Winlogon Notify Key Logon Persistence

SIGMA detection rule by frack113 · NOASSERTION

Adversaries may abuse features of Winlogon to execute DLLs and/or executables when a user logs in. Winlogon.exe is a Windows component responsible for actions at logon/logoff as well as the secure attention sequence (SAS) triggered by Ctrl-Alt-Delete.

title: Winlogon Notify Key Logon Persistence
id: bbf59793-6efb-4fa1-95ca-a7d288e52c88
status: test
description: |
    Adversaries may abuse features of Winlogon to execute DLLs and/or executables when a user logs in.
    Winlogon.exe is a Windows component responsible for actions at logon/logoff as well as the secure attention sequence (SAS) triggered by Ctrl-Alt-Delete.
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1547.004/T1547.004.md#atomic-test-3---winlogon-notify-key-logon-persistence---powershell
author: frack113
date: 2021-12-30
modified: 2023-08-17
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1547.004
logsource:
    category: registry_set
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        TargetObject|endswith: '\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify\logon'
        Details|endswith: '.dll'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high
simulation:
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: Winlogon Notify Key Logon Persistence - PowerShell
      technique: T1547.004
      atomic_guid: d40da266-e073-4e5a-bb8b-2b385023e5f9

[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

435a257e-b495-458c-9fc9-b7ebdfd3e5d9

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Executable code, not a declarative rule

This submission is arbitrary [[ currentRule.format ? currentRule.format.toUpperCase() : '' ]] code, not a declarative detection rule — review it as you would any script before running it, and note that it cannot be safely aggregated or auto-executed alongside YARA/Sigma/Suricata/CRS rules.

Rejected pattern present

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Format & documentation suggestions

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