Potential Persistence Via AppCompat RegisterAppRestart Layer

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About the rule

Rule Type

Standard

Rule Description

Detects the setting of the REGISTERAPPRESTART compatibility layer on an application. This compatibility layer allows an application to register for restart using the "RegisterApplicationRestart" API. This can be potentially abused as a persistence mechanism.

Severity

Trouble

Rule Requirement

Criteria

Action1: actionname = "Registry value modified" AND (OBJECTNAME contains "\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers" OR (OBJECTNAME endswith "\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers" AND isExist(OBJECTVALUENAME))) AND INFORMATION contains "REGISTERAPPRESTART" select Action1.HOSTNAME,Action1.MESSAGE,Action1.OBJECTNAME,Action1.PROCESSNAME,Action1.PREVVAL,Action1.CHANGES

Detection

Execution Mode

realtime

Log Sources

Windows

Author

Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)