Antivirus Check and Remote Loader Retrieval in LNK Command Chain

PremiumReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-09-08
Updated
2026-09-08

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → C2
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Persistence

  5. Priv Esc

  6. Defense Evasion

  7. Cred Access

  8. Discovery

  9. Lateral Movement

  10. Collection

  11. Exfiltration

  12. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects a command chain that checks for the ESET kernel service with tasklist and findstr then downloads a remote payload and hands it to MSBuild for execution. This LNK based initial access is used by Unfading Sea Haze.

Related detections9 linkedT1105 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Remote HTA Payload Execution via MSHTA
Possible PurpleFox MSHTA to Msiexec Remote MSI Chain
MSBuild Executing Non-Project File or Remote Payload
Suspicious PowerShell Hidden Web Download via Invoke-WebRequest by CatB Ransomware
Malicious Remote MSI Execution with Image Extension via msiexec (via process_creation)
Malicious ActiveMQ Exploitation Java Spawning PowerShell Downloader (via process_creation)
Malicious Sobolan Payload Download from Jupyter Compromise (via process_creation)
Suspicious Payload Download from Filebin via wget (via process_creation)
Suspicious Certutil UrlCache Download of Remote CAB Payload (via process_creation)
Antivirus Check and Remote Loader Retrieval in LNK Command Chain
Pivot detection · T1105 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.