Suspicious HUI Loader Configuration Artifact Creation via hellokety.ini (via file_event)

PremiumReviewedSigma · Medium · v1
Product
windows
Category
file_event
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-10-27
Updated
2026-10-27

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects creation of the hellokety.ini configuration artifact referenced by HUI Loader variants in the Chinese Entanglement campaign. The file steers loading of the encrypted agent.data payload. This distinctive file name is not associated with legitimate software.

Related detections9 linkedT1574.001 — drag to rearrange
Malicious HUI Loader DLL Side-Loading via McAfee mfeann.exe (via image_load)
Malicious PlugX DLL Sideloading via CEFHelper from RECYCLER.BIN
Possible python311 DLL Side-Loading by Non Python Host Process
Suspicious Dism Spawned by Microsoft Management Console (via process_creation)
Possible DarkGate DLL Sideloading via iTunesHelper Loading CoreFoundation
Suspicious DLL Sideload of profiler16.dll (via image_load)
Malicious PUBLOAD Fake Windows Update C2 Request via Proxy (via proxy)
Suspicious MicrosoftEdgeUpdate Launched with Dat Config File
Suspicious GoogleUpdate Binary Executing From Non-Standard Path (via process_creation)
Suspicious HUI Loader Configuration Artifact Creation via hellokety.ini (via file_event)
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.