Suspicious Process Execution from CHM Help File (via process_creation)

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218.001Compiled HTML File
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects the compiled HTML help viewer hh.exe spawning a command shell or PowerShell. The PHANTOM#SPIKE campaign delivered a malicious CHM file whose embedded script launched a hidden backdoor executable.

Reporting behind it

Related detections6 linkedT1218.001 — drag to rearrange

Malicious Compiled HTML Help Process Spawning a Script Interpreter (via process_creation)

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Windows hh.exe Initiates HTTP(S) Network Connections

Windows Process Creation: Suspicious Children Spawned by HTML Help (hh.exe)

Windows: Alert on Suspicious HH.EXE Process Execution

Windows hh.exe Execution Triggered by .chm Command Line

Suspicious Process Execution from CHM Help File (via process_creation)

Pivot detection · T1218.001 · 6 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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