PowerShell Launching MSBuild for Reflective Code Execution in KamiKakaBot Chain (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1127.001MSBuild
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1127.001MSBuild
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects PowerShell invoking MSBuild.exe through Start-Process, the trusted-developer-utility abuse used by KamiKakaBot to compile and execute a malicious XML task from a temporary directory. Adversaries leverage MSBuild as a signed LOLBin to run inline code and bypass application control, making detection valuable for catching the loader stage of the infection.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1127.001 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious MSBuild Execution Spawned by Interactive Shell for Code Proxying (via process_creation)

Suspicious MSBuild Spawned by PowerShell (via process_creation)

Suspicious MSBuild Execution of Project File from ProgramData (via process_creation)

Malicious MSBuild Execution of Downloaded csproj Project File (via process_creation)

Suspicious MSBuild Inline Task Compilation of mini.xml

Suspicious MSBuild Execution Spawned by Command Shell for Process Hollowing (via process_creation)

Suspicious MSBuild Execution of Inline Payload (via process_creation)

Suspicious MSBuild Execution as LOLBin from User-Writable Path (via process_creation)

Suspicious Local XML Compilation via MSBuild

PowerShell Launching MSBuild for Reflective Code Execution in KamiKakaBot Chain (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1127.001 · 9 related

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

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