Malicious ClickFix PowerShell Launching mshta with Remote URL (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.001PowerShell
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218.005Mshta
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects the ClickFix initial-access pattern where powershell.exe invokes mshta against a remote URL after a victim pastes a clipboard command through the Run dialog, as documented by Group-IB. Adversaries use this social-engineering chain to fetch and execute an HTA-based downloader, so the powershell-to-mshta URL pattern is a strong entry-point signal.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange

Malicious Forfiles Proxy Execution Launching PowerShell and MSHTA in PEAKLIGHT Chain (via process_creation)

Suspicious PowerShell Query of MSHTA Application Class in PEAKLIGHT Chain (via ps_script)

Windows: PowerShell-triggered HTA retrieval and execution with registry and process disruption

Suspicious Scheduled Task Running PowerShell Every Minute (via process_creation)

Malicious Script Host Spawning PowerShell With Invoke-Expression (via process_creation)

Suspicious MSHTA VBScript WScript Shell Execution

Suspicious Remote HTA Payload Execution via MSHTA

Hidden PowerShell Archive Extraction via ExtractToDirectory

CastleLoader ClickFix PowerShell Hex Decode and Re-Execution

Malicious ClickFix PowerShell Launching mshta with Remote URL (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 9 related

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

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