Possible DLL Sideloading Via Coregen.exe (via image_load)

title: Possible DLL Sideloading Via Coregen.exe (via image_load)
id: fae081c8-d635-583d-9cc0-60842bc27249
status: stable
description: This rule detects use of the "coregen.exe" (Microsoft CoreCLR Native Image Generator) binary to sideload arbitrary DLLs.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1055/
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/
    - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/OtherMSBinaries/Coregen/
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-03-04
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1218
    - attack.t1055
logsource:
    category: image_load
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\coregen.exe'
    filter_main_legit_paths:
        ImageLoaded|startswith:
            - 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Silverlight\'
            - 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Silverlight\'
            - 'C:\Windows\System32\'
            - 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium