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

Suspicious PowerShell Spawned by mshta.exe in FakeSG Chain (via process_creation)

Suspicious Hidden PowerShell Spawned by MSHTA for Boot Persistence (via process_creation)

Malicious HTA Payload Download and Execution via PowerShell One-Liner (via process_creation)

Suspicious PowerShell Loader Spawned by mshta via UNC5142 ClickFix

Suspicious Script Interpreter Spawned by mshta

Malicious mshta Spawning PowerShell Loader via ClickFix

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

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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