sigmamediumHunting

Suspicious Msiexec Execute Arbitrary DLL

Adversaries may abuse msiexec.exe to proxy execution of malicious payloads. Msiexec.exe is the command-line utility for the Windows Installer and is thus commonly associated with executing installation packages (.msi)

MITRE ATT&CK

T1218.007

defense-evasion

Detection Query

selection:
  Image|endswith: \msiexec.exe
  CommandLine|contains|windash: " -y"
filter_apple:
  CommandLine|contains:
    - \MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mdnsNSP.dll
    - \MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Bonjour\mdnsNSP.dll
    - \MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Apple Software
      Update\ScriptingObjectModel.dll
    - \MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Apple Software
      Update\SoftwareUpdateAdmin.dll
    - \MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Windows\CCM\
    - \MsiExec.exe" /Y C:\Windows\CCM\
    - \MsiExec.exe" -Y "C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mdnsNSP.dll
    - \MsiExec.exe" -Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Bonjour\mdnsNSP.dll
    - \MsiExec.exe" -Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Apple Software
      Update\ScriptingObjectModel.dll
    - \MsiExec.exe" -Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Apple Software
      Update\SoftwareUpdateAdmin.dll
    - \MsiExec.exe" -Y "C:\Windows\CCM\
    - \MsiExec.exe" -Y C:\Windows\CCM\
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_*

Author

frack113

Created

2022-01-16

Data Sources

windowsProcess Creation Events

Platforms

windows

References

Tags

attack.defense-evasionattack.t1218.007

Raw Content

title: Suspicious Msiexec Execute Arbitrary DLL
id: 6f4191bb-912b-48a8-9ce7-682769541e6d
status: test
description: |
    Adversaries may abuse msiexec.exe to proxy execution of malicious payloads.
    Msiexec.exe is the command-line utility for the Windows Installer and is thus commonly associated with executing installation packages (.msi)
references:
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/msiexec
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1218.007/T1218.007.md
    - https://twitter.com/_st0pp3r_/status/1583914515996897281
author: frack113
date: 2022-01-16
modified: 2024-03-13
tags:
    - attack.defense-evasion
    - attack.t1218.007
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\msiexec.exe'
        CommandLine|contains|windash: ' -y'
    filter_apple:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mdnsNSP.dll'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Bonjour\mdnsNSP.dll'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Apple Software Update\ScriptingObjectModel.dll'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Apple Software Update\SoftwareUpdateAdmin.dll'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Windows\CCM\'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" /Y C:\Windows\CCM\' # also need non-quoted execution
            - '\MsiExec.exe" -Y "C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mdnsNSP.dll'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" -Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Bonjour\mdnsNSP.dll'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" -Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Apple Software Update\ScriptingObjectModel.dll'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" -Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\Apple Software Update\SoftwareUpdateAdmin.dll'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" -Y "C:\Windows\CCM\'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" -Y C:\Windows\CCM\' # also need non-quoted execution
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_*
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate script
level: medium