Malicious Forfiles Proxy Execution Launching PowerShell and MSHTA in PEAKLIGHT Chain (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 forfiles.exe enumerating win.ini and using its command flag to launch PowerShell and mshta, matching the PEAKLIGHT LNK-driven infection chain that abuses forfiles as a proxy execution binary. This technique launches a memory-only downloader while evading direct process lineage detection.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange

Malicious ClickFix PowerShell Launching mshta with Remote URL (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

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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 Forfiles Proxy Execution Launching PowerShell and MSHTA in PEAKLIGHT Chain (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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