Detect Query Registry in Google Chronicle
Adversaries may interact with the Windows Registry to gather information about the system, configuration, and installed software. The Registry contains a significant amount of information about the operating system, configuration, software, and security. Information can easily be queried using the Reg utility, though other means to access the Registry exist. Some of the information may help adversaries to further their operation within a network. Adversaries may use the information from Query Registry during automated discovery to shape follow-on behaviors, including whether or not the adversary fully infects the target and/or attempts specific actions. Threat actors including Turla (Epic), APT41 (DUSTTRAP), NOBELIUM (Sibot), Sandworm (TEARDROP), Lazarus (HOPLIGHT), Lyceum (Shark), and numerous commodity malware families leverage registry queries to fingerprint targets, locate credentials, identify installed security products, and discover network proxy configurations.
MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic
- Discovery
- Technique
- T1012 Query Registry
- Canonical reference
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1012/
YARA-L Detection Query
rule t1012_query_registry_sensitive_paths {
meta:
author = "Argus Detection Engineering"
description = "Detects T1012 Query Registry — adversary enumeration of sensitive registry paths via reg.exe or PowerShell. Covers credential stores, persistence locations, installed software, security configuration, and SSH/credential manager keys."
mitre_attack_tactic = "Discovery"
mitre_attack_technique = "T1012"
severity = "MEDIUM"
confidence = "HIGH"
created = "2026-04-13"
reference = "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1012/"
events:
$e.metadata.event_type = "PROCESS_LAUNCH"
$e.principal.hostname = $hostname
$e.target.process.command_line = $cmdline
// Match reg.exe query/export/save OR PowerShell registry enumeration
(
(
re.regex($e.target.process.file.full_path, `(?i)\\reg\.exe$`)
and re.regex($cmdline, `(?i)(\squery\s|\sexport\s|\ssave\s)`)
)
or
(
re.regex($e.target.process.file.full_path, `(?i)(powershell|pwsh)\.exe$`)
and re.regex($cmdline, `(?i)(HKLM:|HKCU:|HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE|HKEY_CURRENT_USER|Registry::)`)
and re.regex($cmdline, `(?i)(Get-Item|Get-ItemProperty|Get-ChildItem|Get-ItemPropertyValue)`)
)
)
// Must match at least one trigger condition
(
// Sensitive registry path accessed
re.regex($cmdline, `(?i)(Windows NT.CurrentVersion|HARDWARE.DESCRIPTION.System|CurrentVersion.Uninstall|Microsoft.Cryptography|CurrentControlSet.Services|CurrentControlSet.Control.Lsa|SimonTatham.PuTTY|OpenSSH.Agent|Internet Settings|Terminal Server|Software.Policies|Bitcoin|Image File Execution.Options|Classes.http.shell|CurrentVersion.Run|WinSCP.Sessions)`)
or
// Spawned from suspicious parent process
re.regex($e.principal.process.file.full_path, `(?i)(wscript|cscript|mshta|wmic|rundll32|regsvr32|msbuild|installutil|excel|winword|outlook|powerpnt)\.exe$`)
or
// Recursive enumeration flag
re.regex($cmdline, `(?i)(\s/s\b|\s-s\b|-Recurse)`)
)
condition:
$e
}Google Chronicle YARA-L 2.0 rule detecting T1012 Query Registry via reg.exe and PowerShell. Matches process launch events where the command line targets sensitive registry paths associated with adversary reconnaissance: credential stores (LSA, Cryptography, PuTTY/WinSCP sessions), persistence (Run/RunOnce), installed software, and security configuration. Triggers on sensitive path access, recursive enumeration, or execution from script engines and LOLBins.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- System monitoring and observability agents (e.g., Datadog, New Relic, Dynatrace) querying registry for performance counters and installed application versions
- Antivirus and endpoint security product self-checks querying Image File Execution Options, LSA providers, and CurrentControlSet\Services to verify their own integrity
- Enterprise PKI and certificate management tools querying Microsoft\Cryptography for machine GUID and certificate store configuration
Other platforms for T1012
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 4 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1Registry Query for OS Version and Hardware Information
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1: Multiple Process Create events with Image=reg.exe, CommandLine containing 'query' and 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion' and 'HKLM\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System'. Security Event ID 4688 with identical command line details if command line auditing is enabled. Prefetch entry updated at C:\Windows\Prefetch\REG.EXE-*.pf with current timestamp.
- Test 2Recursive Registry Query for Installed Software
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1: Two Process Create events for reg.exe — one per command — with CommandLine containing 'query', 'Uninstall', and '/s' flag. The recursive query generates a large stdout output but only one process creation event per reg.exe invocation. Security Event ID 4688 with command line if auditing enabled.
- Test 3PowerShell Registry Query for Proxy Configuration
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1: Process Create with Image=powershell.exe, CommandLine containing 'Get-ItemProperty', 'HKCU:', and 'Internet Settings'. PowerShell ScriptBlock Log Event ID 4104 from Microsoft-Windows-PowerShell/Operational with the full command content. Note: read-only registry access does not generate Sysmon Event IDs 12/13/14 — process-level telemetry is the primary detection source.
- Test 4Registry Query for Machine GUID and LSA Configuration
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1: Three sequential Process Create events for reg.exe with CommandLine targeting 'Cryptography', 'Control\Lsa' keys respectively. Security Event ID 4688 with command line if auditing enabled. Consecutive execution timestamps within milliseconds of each other, consistent with scripted automated enumeration rather than manual administrative queries.
References (10)
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1012/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Registry
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/reg-query
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-endpoint/advanced-hunting-deviceprocessevents-table
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1012/T1012.md
- https://securelist.com/the-epic-turla-operation/65545/
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2021/03/04/goldmax-goldfinder-sibot-analyzing-nobelium-malware/
- https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa19-168a
- https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/unit42-azorult-now-comes-ransomware/
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/tree/master/rules/windows/process_creation
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