Elastic Security Detection Rules

Installation of Custom Shim Databases

Last updated 5 months ago on 2025-03-20
Created 5 years ago on 2020-09-02

About

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.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: WindowsUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: PersistenceData Source: Elastic DefendData Source: SysmonData Source: Microsoft Defender for EndpointData Source: SentinelOneData Source: Elastic EndgameLanguage: eql
Severity
medium
Risk Score
47
MITRE ATT&CK™

Persistence (TA0003)(opens in a new tab or window)

↳ Event Triggered Execution (T1546)(opens in a new tab or window)

License
Elastic License v2(opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Rule Type
Event Correlation Rule
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns
logs-endpoint.events.registry-*winlogbeat-*logs-windows.sysmon_operational-*logs-m365_defender.event-*logs-sentinel_one_cloud_funnel.*endgame-*
Related Integrations

endpoint(opens in a new tab or window)

windows(opens in a new tab or window)

m365_defender(opens in a new tab or window)

sentinel_one_cloud_funnel(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
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")

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Installation of Custom Shim Databases in the Elastic Security detection engine by installing this rule into your Elastic Stack.

To setup this rule, check out the installation guide for Prebuilt Security Detection Rules(opens in a new tab or window).