Suspicious MSHTA VBScript WScript Shell Execution

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.005Visual Basic
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218.005Mshta
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects mshta.exe executing an inline vbscript command that instantiates WScript.Shell to run a child process. This fileless technique is used by PurpleFox and XWorm loaders to spawn cmd or PowerShell without dropping a script to disk.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1218.005 — drag to rearrange

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Windows Remote Thread Creation via CACTUSTORCH Using Script/Office/Rundll Host Images

Suspicious Batch Script Execution Spawned by wscript via VBScript

Suspicious NW.js Runtime Execution from AppData Roaming by Charcoal Stork (via process_creation)

Suspicious PowerShell Spawned by mshta.exe in FakeSG Chain (via process_creation)

Suspicious Hidden PowerShell Spawned by MSHTA for Boot Persistence (via process_creation)

Malicious HTA Payload Download and Execution via PowerShell One-Liner (via process_creation)

Suspicious MSHTA VBScript WScript Shell Execution

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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