Suspicious mshta Downloading Remote Payload via ClickFix

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1204.004Malicious Copy and Paste
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218.005Mshta
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects mshta.exe invoked with a remote HTTP URL to download an archive payload, the initial execution stage of a ClickFix campaign hiding malware in images. Attackers trick users into pasting an mshta command that pulls a compressed loader from an attacker server. mshta reaching out to remote URLs is a well known living-off-the-land download technique.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1218.005 — drag to rearrange

ClickFix Paste-Jacking Execution of mshta Retrieving Remote Payload (via process_creation)

Malicious mshta Spawning PowerShell Loader via ClickFix

Malicious ClickFix Execution via Headless Conhost

Suspicious Remote HTA Execution via mshta over HTTP

Suspicious Remote HTA Execution via mshta from File Sharing Site

Suspicious PrivacyDrive.exe Execution from AppData Directory (via process_creation)

Suspicious Copy of System mshta.exe into ProgramData by SideWinder APT

Malicious Renamed mshta.exe Execution by SideWinder APT

Malicious PowerShell Clipboard Script Execution via ScriptBlock Create

Suspicious mshta Downloading Remote Payload via ClickFix

Pivot detection · T1218.005 · 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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