{"id":"dd3ee8cc-f751-41c9-ba53-5a32ed47e563","title":"Registry Modification of MS-settings Protocol Handler","description":"Detects registry modifications to the 'ms-settings' protocol handler, which is frequently targeted for UAC bypass or persistence.\nAttackers can modify this registry to execute malicious code with elevated privileges by hijacking the command execution path.\n","author":"frack113, Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)","status":"test","level":"medium","date":"2021-12-20","modified":"2026-01-24","tags":["attack.privilege-escalation","attack.persistence","attack.defense-impairment","attack.t1548.002","attack.t1546.001","attack.t1112"],"technique_ids":["T1112","T1546.001","T1548.002"],"logsource":{"category":"process_creation","product":"windows"},"falsepositives":["Unknown"],"references":["https://thedfirreport.com/2021/12/13/diavol-ransomware/","https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/25/f/water-curse.html"],"source_path":"rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_registry_modification_of_ms_setting_protocol_handler.yml","source_sha256":"f766d684a7888edeee4b7562c32290ac782547abafe847f32fe7bff029724585","source_url":"https://github.com/anpa1200/sigma/blob/b249e9683190cffdcaf188ccbfb90bf4759844e1/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_registry_modification_of_ms_setting_protocol_handler.yml","license":"Detection Rule License 1.1","license_url":"https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License/blob/main/LICENSE.Detection.Rules.md","yaml":"title: Registry Modification of MS-settings Protocol Handler\nid: dd3ee8cc-f751-41c9-ba53-5a32ed47e563\nrelated:\n    - id: 152f3630-77c1-4284-bcc0-4cc68ab2f6e7\n      type: similar\nstatus: test\ndescription: |\n    Detects registry modifications to the 'ms-settings' protocol handler, which is frequently targeted for UAC bypass or persistence.\n    Attackers can modify this registry to execute malicious code with elevated privileges by hijacking the command execution path.\nreferences:\n    - https://thedfirreport.com/2021/12/13/diavol-ransomware/\n    - https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/25/f/water-curse.html\nauthor: frack113, Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)\ndate: 2021-12-20\nmodified: 2026-01-24\ntags:\n    - attack.privilege-escalation\n    - attack.persistence\n    - attack.defense-impairment\n    - attack.t1548.002\n    - attack.t1546.001\n    - attack.t1112\nlogsource:\n    category: process_creation\n    product: windows\ndetection:\n    selection_reg_img:\n        - Image|endswith: '\\reg.exe'\n        - OriginalFileName: 'reg.exe'\n    selection_pwsh_img:\n        - Image|endswith:\n              - '\\powershell.exe'\n              - '\\pwsh.exe'\n        - OriginalFileName:\n              - 'powershell.exe'\n              - 'pwsh.dll'\n    selection_reg_cli:\n        CommandLine|contains: 'add'\n    selection_pwsh_cli:\n        CommandLine|contains:\n            - 'New-ItemProperty'\n            - 'Set-ItemProperty'\n            - 'ni '\n            - 'sp '\n    selection_cli_key:\n        CommandLine|contains: '\\ms-settings\\shell\\open\\command'\n    condition: (all of selection_reg_* or all of selection_pwsh_*) and selection_cli_key\nfalsepositives:\n    - Unknown\nlevel: medium\n","validation":"yaml_parsed_not_backend_compiled_or_live_validated","techniques":[{"key":"enterprise/T1112","id":"T1112","name":"Modify Registry","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1112/"},{"key":"enterprise/T1546.001","id":"T1546.001","name":"Change Default File Association","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1546.001/"},{"key":"enterprise/T1548.002","id":"T1548.002","name":"Bypass User Account Control","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1548.002/"}],"data_path":"data/detection-rules/dd3ee8cc-f751-41c9-ba53-5a32ed47e563.json","kind":"sigma"}