Suspicious Edgecution Malicious Extension Load via Headless Edge (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1176Software Extensions
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects Microsoft Edge being launched with a load-extension argument together with headless mode and a Recovery user data directory as used by Edgecution to run its malicious browser extension backdoor. Legitimate Edge sessions do not side load unpacked extensions in headless mode.

Reporting behind it

Related detections8 linkedT1176 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Browser Extension Sideload From a User Path (via process_creation)

Suspicious Chrome Remote Debugging Port for Browser Session Theft

Suspicious Microsoft Edge Unpacked Extension Load via UNC6692 Edgecution

Malicious Chrome Extension Sideload via --load-extension from User-Writable Path (via process_creation)

Malicious Chrome Relaunch Hijack by FlutterShell Backdoor on macOS (via process_creation)

Windows: Chromium-Based Browser Launched via Script Host with --load-extension

Windows Chromium-Based Browser Launched With --load-extension Flag

Windows ChromeLoader Execution via Scheduled Task and Hidden PowerShell Launch

Suspicious Edgecution Malicious Extension Load via Headless Edge (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1176 · 8 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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