Possible Persistence Through Netsh Helper DLL (via process_creation)

title: Possible Persistence Through Netsh Helper DLL (via process_creation)
id: c24c29dd-471a-5f2d-b13b-c40f84fb1b92
status: stable
description: This rule detects the execution of netsh with "add helper" flag to add a custom helper DLL. This method can be misused to add a hostile helper DLL that can be used as a persistence proxy that gets called when netsh.exe is executed.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/007/
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1546.007/T1546.007.md
    - https://github.com/outflanknl/NetshHelperBeacon
    - https://web.archive.org/web/20160928212230/https://www.adaptforward.com/2016/09/using-netshell-to-execute-evil-dlls-and-persist-on-a-host/
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-04-28
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.t1546.007
    - attack.s0108
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - OriginalFileName: 'netsh.exe'
        - Image|endswith: '\netsh.exe'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'add'
            - 'helper'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium