Potentially Suspicious Child Process Of ClickOnce Application (via process_creation)

title: Potentially Suspicious Child Process Of ClickOnce Application (via process_creation)
id: 584be0fd-1769-5f3c-8aa7-ab45a1e89248
status: stable
description: This rule detects potentially anomalous child processes of a ClickOnce deployment application
references:
    - https://posts.specterops.io/less-smartscreen-more-caffeine-ab-using-clickonce-for-trusted-code-execution-1446ea8051c5
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-05-18
tags:
    - attack.execution
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.defense-evasion
    - attack.t1218
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        ParentImage|contains: '\AppData\Local\Apps\2.0\'
        Image|endswith:
            - '\calc.exe'
            - '\cmd.exe'
            - '\cscript.exe'
            - '\explorer.exe'
            - '\mshta.exe'
            - '\net.exe'
            - '\net1.exe'
            - '\nltest.exe'
            - '\notepad.exe'
            - '\powershell.exe'
            - '\pwsh.exe'
            - '\reg.exe'
            - '\regsvr32.exe'
            - '\rundll32.exe'
            - '\schtasks.exe'
            - '\werfault.exe'
            - '\wscript.exe'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium