Techniques
Sample rules
Windows MsiExec HideWindow Rundll32 Execution
- source: splunk
- technicques:
- T1218.007
Description
The following analytic detects the execution of the msiexec.exe process with the /HideWindow and rundll32 command-line parameters. It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process creation events and command-line arguments. This activity is significant because it is a known tactic used by malware like QakBot to mask malicious operations under legitimate system processes. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow an attacker to download additional payloads, execute malicious code, or establish communication with remote servers, thereby evading detection and maintaining persistence.
Detection logic
| tstats `security_content_summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime FROM datamodel=Endpoint.Processes
WHERE Processes.parent_process_name = msiexec.exe Processes.process = "* /HideWindow *" Processes.process = "* rundll32*"
BY Processes.action Processes.dest Processes.original_file_name
Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_exec Processes.parent_process_guid
Processes.parent_process_id Processes.parent_process_name Processes.parent_process_path
Processes.process Processes.process_exec Processes.process_guid
Processes.process_hash Processes.process_id Processes.process_integrity_level
Processes.process_name Processes.process_path Processes.user
Processes.user_id Processes.vendor_product
| `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`
| `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
| `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
| `windows_msiexec_hidewindow_rundll32_execution_filter`