Directory Service Restore Mode(DSRM) Registry Value Tampering
Detects changes to "DsrmAdminLogonBehavior" registry value. During a Domain Controller (DC) promotion, administrators create a Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) local administrator account with a password that…
Description
Detects changes to "DsrmAdminLogonBehavior" registry value. During a Domain Controller (DC) promotion, administrators create a Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) local administrator account with a password that rarely changes. The DSRM account is an “Administrator” account that logs in with the DSRM mode when the server is booting up to restore AD backups or recover the server from a failure. Attackers could abuse DSRM account to maintain their persistence and access to the organization's Active Directory. If the "DsrmAdminLogonBehavior" value is set to "0", the administrator account can only be used if the DC starts in DSRM. If the "DsrmAdminLogonBehavior" value is set to "1", the administrator account can only be used if the local AD DS service is stopped. If the "DsrmAdminLogonBehavior" value is set to "2", the administrator account can always be used.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- IaaSIdentity ProviderLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesOffice SuiteSaaSWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source product
- windows
- Log source category
- registry_set
Known benign triggers
- Unknown
MITRE ATT&CK mappings
0 exclusive techniques.This is coverage no other published rule has; it is not this rule's total technique count.
References
| Reference | Cited by |
|---|---|
| adsecurity.org/?p=1785 | Only this detection cites it |
| book.hacktricks.xyz/windows-hardening/active-directory-methodology/dsrm-credentials | Only this detection cites it |
| www.sentinelone.com/blog/detecting-dsrm-account-misconfigurations/ | Only this detection cites it |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- b61e87c0-50db-4b2e-8986-6a2be94b33b0
- Tagged by the source as
- attack.credential-accessattack.defense-impairmentattack.persistence
Licence
- Published under
- Detection Rule License 1.1Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Aug 26, 2026
- Version
- 1