Query: detection rule: Detects execution of mshta.exe with file types that looks like they do not typically represent HTA (HTML Application) co
Matching passage: Sigma rule: Detects execution of mshta.exe with file types that looks like they do not typically represent HTA (HTML Application) co. Logsource: windows / process_creation. Rule: title: MSHTA Execution with Suspicious File Extensions id: cc7abbd0-762b-41e3-8a26-57ad50d2eea3 status: test description: 'Detects execution of mshta.exe with file types that looks like they do not typically represent HTA (HTML Application) content, such as .png, .jpg, .zip, .pdf, and others, which are often polyglots. MSHTA is a legitimate Windows utility for executing HTML Applications containing VBScript or JScript. Threat actors often abuse this lolbin utility to download and execute malicious scripts disguised as benign files or hosted under misleading extensions to evade detection. ' references: - http://blog.sevagas.com/?Hacking-around-HTA-files - https://0x00sec.org/t/clientside-exploitation-in-2018-how-pentesting-has-changed/7356 - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/dotnet/framework/data/xml/xslt/xslt-stylesheet-scripting-using-msxsl-script - https://medium.com/tsscyber/pentesting-and-hta-bypassing-powershell-constrained-language-mode-53a42856c997 - https://twitter.com/mattifestation/status/1326228491302563846 - https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/c1f27d9795a2eba630db8a043580a0761798f06370fb1317067805f8a845b00c author: Diego Perez (@darkquassar), Markus Neis, Swisscom (Improve Rule), Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems) date: 2019-02-22 modified: 2025-05-12 tags: - attack.stealth - attack.t1140 - attack.t1218.005 - attack.execution - attack.t1059.007 - cve.2020-1599 logsource: category: process_creation product: windows detection: selection_img: - Image|endswith: \mshta.exe - OriginalFileName: mshta.exe selection_cli: CommandLine|contains: - .7z - .avi - .bat - .bmp - .conf - .csv - .dll - .doc - .gif - .gz - .ini - .jpe - .jpg - .json - .lnk - .log - .mkv - .mp3 - .mp4 - .pdf - .png - .ppt - .rar - .rtf - .svg - .tar - .tmp - .txt - .xls - .xml - .yaml - .yml - .zip - vbscript condition: all of selection_* falsepositives: - False positives depend on scripts and administrative tools used in the monitored environment level: high
Near-miss passage: Sigma rule: Detects usage of the "Add-AppxPackage" or it's alias "Add-AppPackage" to install unsigned AppX packages. Logsource: windows / process_creation. Rule: title: Unsigned AppX Installation Attempt Using Add-AppxPackage id: 37651c2a-42cd-4a69-ae0d-22a4349aa04a related: - id: 975b2262-9a49-439d-92a6-0709cccdf0b2 type: similar - id: 9a025188-6f2d-42f8-bb2f-d3a83d24a5af type: similar status: test description: Detects usage of the "Add-AppxPackage" or it's alias "Add-AppPackage" to install unsigned AppX packages references: - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/package/unsigned-package - https://twitter.com/WindowsDocs/status/1620078135080325122 author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) date: 2023-01-31 tags: - attack.persistence - attack.stealth logsource: category: process_creation product: windows detection: selection_img: - Image|endswith: - \powershell.exe - \pwsh.exe - OriginalFileName: - PowerShell.EXE - pwsh.dll selection_cmdlet: CommandLine|contains: - 'Add-AppPackage ' - 'Add-AppxPackage ' selection_flag: CommandLine|contains: ' -AllowUnsigned' condition: all of selection_* falsepositives: - Installation of unsigned packages for testing purposes level: medium