Suspicious calc.exe Quit Execution From Non-System Directory via DLL Side-Loading

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1574.001DLL
Persistence
- T1574.001DLL
Priv Esc
- T1574.001DLL
Defense Evasion
- T1574.001DLL
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects calc.exe invoked with a /quit argument from a directory outside System32. QuasarRAT drops a legitimate Calc.exe with a malicious Secure32.dll and runs it with /quit so the process immediately exits after side-loading the payload. The combination of the trusted binary in an unusual path and an immediate self-terminate flag is characteristic of this side-loading loader.

Reporting behind it

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Suspicious calc.exe Quit Execution From Non-System Directory via DLL Side-Loading

Pivot detection · T1574.001 · 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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