T1012 - Query Registry

Description from ATT&CK

Adversaries may interact with the Windows Registry to gather information about the system, configuration, and installed software. The Registry contains a significant amount of information about the operating system, configuration, software, and security.(Citation: Wikipedia Windows Registry) Information can easily be queried using the [Reg](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0075) utility, though other means to access the Registry exist. Some of the information may help adversaries to further their operation within a network. Adversaries may use the information from [Query Registry](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1012) during automated discovery to shape follow-on behaviors, including whether or not the adversary fully infects the target and/or attempts specific actions.

Atomic Tests


Atomic Test #1 - Query Registry

Query Windows Registry. Upon successful execution, cmd.exe will perform multiple reg queries. Some will succeed and others will fail (dependent upon OS). References: https://blog.cylance.com/windows-registry-persistence-part-2-the-run-keys-and-search-order https://blog.cylance.com/windows-registry-persistence-part-1-introduction-attack-phases-and-windows-services http://www.handgrep.se/repository/cheatsheets/postexploitation/WindowsPost-Exploitation.pdf https://www.offensive-security.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/wp.Registry_Quick_Find_Chart.en_us.pdf

Supported Platforms: Windows

auto_generated_guid: 8f7578c4-9863-4d83-875c-a565573bbdf0

Attack Commands: Run with 
1

command_prompt
! Elevation Required (e.g. root or admin)

reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows"
reg query HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce
reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce
reg query HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify"
reg query "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit"
reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\\Shell"
reg query "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\\Shell"
reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad
reg query HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
reg query HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
reg query HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
reg query HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run
reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run
reg query HKLM\system\currentcontrolset\services /s | findstr ImagePath 2>nul | findstr /Ri ".*\.sys$"
reg query HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
reg query HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components"
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy\Scripts\Startup"



Atomic Test #2 - Query Registry with Powershell cmdlets

Query Windows Registry with Powershell cmdlets, i.e., Get-Item and Get-ChildItem. The results from above can also be achieved with Get-Item and Get-ChildItem. Unlike using “reg query” which then executes reg.exe, using cmdlets won’t generate new processes, which may evade detection systems monitoring process generation.

Supported Platforms: Windows

auto_generated_guid: 0434d081-bb32-42ce-bcbb-3548e4f2628f

Attack Commands: Run with 
1

powershell
! Elevation Required (e.g. root or admin)

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Get-Item -Path "HKLM:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows"
Get-ChildItem -Path "HKLM:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\" | findstr Windows
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce"
Get-Item -Path "HKCU:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce"
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices"
Get-Item -Path "HKCU:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices"
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify"
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit"
Get-Item -Path "HKCU:Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\\Shell"
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\\Shell"
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad"
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce"
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx"
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
Get-Item -Path "HKCU:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
Get-Item -Path "HKCU:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce"
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run"
Get-Item -Path "HKCU:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run"
Get-ChildItem -Path "HKLM:system\currentcontrolset\services" 
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
Get-Item -Path "HKLM:SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot"
Get-ChildItem -Path "HKLM:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components"
Get-ChildItem -Path "HKLM:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy\Scripts\Startup"



Atomic Test #3 - Enumerate COM Objects in Registry with Powershell

This test is designed to enumerate the COM objects listed in HKCR, then output their methods and CLSIDs to a text file. An adversary could then use this information to identify COM objects that might be vulnerable to abuse, such as using them to spawn arbitrary processes. See: https://www.mandiant.com/resources/hunting-com-objects

Supported Platforms: Windows

auto_generated_guid: 0d80d088-a84c-4353-af1a-fc8b439f1564

Inputs:

| Name | Description | Type | Default Value | |——|————-|——|—————| | output_file | File to output list of COM objects to | string | $env:temp\T1592.002Test1.txt|

Attack Commands: Run with 
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powershell
!

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New-PSDrive -PSProvider registry -Root HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT -Name HKCR
Get-ChildItem -Path HKCR:\CLSID -Name | Select -Skip 1 > $env:temp\clsids.txt
ForEach($CLSID in Get-Content "$env:temp\clsids.txt")
{try{write-output "$($Position)-$($CLSID)"
write-output "------------"| out-file #{output_file} -append
write-output $($CLSID)| out-file #{output_file} -append
$handle=[activator]::CreateInstance([type]::GetTypeFromCLSID($CLSID))
$handle | get-member -erroraction silentlycontinue | out-file #{output_file} -append
$position += 1} catch{}}

Cleanup Commands:

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remove-item #{output_file} -force -erroraction silentlycontinue
remove-item $env:temp\clsids.txt -force -erroraction silentlycontinue



Atomic Test #4 - Reg query for AlwaysInstallElevated status

The reg query commands allows to check the status of the AlwaysInstallElevated registry key for both the user and the machine. If both queries return a value of 0x1, then AlwaysInstallElevated is enabled for both user and machine thus allowing a regular user to install a Microsoft Windows Installer package with system level privileges. This can be abused by an attacker to escalate privileges in the host to SYSTEM level.

Supported Platforms: Windows

auto_generated_guid: 6fb4c4c5-f949-4fd2-8af5-ddbc61595223

Attack Commands: Run with 
1

command_prompt
! Elevation Required (e.g. root or admin)

reg query HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer /v AlwaysInstallElevated
reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer /v AlwaysInstallElevated