How does the Poweliks malware use hidden registry entries for persistence?

The Poweliks malware creates a special registry key in the startup location that begins with a null character (`\0`). This key executes its payload via `mshta`. Because the key name starts with `\0`, standard tools like Regedit fail to read it due to string termination, effectively hiding the persistence mechanism. For more details, see the original article: Penetration Techniques - Creating "Hidden" Registry Entries.