Windows Modify Registry Tamper Protection

SPLUNK detection rule by Teoderick Contreras, Splunk · Apache-2.0

The following analytic detects a suspicious modification to the Windows Defender Tamper Protection registry setting. It leverages data from the Endpoint datamodel, specifically targeting changes where the registry path is set to disable Tamper Protection. This activity is significant because disabling Tamper Protection can allow adversaries to make further undetected changes to Windows Defender settings, potentially leading to reduced security on the system. If confirmed malicious, this could enable attackers to evade detection, persist in the environment, and execute further malicious activities without interference from Windows Defender.

name: Windows Modify Registry Tamper Protection
id: 12094335-88fc-4c3a-b55f-e62dd8c93c23
version: 12
creation_date: '2023-04-26'
modification_date: '2026-05-13'
author: Teoderick Contreras, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: The following analytic detects a suspicious modification to the Windows Defender Tamper Protection registry setting. It leverages data from the Endpoint datamodel, specifically targeting changes where the registry path is set to disable Tamper Protection. This activity is significant because disabling Tamper Protection can allow adversaries to make further undetected changes to Windows Defender settings, potentially leading to reduced security on the system. If confirmed malicious, this could enable attackers to evade detection, persist in the environment, and execute further malicious activities without interference from Windows Defender.
data_source:
    - Sysmon EventID 13
search: '| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Registry where Registry.registry_path="*\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows Defender\\Features\\TamperProtection" AND Registry.registry_value_data="0x00000000" 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 | `drop_dm_object_name(Registry)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `windows_modify_registry_tamper_protection_filter`'
how_to_implement: To successfully implement this search you need to be ingesting information on process that include the name of the process responsible for the changes from your endpoints into the `Endpoint` datamodel in the `Processes` node. In addition, confirm the latest CIM App 4.20 or higher is installed and the latest TA for the endpoint product.
known_false_positives: Administrators may enable or disable this feature that may cause some false positive.
references:
    - https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/win.redline_stealer
drilldown_searches:
    - name: View the detection results for - "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  dest = "$dest$"'
      earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$dest$") | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
      earliest_offset: 7d
      latest_offset: "0"
finding:
    title: A registry modification to tamper Windows Defender protection on $dest$
    entity:
        field: dest
        type: system
        score: 50
analytic_story:
    - Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters
    - RedLine Stealer
asset_type: Endpoint
atomic_guid:
    - 12e03af7-79f9-4f95-af48-d3f12f28a260
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1112
product:
    - Splunk Enterprise
    - Splunk Enterprise Security
    - Splunk Cloud
category: endpoint
security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/malware/redline/modify_registry/sysmon.log
          source: XmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: XmlWinEventLog
      test_type: unit

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24de7fd9-6123-4cfb-a813-6ab893d25b6f

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