Boot or Logon Initialization Scripts:  Сценарий входа в систему (Windows)

JHUHUGIT has registered a Windows shell script under the Registry key HKCU\Environment\UserInitMprLogonScript to establish persistence.(Citation: ESET Sednit Part 1)(Citation: Talos Seduploader Oct 2017)

KGH_SPY has the ability to set the HKCU\Environment\UserInitMprLogonScript Registry key to execute logon scripts.(Citation: Cybereason Kimsuky November 2020)

Attor's dispatcher can establish persistence via adding a Registry key with a logon script HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Environment "UserInitMprLogonScript" .(Citation: ESET Attor Oct 2019)

Zebrocy performs persistence with a logon script via adding to the Registry key HKCU\Environment\UserInitMprLogonScript.(Citation: ESET Zebrocy Nov 2018)

An APT28 loader Trojan adds the Registry key HKCU\Environment\UserInitMprLogonScript to establish persistence.(Citation: Unit 42 Playbook Dec 2017)

Cobalt Group has added persistence by registering the file name for the next stage malware under HKCU\Environment\UserInitMprLogonScript.(Citation: Morphisec Cobalt Gang Oct 2018)

Restricting registry permissions involves configuring access control settings for sensitive registry keys and hives to ensure that only authorized users or processes can make modifications. By limiting access, organizations can prevent unauthorized changes that adversaries might use for persistence, privilege escalation, or defense evasion. This mitigation can be implemented through the following measures: Review and Adjust Permissions on Critical Keys - Regularly review permissions on keys such as `Run`, `RunOnce`, and `Services` to ensure only authorized users have write access. - Use tools like `icacls` or `PowerShell` to automate permission adjustments. Enable Registry Auditing - Enable auditing on sensitive keys to log access attempts. - Use Event Viewer or SIEM solutions to analyze logs and detect suspicious activity. - Example Audit Policy: `auditpol /set /subcategory:"Registry" /success:enable /failure:enable` Protect Credential-Related Hives - Limit access to hives like `SAM`,`SECURITY`, and `SYSTEM` to prevent credential dumping or other unauthorized access. - Use LSA Protection to add an additional security layer for credential storage. Restrict Registry Editor Usage - Use Group Policy to restrict access to regedit.exe for non-administrative users. - Block execution of registry editing tools on endpoints where they are unnecessary. Deploy Baseline Configuration Tools - Use tools like Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit or CIS Benchmarks to apply and maintain secure registry configurations. *Tools for Implementation* Registry Permission Tools: - Registry Editor (regedit): Built-in tool to manage registry permissions. - PowerShell: Automate permissions and manage keys. `Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" -Name "KeyName" -Value "Value"` - icacls: Command-line tool to modify ACLs. Monitoring Tools: - Sysmon: Monitor and log registry events. - Event Viewer: View registry access logs. Policy Management Tools: - Group Policy Management Console (GPMC): Enforce registry permissions via GPOs. - Microsoft Endpoint Manager: Deploy configuration baselines for registry permissions.