Malicious PUBLOAD Fake Windows Update C2 Request via Proxy (via proxy)

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → C2

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1574.001DLL
Persistence
- T1574.001DLL
Priv Esc
- T1574.001DLL
Defense Evasion
- T1574.001DLL
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
- T1071.001Web Protocols
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects outbound HTTP requests to the fake Windows Update redirect URI used by the PUBLOAD downloader attributed to Stately Taurus. The path masquerades as a legitimate Microsoft update redirect while delivering ToneShell and Bookworm payloads. Catching this beacon reveals an infected host reaching attacker command-and-control disguised as benign update traffic.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1071.001 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious wmicodegen.dll Sideload by inetinfo.exe (UAT-8099 Cobalt Strike)

Malicious GenAI Browser Extension C2 and PAC Redirection (via proxy)

Possible Prometei Botnet C2 URI Pattern

Possible Lampion C2 Beacon With dados Parameter

Suspicious Non-Standard HTTP Methods Used for Covert C2 (via proxy)

Malicious Splinter Post-Exploitation Implant C2 URI Pattern (via proxy)

Malicious BeaverTail C2 Download Path Request (via proxy)

Malicious PubLoad C2 Beacon Spoofing Microsoft Host (via proxy)

Suspicious FalseFont Backdoor C2 Command Endpoint Requests (via proxy)

Malicious PUBLOAD Fake Windows Update C2 Request via Proxy (via proxy)

Pivot detection · T1071.001 · 9 related

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

Full detection rule

Unlock this rule to view and copy it

The detection logic is included with a plan. Everything else — context, mappings and implementation details — stays free on this page.

Sign in for 3 free unlocks

Signing in gives you 3 unlocks to spend on any rule in the library. No card, and they do not expire.

Also included

Unlocked rules convert on this page — to Splunk SPL or Splunk — Raw Index SPL or Microsoft Sentinel KQL or Microsoft Sentinel ASIM ASIM KQL or Microsoft Defender XDR KQL or Elastic Security KQL or Elastic Security Lucene or Elastic Security ES|QL or CrowdStrike Falcon CQL or SentinelOne PowerQuery or Palo Alto Cortex XDR XQL or Carbon Black Cloud Platform Search or Carbon Black EDR Process Search or Google Security Operations UDM Search or IBM QRadar AQL or Sumo Logic Cloud SIEM Rules expression or Rapid7 InsightIDR LEQL or Graylog Search or OpenSearch Lucene or OpenSearch PPL PPL or Grafana Loki LogQL or SQLite SQL or Zircolite SQLite — with the log-source profile the engine picked, the field map it used, and everything it could not express. Converting a rule you have unlocked costs no further credit.

See it run on a free rule →Convert your own rule →