Suspicious Driver/DLL Deployment Through Odbcconf.EXE (via process_creation)

This rule detects execution of "odbcconf" with "INSTALLDRIVER" which installs a new ODBC driver. Adversaries misuse this to install and run hostile DLLs.

SigmamediumWindowsv1
sigma
title: Suspicious Driver/DLL Deployment Through Odbcconf.EXE (via process_creation)
id: dbceb981-5532-5a5f-a581-e76341e81690
status: stable
description: This rule detects execution of "odbcconf" with "INSTALLDRIVER" which installs a new ODBC driver. Adversaries misuse this to install and run hostile DLLs.
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/008/
    - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Odbcconf/
    - https://web.archive.org/web/20191023232753/https://twitter.com/Hexacorn/status/1187143326673330176
    - https://www.hexacorn.com/blog/2020/08/23/odbcconf-lolbin-trifecta/
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-07-24
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1218.008
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection_img:
        - Image|endswith: '\odbcconf.exe'
        - OriginalFileName: 'odbcconf.exe'
    selection_cli:
        CommandLine|contains|all:
            - 'INSTALLDRIVER '
            - '.dll'
    condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium

Known false positives

  • Unknown

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