Suspicious AutoIt3 Executing Script from User Writable Path via Command Line

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.005Visual Basic
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects Autoit3.exe running an .au3 script, the loader mechanism DarkGate uses after staging a renamed curl download. The compiled AutoIt interpreter runs attacker script to unpack and inject the payload. Detecting the execution exposes the DarkGate loader stage.

Reporting behind it

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Suspicious AutoIt3 Executing Script from User Writable Path via Command Line

Pivot detection · T1059.005 · 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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