Suspicious mshta Launched from Explorer via ClickFix Run Dialog (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1204.002Malicious File
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218.005Mshta
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects mshta.exe launched directly by explorer.exe, the fingerprint of a ClickFix social-engineering lure that tricks a user into pasting a malicious command into the Windows Run dialog during this Booking.com impersonation campaign. Adversaries use the Run-dialog vector to execute mshta as a trusted LOLBin that stages XWorm, Lumma, VenomRAT, AsyncRAT, and NetSupport, so explorer spawning mshta is a high-signal execution indicator.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1204.002 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious Mshta Execution of Remote Payload from Explorer via ClickFix Lure (via process_creation)

Suspicious mshta Executing Remote Content via ClickFix Lure

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Suspicious curl Download Launched from PDF Shortcut Lure (via process_creation)

Suspicious msdt Execution of Audio Diagnostic via UNC1069 ClickFix

Suspicious PowerShell Loader Spawned by mshta via UNC5142 ClickFix

Malicious CivilDefense Loader Spawning civildefensestarter Payload (via process_creation)

Suspicious Script Interpreter Spawned by mshta

Suspicious Chrome Browser Process Spawned by Outlook Indicating Sandbox Escape

Suspicious mshta Launched from Explorer via ClickFix Run Dialog (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1204.002 · 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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