Suspicious Remote HTA Execution via mshta over HTTP
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- HuntRule
- Published
- 2026-09-28
- Updated
- 2026-09-28
ATT&CK techniques
Defense Evasion → C2Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule detects mshta.exe executing a remote HTA over HTTP, used in this intrusion to reach an attacker command-and-control server. Remote HTA execution through the signed mshta binary is a proxy execution technique that legitimate applications do not require.
Reporting behind it
- huntress.comhttps://www.huntress.com/blog/third-party-pharmaceutical-vendor-linked-to-pharmacy-and-health-clinic-cyberattack
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/005/
- unit42.paloaltonetworks.comhttps://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/preventing-clickfix-attack-vector/
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1105/
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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