Suspicious WScript VBS Execution from Temp Directory in CVE-2023-36884 Exploit Chain

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1059.005Visual Basic
- T1204.002Malicious File
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects wscript.exe executing a VBScript file extracted into the user Temp directory, matching the SmartScreen-bypass stage of the CVE-2023-36884 and CVE-2023-36584 exploit chain attributed to a Russian APT by Unit 42. Running script payloads unpacked from a downloaded archive under Temp is a common evasion of mark-of-the-web protections and signals user-driven initial execution.

Reporting behind it

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Suspicious WScript VBS Execution from Temp Directory in CVE-2023-36884 Exploit Chain

Pivot detection · T1059.005 · 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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