Suspicious Msiexec Execute Arbitrary DLL (via process_creation)

title: Suspicious Msiexec Execute Arbitrary DLL (via process_creation)
id: 964bce57-1579-52ea-ab47-bb2ac3e7fcc2
status: stable
description: This rule detects threat actors may misuse msiexec.exe to proxy execution of hostile payloads. Msiexec.exe is the command-line utility for the Windows Installer and is thus frequently linked with running installation packages (.msi)
references:
    - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/007/
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/msiexec
    - https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1218.007/T1218.007.md
    - https://twitter.com/_st0pp3r_/status/1583914515996897281
author: Huntrule Team
date: 2026-06-22
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1218.007
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith: '\msiexec.exe'
        CommandLine|contains|windash: ' /Y'
    filter_main_legit_path:
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files\'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Windows\System32\'
            - '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Windows\SysWOW64\'
    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: medium