Windows Security: SysKey-related LSA Registry Key Access (4656/4663)

ATT&CK techniques

Discovery

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
- T1012Query Registry
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags handle creation and registry access to specific LSA-related registry subkeys associated with SysKey material. Attackers may read these keys to derive or manipulate host identity data during discovery or persistence preparation. It relies on Windows Security auditing events 4656 and 4663 that report object type and the registry key name accessed.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1012 — drag to rearrange

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Windows Security: SysKey-related LSA Registry Key Access (4656/4663)

Pivot detection · T1012 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

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-security-syskey-relevant-lsa-registry-keys-access-via-handle-and-object--9a4ff3b8

title: "Windows Security: SysKey-related LSA Registry Key Access (4656/4663)"
id: 0355816c-217c-4ef1-a82f-7540274a2e16
status: test
description: This rule flags handle creation and registry access to specific LSA-related registry subkeys associated with SysKey material. Attackers may read these keys to derive or manipulate host identity data during discovery or persistence preparation. It relies on Windows Security auditing events 4656 and 4663 that report object type and the registry key name accessed.
references:
  - https://threathunterplaybook.com/hunts/windows/190625-RegKeyAccessSyskey/notebook.html
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/security/win_security_syskey_registry_access.yml
author: Roberto Rodriguez @Cyb3rWard0g, Huntrule Team
date: 2019-08-12
modified: 2021-11-27
tags:
  - attack.discovery
  - attack.t1012
logsource:
  product: windows
  service: security
detection:
  selection:
    EventID:
      - 4656
      - 4663
    ObjectType: key
    ObjectName|endswith:
      - lsa\JD
      - lsa\GBG
      - lsa\Skew1
      - lsa\Data
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 9a4ff3b8-6187-4fd2-8e8b-e0eae1129495
    type: derived

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