Malicious Msiexec Installation of a Remote MSI Package (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218.007Msiexec
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects msiexec.exe installing a package directly from a remote HTTP or UNC location, a System Binary Proxy Execution pattern used to fetch and run attacker-controlled installers under a signed Microsoft binary. This LOLBin abuse appears in the Red Canary Threat Detection Report as a way to bypass application allowlisting and deliver second-stage payloads. Detecting remote msiexec installs surfaces the proxy-download-and-execute behavior.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1218.007 — drag to rearrange

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Suspicious Msiexec Installation of Remote MSI from WebDAV Share (via process_creation)

Suspicious msiexec Remote Passive Install Loader

Suspicious Silent MSI Installation of Non-Standard BIN Payload via Msiexec (via process_creation)

Suspicious Antivirus Uninstallation via msiexec (via process_creation)

Suspicious Screensaver File Executed as Installer via process_creation

Suspicious Remote MSI Installation from Amazon S3 via msiexec

Suspicious Remote MSI Install of Dokan Driver via msiexec

Malicious Remote MSI Install of RuntimeBroker via msiexec

Malicious Msiexec Installation of a Remote MSI Package (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1218.007 · 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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