Scheduled Task Executing Payload from Registry

Detects the creation of a schtasks that potentially executes a payload stored in the Windows Registry using PowerShell.

Detection logic

selection_img

- Image|endswith: \schtasks.exe
- OriginalFileName: schtasks.exe

selection_cli_create

CommandLine|contains: /Create

selection_cli_get

CommandLine|contains:
  - Get-ItemProperty
  - " gp "

selection_cli_hive

CommandLine|contains:
  - "HKCU:"
  - "HKLM:"
  - "registry::"
  - HKEY_

filter_main_encoding

CommandLine|contains:
  - FromBase64String
  - encodedcommand

Condition

all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_*

Raw YAML

title: Scheduled Task Executing Payload from Registry
id: 86588b36-c6d3-465f-9cee-8f9093e07798
related:
    - id: c4eeeeae-89f4-43a7-8b48-8d1bdfa66c78
      type: derived
status: test
description: Detects the creation of a schtasks that potentially executes a payload stored in the Windows Registry using PowerShell.
references:
    - https://thedfirreport.com/2022/02/21/qbot-and-zerologon-lead-to-full-domain-compromise/
author: X__Junior (Nextron Systems), Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2023-07-18
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.execution
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1053.005
    - attack.t1059.001
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: process_creation
detection:
    selection_img:
        # schtasks.exe /Create /F /TN "{97F2F70B-10D1-4447-A2F3-9B070C86E261}" /TR "cmd /c start /min \"\" powershell.exe -Command IEX([System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString([System.Convert]::FromBase64String((Get-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Pvoeooxf).yzbbvhhdypa))) " /SC MINUTE /MO 30
        - Image|endswith: '\schtasks.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'schtasks.exe'
    selection_cli_create:
        CommandLine|contains: '/Create'
    selection_cli_get:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'Get-ItemProperty'
            - ' gp ' # Alias
    selection_cli_hive:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'HKCU:'
            - 'HKLM:'
            - 'registry::'
            - 'HKEY_'
    filter_main_encoding:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - 'FromBase64String'
            - 'encodedcommand'
    condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium