Detect Boot or Logon Autostart Execution in Elastic Security
Adversaries may configure system settings to automatically execute a program during system boot or logon to maintain persistence or gain higher-level privileges on compromised systems. Operating systems may have mechanisms for automatically running a program on system boot or account logon, including automatically executing programs that are placed in specially designated directories or are referenced by repositories that store configuration information, such as the Windows Registry. An adversary may achieve the same goal by modifying or extending features of the kernel. Since some boot or logon autostart programs run with higher privileges, an adversary may leverage these to elevate privileges.
MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic
- Persistence Privilege Escalation
- Technique
- T1547 Boot or Logon Autostart Execution
- Canonical reference
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/
Elastic Detection Query
registry where event.type in ("creation", "change") and registry.path : (
"*\\CurrentVersion\\Run\\*",
"*\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnce\\*",
"*\\CurrentVersion\\RunOnceEx\\*",
"*\\CurrentVersion\\RunServices\\*",
"*\\CurrentVersion\\RunServicesOnce\\*",
"*\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\Explorer\\Run\\*",
"*\\CurrentVersion\\Winlogon\\*",
"*\\Active Setup\\Installed Components\\*",
"*\\Control\\Lsa\\Authentication Packages",
"*\\Control\\Lsa\\Security Packages",
"*\\Control\\Print\\Monitors\\*",
"*\\Control\\Print\\Environments\\*",
"*\\Services\\W32Time\\TimeProviders\\*",
"*\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Shell Folders\\*",
"*\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\User Shell Folders\\*"
) Detects registry write and creation events targeting common Windows autostart execution locations used by adversaries for persistence and privilege escalation (T1547). Monitors Run keys, Winlogon entries, LSA authentication/security package registrations, Print Monitor DLL paths, and Shell Folder redirections.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Legitimate software installers (e.g., antivirus, enterprise agents, Microsoft Office) routinely write to Run and RunOnce keys during installation or update cycles
- Group Policy application may rewrite Winlogon and Shell Folder registry values during policy refresh, especially at login or machine startup
- Print driver installation by administrators writes to Control\Print\Monitors and Environments registry paths, triggering alerts during driver deployment
Other platforms for T1547
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 3 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 1Add Registry Run Key for Persistence
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 13: Registry value set on HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run with value name 'df00tech-test'. DeviceRegistryEvents with ActionType 'RegistryValueSet'.
- Test 2Drop File in Startup Folder
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 11: FileCreate in the Startup directory. DeviceFileEvents with ActionType 'FileCreated' in the Startup folder path.
- Test 3Modify Winlogon Shell Value
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 13: Registry value set on Winlogon\Shell. DeviceRegistryEvents with RegistryKey containing 'Winlogon' and RegistryValueName 'Shell'.
References (6)
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1547/
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/setupapi/run-and-runonce-registry-keys
- https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1547/T1547.md
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/tree/master/rules/windows/registry_set
- https://web.archive.org/web/20160214140250/http://blog.cylance.com/windows-registry-persistence-part-2-the-run-keys-and-search-order
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Related Detections
Sub-techniques (14)
- T1547.001Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder
- T1547.002Authentication Package
- T1547.003Time Providers
- T1547.004Winlogon Helper DLL
- T1547.005Security Support Provider
- T1547.006Kernel Modules and Extensions
- T1547.007Re-opened Applications
- T1547.008LSASS Driver
- T1547.009Shortcut Modification
- T1547.010Port Monitors
- T1547.012Print Processors
- T1547.013XDG Autostart Entries
- T1547.014Active Setup
- T1547.015Login Items