sigmamediumHunting

Use Short Name Path in Image

Detect use of the Windows 8.3 short name. Which could be used as a method to avoid Image detection

MITRE ATT&CK

defense-evasion

Detection Query

selection:
  Image|contains:
    - ~1\
    - ~2\
filter_main_system_process:
  ParentImage:
    - C:\Windows\System32\Dism.exe
    - C:\Windows\System32\cleanmgr.exe
filter_main_installers:
  - Image|contains|all:
      - \AppData\
      - \Temp\
  - Image|endswith:
      - ~1\unzip.exe
      - ~1\7zG.exe
filter_optional_webex:
  ParentImage|endswith: \WebEx\WebexHost.exe
filter_optional_thor:
  ParentImage|endswith: \thor\thor64.exe
filter_optional_installshield:
  - Product: InstallShield (R)
  - Description: InstallShield (R) Setup Engine
  - Company: InstallShield Software Corporation
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*

Author

frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali

Created

2022-08-07

Data Sources

windowsProcess Creation Events

Platforms

windows

References

Tags

attack.defense-evasionattack.t1564.004

Raw Content

title: Use Short Name Path in Image
id: a96970af-f126-420d-90e1-d37bf25e50e1
related:
    - id: 349d891d-fef0-4fe4-bc53-eee623a15969
      type: similar
status: test
description: Detect use of the Windows 8.3 short name. Which could be used as a method to avoid Image detection
references:
    - https://www.acunetix.com/blog/articles/windows-short-8-3-filenames-web-security-problem/
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-2000-server/cc959352(v=technet.10)
    - https://twitter.com/frack113/status/1555830623633375232
author: frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali
date: 2022-08-07
modified: 2025-10-20
tags:
    - attack.defense-evasion
    - attack.t1564.004
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|contains:
            - '~1\'
            - '~2\'
    filter_main_system_process:
        ParentImage:
            - 'C:\Windows\System32\Dism.exe'
            - 'C:\Windows\System32\cleanmgr.exe'  # Spawns DismHost.exe with a shortened username (if too long)
    filter_main_installers:
        - Image|contains|all:
              - '\AppData\'
              - '\Temp\'
        - Image|endswith:
              - '~1\unzip.exe'
              - '~1\7zG.exe'
    filter_optional_webex:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\WebEx\WebexHost.exe' # Spawns a shortened version of the CLI and Image processes
    filter_optional_thor:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\thor\thor64.exe'
    filter_optional_installshield:
        - Product: 'InstallShield (R)'
        - Description: 'InstallShield (R) Setup Engine'
        - Company: 'InstallShield Software Corporation'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
    - Applications could use this notation occasionally which might generate some false positives. In that case Investigate the parent and child process.
level: medium