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Windows Registry Set: Disable Windows Credential Guard by Zeroing EnableVirtualizationBasedSecurity

Alerts on registry value changes that zero Credential Guard/LSA configuration flags to disable virtualization-based secret protection.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
registry_set
Author
Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2025-12-26
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 flags registry value updates that attempt to disable Windows Credential Guard by setting DWORD values to 0 for specific DeviceGuard and LSA configuration keys. Disabling Credential Guard removes virtualization-based isolation for secrets, which can expose credential material that would otherwise be protected. Telemetry required includes Windows registry set events that capture the target registry path and the written DWORD value.

Reporting behind it

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Windows Registry Set: Disable Windows Credential Guard by Zeroing EnableVirtualizationBasedSecurity
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.