargetObject and the set Details value (DWORD 0x00000001 or 0x00000000) for the matched policy paths.

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 Policy Change to Disable/Impair Internal Tools and UI Features
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.