Installation of Custom Shim Databases

Identifies the installation of custom Application Compatibility Shim databases. This Windows functionality has been abused by attackers to stealthily gain persistence and arbitrary code execution in legitimate Windows processes.

Rule type: eql

Rule indices:

logs-endpoint.events.registry-*
winlogbeat-*
logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*
logs-m365_defender.event-*
logs-sentinel_one_cloud_funnel.*
endgame-*

Severity: medium

Risk score: 47

Runs every: 5m

Searches indices from: now-9m (Date Math format, see also Additional look-back time)

Maximum alerts per execution: 100

References: None

Tags:

Domain: Endpoint
OS: Windows
Use Case: Threat Detection
Tactic: Persistence
Data Source: Elastic Defend
Data Source: Sysmon
Data Source: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Data Source: SentinelOne
Data Source: Elastic Endgame

Version: 309

Rule authors:

Elastic

Rule license: Elastic License v2

Rule query

edit

registry where host.os.type == "windows" and event.type == "change" and
    registry.path : (
        "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\AppCompatFlags\\Custom\\*.sdb",
        "\\REGISTRY\\MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\AppCompatFlags\\Custom\\*.sdb",
        "MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\AppCompatFlags\\Custom\\*.sdb"
    ) and
    not process.executable :
                       ("?:\\Program Files (x86)\\DesktopCentral_Agent\\swrepository\\1\\swuploads\\SAP-SLC\\SAPSetupSLC02_14-80001954\\Setup\\NwSapSetup.exe",
                        "?:\\$WINDOWS.~BT\\Sources\\SetupPlatform.exe",
                         "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\SAP\\SAPsetup\\setup\\NwSapSetup.exe",
                         "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\SAP\\SapSetup\\OnRebootSvc\\NWSAPSetupOnRebootInstSvc.exe",
                         "?:\\Program Files (x86)\\Kaspersky Lab\\Kaspersky Security for Windows Server\\kavfs.exe")

Framework: MITRE ATT&CK^TM

Tactic:
- Name: Persistence
- ID: TA0003
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0003/
Technique:
- Name: Event Triggered Execution
- ID: T1546
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/
Sub-technique:
- Name: Application Shimming
- ID: T1546.011
- Reference URL: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/011/

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