Disable Microsoft Defender Firewall via Registry

Hunt Hypothesis

Adversaries may disable or modify system firewalls in order to bypass controls limiting network usage

Detection Rule

Sigma (Original)

title: Disable Microsoft Defender Firewall via Registry
id: 974515da-6cc5-4c95-ae65-f97f9150ec7f
status: test
description: Adversaries may disable or modify system firewalls in order to bypass controls limiting network usage
references:
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1562.004/T1562.004.md#atomic-test-2---disable-microsoft-defender-firewall-via-registry
author: frack113
date: 2022-01-09
modified: 2024-03-25
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1686.003
logsource:
    category: registry_set
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        # HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\DomainProfile\EnableFirewall
        # HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\PublicProfile\EnableFirewall
        # HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\EnableFirewall
        TargetObject|contains: '\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\'
        TargetObject|endswith: '\EnableFirewall'
        Details: 'DWORD (0x00000000)'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/registry/registry_set/registry_set_disable_defender_firewall/info.yml
simulation:
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: Disable Microsoft Defender Firewall via Registry
      technique: T1562.004
      atomic_guid: afedc8c4-038c-4d82-b3e5-623a95f8a612

KQL (Azure Sentinel)

imRegistry
| where RegistryKey endswith "\\Services\\SharedAccess\\Parameters\\FirewallPolicy*" and RegistryKey endswith "\\EnableFirewall" and RegistryValueData =~ "DWORD (0x00000000)"

KQL (Microsoft 365 Defender)

DeviceRegistryEvents
| where RegistryKey endswith "\\Services\\SharedAccess\\Parameters\\FirewallPolicy*" and RegistryKey endswith "\\EnableFirewall" and RegistryValueData =~ "DWORD (0x00000000)"

Required Data Sources

False Positive Guidance

• Unknown

MITRE ATT&CK Context

• Technique: T1686.003 — T1686.003

References

• https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1562.004/T1562.004.md#atomic-test-2---disable-microsoft-defender-firewall-via-registry
• SigmaHQ Rule