Windows Query Registry Browser List Application
Description
The following analytic detects a suspicious process accessing the registry entries for default internet browsers. It leverages Windows Security Event logs, specifically event code 4663, to identify access attempts to these registry paths. This activity is significant because adversaries can exploit this registry key to gather information about installed browsers and their settings, potentially leading to the theft of sensitive data such as login credentials and browsing history. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could enable attackers to exfiltrate sensitive information and compromise user accounts.
- Type: Anomaly
-
Product: Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk Cloud
- Last Updated: 2024-05-28
- Author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
- ID: 45ebd21c-f4bf-4ced-bd49-d25b6526cebb
Annotations
Kill Chain Phase
- Exploitation
NIST
- DE.AE
CIS20
- CIS 10
CVE
Search
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`wineventlog_security` EventCode=4663 object_file_path IN ("*\\SOFTWARE\\Clients\\StartMenuInternet\\*", "*\\SOFTWARE\\Clients\\StartMenuInternet\\*") AND NOT (process_path IN ("*:\\Windows\\System32\\*", "*:\\Windows\\SysWow64\\*", "*:\\Program Files*", "*:\\Windows\\*"))
| stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime by object_file_name object_file_path process_name process_path process_id EventCode dest
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `windows_query_registry_browser_list_application_filter`
Macros
The SPL above uses the following Macros:
windows_query_registry_browser_list_application_filter is a empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.
Required fields
List of fields required to use this analytic.
- _time
- object_file_name
- object_file_path
- process_name
- process_path
- process_id
- EventCode
- dest
How To Implement
To successfully implement this search, you must ingest Windows Security Event logs and track event code 4663. For 4663, enable "Audit Object Access" in Group Policy. Then check the two boxes listed for both "Success" and "Failure."
Known False Positives
uninstall application may access this registry to remove the entry of the target application. filter is needed.
Associated Analytic Story
RBA
Risk Score | Impact | Confidence | Message |
---|---|---|---|
25.0 | 50 | 50 | A suspicious process accessing installed default browser registry on $dest$ |
The Risk Score is calculated by the following formula: Risk Score = (Impact * Confidence/100). Initial Confidence and Impact is set by the analytic author.
Reference
Test Dataset
Replay any dataset to Splunk Enterprise by using our replay.py
tool or the UI.
Alternatively you can replay a dataset into a Splunk Attack Range
source | version: 2