Windows Network Connection Initiated by IMEWDBLD.EXE

ATT&CK techniques

C2

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
- T1105Ingress Tool Transfer
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies network connections where the initiating process is IMEWDBLD.EXE on Windows. Network activity from this binary can indicate misuse of the utility for command-and-control or staging additional payloads. It relies on telemetry that records network_connection events with the initiating process image path and whether the connection was initiated.

Reporting behind it

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Windows Network Connection Initiated by IMEWDBLD.EXE

Pivot detection · T1105 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v1
No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

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

imewdbld-exe-initiated-network-connections-on-windows-8d7e392e

title: Windows Network Connection Initiated by IMEWDBLD.EXE
id: 272482a7-3a2f-488e-81b3-870e91409a2c
related:
  - id: 863218bd-c7d0-4c52-80cd-0a96c09f54af
    type: derived
  - id: 8d7e392e-9b28-49e1-831d-5949c6281228
    type: derived
status: test
description: This rule identifies network connections where the initiating process is IMEWDBLD.EXE on Windows. Network activity from this binary can indicate misuse of the utility for command-and-control or staging additional payloads. It relies on telemetry that records network_connection events with the initiating process image path and whether the connection was initiated.
references:
  - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1105/T1105.md#atomic-test-10---windows---powershell-download
  - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/IMEWDBLD/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/network_connection/net_connection_win_imewdbld.yml
author: frack113, Huntrule Team
date: 2022-01-22
modified: 2023-11-09
tags:
  - attack.command-and-control
  - attack.t1105
logsource:
  category: network_connection
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    Initiated: "true"
    Image|endswith: \IMEWDBLD.exe
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

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