System Language Discovery via Reg.Exe

experimentalmedium
log source: windows · process_creationauthor Marco Pedrinazzi (@pedrinazziM) (InTheCyber)date 2026-01-09
01

description

What this is, in brief.

Detects the usage of Reg.Exe to query system language settings. Attackers may discover the system language to determine the geographic location of victims, customize payloads for specific regions, or avoid targeting certain locales to evade detection.

02

tags

attack.discoveryattack.t1614.001
03

rule source (YAML)

title: System Language Discovery via Reg.Exe
id: c43a5405-e8e1-4221-9ac9-dbe3fa14e886
status: experimental
description: |
    Detects the usage of Reg.Exe to query system language settings.
    Attackers may discover the system language to determine the geographic location of victims, customize payloads for specific regions,
    or avoid targeting certain locales to evade detection.
references:
    - https://scythe.io/threat-thursday/threatthursday-darkside-ransomware
author: Marco Pedrinazzi (@pedrinazziM) (InTheCyber)
date: 2026-01-09
tags:
    - attack.discovery
    - attack.t1614.001
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\reg.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'reg.exe'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'query'
            - 'Control\Nls\Language'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium
regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_reg_system_language_discovery/info.yml
simulation:
    - type: atomic-red-team
      name: Discover System Language by Registry Query
      technique: T1614.001
      atomic_guid: 631d4cf1-42c9-4209-8fe9-6bd4de9421be
04

detects techniques (1)

ATT&CK techniques this enables or maps to.

05

references

External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.