Detection: Windows Registry Modification for Safe Mode Persistence

Updated Date: 2026-05-13 ID: c6149154-c9d8-11eb-9da7-acde48001122 Author: Teoderick Contreras, Michael Haag, Splunk Type: TTP Product: Splunk Enterprise Security

Description

The following analytic identifies modifications to the SafeBoot registry keys, specifically within the Minimal and Network paths. This detection leverages registry activity logs from endpoint data sources like Sysmon or EDR tools. Monitoring these keys is crucial as adversaries can use them to persist drivers or services in Safe Mode, with Network allowing network connections. If confirmed malicious, this activity could enable attackers to maintain persistence even in Safe Mode, potentially bypassing certain security measures and facilitating further malicious actions.

Search

1
2| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Registry where Registry.registry_path IN ("*SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\SafeBoot\\Minimal\\*","*SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\SafeBoot\\Network\\*") by Registry.action Registry.dest Registry.process_guid Registry.process_id Registry.registry_hive Registry.registry_path Registry.registry_key_name Registry.registry_value_data Registry.registry_value_name Registry.registry_value_type Registry.status Registry.user Registry.vendor_product 
3| `drop_dm_object_name(Registry)` 
4| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` 
5| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` 
6| `windows_registry_modification_for_safe_mode_persistence_filter`

Data Source

Name	Platform	Sourcetype	Source
Sysmon EventID 13	Windows	`'XmlWinEventLog'`	`'XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational'`

Macros Used

Name	Value
security_content_ctime	`convert timeformat="%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S" ctime($field$)`
windows_registry_modification_for_safe_mode_persistence_filter	`search *`

windows_registry_modification_for_safe_mode_persistence_filter is an empty macro by default. It allows the user to filter out any results (false positives) without editing the SPL.

Annotations

- MITRE ATT&CK

+ Kill Chain Phases

+ NIST

+ CIS

- Threat Actors

ID	Technique	Tactic
T1547.001	Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder	Persistence

Exploitation

Installation

DE.CM

CIS 10

Default Configuration

This detection is configured by default in Splunk Enterprise Security to run with the following settings:

Setting	Value
Disabled	true
Cron Schedule	`0 * * * *`
Earliest Time	`-70m@m`
Latest Time	`-10m@m`
Schedule Window	`auto`
Creates Finding (Notable)	Yes
Rule Title	`%name%`
Rule Description	`%description%`
Notable Event Fields	user, dest
Creates Intermediate Finding (Risk Event)	No

TTP detections generate a Finding (Notable) and may generate Intermediate Findings (Risk Events) for associated entities.

Implementation

To successfully implement this search, you must be ingesting data that records registry activity from your hosts to populate the endpoint data model in the registry node. This is typically populated via endpoint detection-and-response product, such as Carbon Black or endpoint data sources, such as Sysmon. The data used for this search is typically generated via logs that report reads and writes to the registry.

Known False Positives

updated windows application needed in safe boot may used this registry

Associated Analytic Story

Finding

Title	Entity Field	Entity Type	Risk Score
Safeboot registry $registry_path$ was added or modified with a new value $registry_value_name$ on $dest$	dest	system	50

References

Detection Testing

Test Type	Status	Dataset	Source	Sourcetype
Validation	✅ Passing	N/A	N/A	N/A
Unit	✅ Passing	Dataset	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational`	`XmlWinEventLog`
Integration	✅ Passing	Dataset	`XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational`	`XmlWinEventLog`

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: GitHub | Version: 14