Creation Of Non-Existent System DLL

calendar Nov 26, 2025 · attack.defense-evasion attack.persistence attack.privilege-escalation attack.t1574.001  ·
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Detects the creation of system DLLs that are usually not present on the system (or at least not in system directories). Usually this technique is used to achieve DLL hijacking.

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 1title: Creation Of Non-Existent System DLL
 2id: df6ecb8b-7822-4f4b-b412-08f524b4576c
 3related:
 4    - id: 6b98b92b-4f00-4f62-b4fe-4d1920215771 # ImageLoad rule
 5      type: similar
 6status: test
 7description: |
 8    Detects the creation of system DLLs that are usually not present on the system (or at least not in system directories).
 9    Usually this technique is used to achieve DLL hijacking.    
10references:
11    - https://decoded.avast.io/martinchlumecky/png-steganography/
12    - https://posts.specterops.io/lateral-movement-scm-and-dll-hijacking-primer-d2f61e8ab992
13    - https://clement.notin.org/blog/2020/09/12/CVE-2020-7315-McAfee-Agent-DLL-injection/
14    - https://github.com/Wh04m1001/SysmonEoP
15    - https://www.hexacorn.com/blog/2013/12/08/beyond-good-ol-run-key-part-5/
16    - https://github.com/blackarrowsec/redteam-research/tree/26e6fc0c0d30d364758fa11c2922064a9a7fd309/LPE%20via%20StorSvc
17author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), fornotes
18date: 2022-12-01
19modified: 2024-01-10
20tags:
21    - attack.defense-evasion
22    - attack.persistence
23    - attack.privilege-escalation
24    - attack.t1574.001
25logsource:
26    product: windows
27    category: file_event
28detection:
29    selection:
30        TargetFilename|endswith:
31            - ':\Windows\System32\TSMSISrv.dll'
32            - ':\Windows\System32\TSVIPSrv.dll'
33            - ':\Windows\System32\wbem\wbemcomn.dll'
34            - ':\Windows\System32\WLBSCTRL.dll'
35            - ':\Windows\System32\wow64log.dll'
36            - ':\Windows\System32\WptsExtensions.dll'
37            - '\SprintCSP.dll'
38    condition: selection
39falsepositives:
40    - Unknown
41level: medium
42regression_tests_path: regression_data/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_create_non_existent_dlls/info.yml

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