DLL Search Order Hijackig Via Additional Space in Path

calendar Apr 28, 2026 · attack.persistence attack.privilege-escalation attack.execution attack.stealth attack.t1574.001  ·
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Detects when an attacker create a similar folder structure to windows system folders such as (Windows, Program Files...) but with a space in order to trick DLL load search order and perform a "DLL Search Order Hijacking" attack

Sigma rule (View on GitHub)

 1title: DLL Search Order Hijackig Via Additional Space in Path
 2id: b6f91281-20aa-446a-b986-38a92813a18f
 3status: test
 4description: |
 5    Detects when an attacker create a similar folder structure to windows system folders such as (Windows, Program Files...)
 6    but with a space in order to trick DLL load search order and perform a "DLL Search Order Hijacking" attack    
 7references:
 8    - https://twitter.com/cyb3rops/status/1552932770464292864
 9    - https://www.wietzebeukema.nl/blog/hijacking-dlls-in-windows
10author: frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
11date: 2022-07-30
12tags:
13    - attack.persistence
14    - attack.privilege-escalation
15    - attack.execution
16    - attack.stealth
17    - attack.t1574.001
18logsource:
19    category: file_event
20    product: windows
21detection:
22    selection:
23        TargetFilename|startswith:
24            - 'C:\Windows \'
25            - 'C:\Program Files \'
26            - 'C:\Program Files (x86) \'
27        TargetFilename|endswith: '.dll'
28    condition: selection
29falsepositives:
30    - Unknown
31level: high

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