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Msiexec Quiet Installation

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_img:
  - Image|endswith: \msiexec.exe
  - OriginalFileName: msiexec.exe
selection_cli:
  CommandLine|contains|windash:
    - -i
    - -package
    - -a
    - -j
selection_quiet:
  CommandLine|contains|windash: -q
filter_user_temp:
  ParentImage|startswith: C:\Users\
  ParentImage|contains: \AppData\Local\Temp\
filter_system_temp:
  ParentImage|startswith: C:\Windows\Temp\
filter_ccm:
  ParentImage: C:\Windows\CCM\Ccm32BitLauncher.exe
  IntegrityLevel:
    - System
    - S-1-16-16384
condition: all of 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: Msiexec Quiet Installation
id: 79a87aa6-e4bd-42fc-a5bb-5e6fbdcd62f5
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/1583914244344799235
author: frack113
date: 2022-01-16
modified: 2024-12-01
tags:
    - attack.defense-evasion
    - attack.t1218.007
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\msiexec.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'msiexec.exe'
    selection_cli:
        # Note that there is no space before and after the arguments because it's possible to write a commandline as such
        # Example: msiexec -q/i [MSI Package]
        CommandLine|contains|windash:
            - '-i'
            - '-package'
            - '-a'
            - '-j'
    selection_quiet:
        CommandLine|contains|windash: '-q'
    filter_user_temp:
        # The %temp% is a very common location for installers
        ParentImage|startswith: 'C:\Users\'
        ParentImage|contains: '\AppData\Local\Temp\'
    filter_system_temp:
        ParentImage|startswith: 'C:\Windows\Temp\'
    filter_ccm:
        ParentImage: 'C:\Windows\CCM\Ccm32BitLauncher.exe'
        IntegrityLevel:
            - 'System'
            - 'S-1-16-16384'
    condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_*
falsepositives:
    - WindowsApps installing updates via the quiet flag
level: medium