Malicious COM Object Hijack Pointing to a User-Writable DLL (via registry_set)

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1546.015Component Object Model Hijacking
Priv Esc
- T1546.015Component Object Model Hijacking
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects a CLSID InprocServer32 default value being pointed at a DLL in a user, temp or public directory, the hallmark of COM hijacking used for stealthy persistence and defense evasion. COM hijacking is a persistence technique profiled in the Red Canary Threat Detection Report. Detecting a COM object redirected to a user-writable payload surfaces a persistence mechanism before it is invoked.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1546.015 — drag to rearrange

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Windows COM CLSID Hijacking via Registry Default InprocServer32/LocalServer32 Modification

Windows Registry COM InProcServer32 Hijack via PSFactory CLSID Default Value

Malicious COM Object Hijack Pointing to a User-Writable DLL (via registry_set)

Pivot detection · T1546.015 · 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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