Potential CobaltStrike Service Installations - Registry — Sigma Rule

Rule metadata and linked tags

Author: Wojciech Lesicki. Source status: test; severity: high. Source dates: 2021-06-29 / 2024-03-25.

{
  "category": "registry_set",
  "product": "windows"
}

Pinned original Sigma rule · Detection Rule License 1.1

Source SHA-256: 29a6379ed17b2c7a877953ed596ff43cea1a159bd74fd0467a23874f540c0905

Detection logic

Original source YAML. Source-tag agreement is not proof of complete semantic coverage. This rule has not been compiled for a SIEM backend or validated against live telemetry here.

title: Potential CobaltStrike Service Installations - Registry
id: 61a7697c-cb79-42a8-a2ff-5f0cdfae0130
status: test
description: |
    Detects known malicious service installs that appear in cases in which a Cobalt Strike beacon elevates privileges or lateral movement.
references:
    - https://www.sans.org/webcasts/tech-tuesday-workshop-cobalt-strike-detection-log-analysis-119395
author: Wojciech Lesicki
date: 2021-06-29
modified: 2024-03-25
tags:
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.execution
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1021.002
    - attack.t1543.003
    - attack.t1569.002
logsource:
    category: registry_set
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_key:
        - TargetObject|contains: '\System\CurrentControlSet\Services'
        - TargetObject|contains|all:
              - '\System\ControlSet'
              - '\Services'
    selection_details:
        - Details|contains|all:
              - 'ADMIN$'
              - '.exe'
        - Details|contains|all:
              - '%COMSPEC%'
              - 'start'
              - 'powershell'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unlikely
level: high

Original YAML and metadata in JSON

False positives

• Unlikely

Source references

• https://www.sans.org/webcasts/tech-tuesday-workshop-cobalt-strike-detection-log-analysis-119395