Malicious Follina MSDT Diagnostic Tool Code Execution (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218System Binary Proxy Execution
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects the Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (msdt.exe) being invoked with Follina-style parameters such as PCWDiagnostic or IT_BrowseForFile, which the CVE-2022-30190 exploit uses to run attacker code from a weaponized document. MSDT abuse is a signed-binary code-execution technique highlighted in the Red Canary Threat Detection Report. Detecting these invocations surfaces document-driven exploitation before the payload executes.

Reporting behind it

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Malicious Follina MSDT Diagnostic Tool Code Execution (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1218 · 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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