Suspicious PowerShell AMSI Bypass via 8220 Gang Hadooken Loader

ATT&CK techniques

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects PowerShell code that patches the Anti-Malware Scan Interface by reflectively accessing amsiInitFailed or the AmsiUtils type to disable in memory scanning. The 8220 gang uses an AMSI bypass before launching its CCleaner64.exe branded loader in the Hadooken campaign. Disabling AMSI is a common precursor to fileless payload execution and rarely appears in benign scripts.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1685 — drag to rearrange

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Suspicious Windows Defender Exclusion Added via PowerShell via Process Creation (via process_creation)

Malicious TCC AppleEvents Reset via Tccutil

Suspicious ESXi Management Agent Stop via vpxa init Script (via process_creation)

Suspicious PowerShell AMSI Bypass via 8220 Gang Hadooken Loader

Pivot detection · T1685 · 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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