MITRE CAR unknown stable other

Reg.exe called from Command Shell

Registry modifications are often essential in establishing persistence via known Windows mechanisms. Many legitimate modifications are done graphically via `regedit.exe` or by using the corresponding channels, or even calling the Registry APIs directly. The built-in utility `reg.exe` provides a [command-line interface](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command-line_interface) to the registry, so that queries and modifications can be performed from a shell, such as `cmd.exe`. When a user is responsible for these actions, the parent of `cmd.exe` will likely be `explorer.exe`. Occasionally, power users and administrators write scripts that do this behavior as well, but likely from a different process tree. These background scripts must be learned so they can be tuned out accordingly. ### Output Description The sequence of processes that resulted in `reg.exe` being started from a shell. That is, a hierarchy that looks like - `great-grand_parent.exe` - `grand_parent.exe` - `parent.exe` - `reg.exe`

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Detection Logic

processes = search Process:Create
reg = filter processes where (exe == "reg.exe" and parent_exe == "cmd.exe")
cmd = filter processes where (exe == "cmd.exe" and parent_exe != "explorer.exe"")
reg_and_cmd = join (reg, cmd) where (reg.ppid == cmd.pid and reg.hostname == cmd.hostname)
output reg_and_cmd

Field Validations

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