Techniques
Sample rules
Windows Registry Dotnet ETW Disabled Via ENV Variable
- source: splunk
- technicques:
Description
The following analytic detects a registry modification that disables the ETW for the .NET Framework. It leverages data from the Endpoint.Registry data model, specifically monitoring changes to the COMPlus_ETWEnabled registry value under the “Environment” registry key path for both user (HKCU\Environment) and machine (HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment) scopes. This activity is significant because disabling ETW can allow attackers to evade Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools and hide their execution from audit logs. If confirmed malicious, this action could enable attackers to operate undetected, potentially leading to further compromise and persistent access within the environment.
Detection logic
| tstats `security_content_summariesonly`
count min(_time) as firstTime
max(_time) as lastTime
FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Registry WHERE
Registry.registry_path="*\\Environment*"
Registry.registry_value_name="COMPlus_ETWEnabled"
Registry.registry_value_data IN ("0x00000000", "0")
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)`
| where isnotnull(registry_value_data)
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `windows_registry_dotnet_etw_disabled_via_env_variable_filter`