Malicious dal_keepalives.dll Sideloaded By Signed Binary (via image_load)

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

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects loading of dal_keepalives.dll, a uniquely named malicious module sideloaded through signed binaries in the Stayin Alive campaign against telecoms and government ministries in Asia. The specific DLL name is a distinctive loader artifact with no legitimate use.

Related detections9 linkedT1574.001 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Cortex XDR Binary Sideloading winutils.dll (via image_load)
Suspicious CoinLoader DLL Sideload From Z-1-36-81 Directory (via image_load)
Suspicious shfolder.dll Sideloading via VMware net-service Binary
Suspicious AtlasRAT Loader Artifacts in Public Documents (via file_event)
Suspicious Commonly-Hijacked DLL Loaded From a User-Writable Path (via image_load)
Suspicious Impact of 'SMOKEDHAM Backdoor' with MSDTC Service Privilege Escalation via Command Line (via process_creation)
Malicious DLL ServerLevelPluginDll Command Installation (via process_creation)
Malicious DLL ServerLevelPluginDll Registration - Reg via Sysmon (via registry_set)
GateDoor DLL Search Order Hijacking via WebView2Loader from MicrosoftEdging (via image_load)
Malicious dal_keepalives.dll Sideloaded By Signed Binary (via image_load)
Pivot detection · T1574.001 · 9 related

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