Suspicious AutoHotkey Script Execution from User Writable Path by DarkGate

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects the AutoHotkey interpreter running an ahk script, the execution stage DarkGate reaches after reconstructing AutoHotKey.exe and launching script.ahk to carry out its malicious logic. AutoHotkey provides a scripting runtime that adversaries repurpose for command and control and payload handling. Detecting interpreter plus script execution exposes the DarkGate second stage.

Reporting behind it

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Suspicious AutoHotkey Script Execution from User Writable Path by DarkGate

Pivot detection · T1059 · 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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