title: SAM Registry Hive Handle Request
id: f8748f2c-89dc-4d95-afb0-5a2dfdbad332
status: test
description: Detects handles requested to SAM registry hive
references:
    - https://threathunterplaybook.com/hunts/windows/190725-SAMRegistryHiveHandleRequest/notebook.html
author: Roberto Rodriguez @Cyb3rWard0g
date: 2019-08-12
modified: 2021-11-27
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.t1012
    - attack.credential-access
    - attack.t1552.002
logsource:
    product: windows
    service: security
detection:
    selection:
        EventID: 4656
        ObjectType: 'Key'
        ObjectName|endswith: '\SAM'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high

title: Critical Hive In Suspicious Location Access Bits Cleared
id: 39f919f3-980b-4e6f-a975-8af7e507ef2b
related:
    - id: 839dd1e8-eda8-4834-8145-01beeee33acd
      type: obsolete
status: test
description: |
    Detects events from the Kernel-General ETW indicating that the access bits of a hive with a system like hive name located in the temp directory have been reset.
    This occurs when an application tries to access a hive and the hive has not be recognized since the last 7 days (by default).
    Registry hive dumping utilities such as QuarksPwDump were seen emitting this behavior.
references:
    - https://github.com/nasbench/Misc-Research/blob/b20da2336de0f342d31ef4794959d28c8d3ba5ba/ETW/Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-General.md
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2017-05-15
modified: 2024-01-18
tags:
    - attack.credential-access
    - attack.t1003.002
logsource:
    product: windows
    service: system
detection:
    selection:
        EventID: 16
        Provider_Name: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-General
        HiveName|contains:
            - '\Temp\SAM'
            - '\Temp\SECURITY'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high

title: Access To .Reg/.Hive Files By Uncommon Applications
id: 337a31c6-46c4-46be-886a-260d7aa78cac
status: test
description: Detects file access requests to files ending with either the ".hive"/".reg" extension, usually associated with Windows Registry backups.
references:
    - https://github.com/tccontre/Reg-Restore-Persistence-Mole
author: frack113
date: 2023-09-15
modified: 2024-07-29
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1112
    - attack.persistence
    - detection.threat-hunting
logsource:
    category: file_access
    product: windows
    definition: 'Requirements: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-File ETW provider'
detection:
    selection:
        FileName|endswith:
            - '.hive'
            - '.reg'
    filter_main_generic:
        Image|startswith:
            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\'
            - 'C:\Program Files\'
            - 'C:\Windows\System32\'
            - 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Third party software installed in the user context might generate a lot of FPs. Heavy baselining and tuning might be required.
level: low