Windows: Detect devinit.exe MSI download flag combo (-t msi-install, -i http)

Alerts on devinit.exe command lines that combine MSI install with an HTTP download source.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-01-11
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218System Binary Proxy Execution
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

Identifies process creations where devinit.exe is invoked with a specific command-line flag combination that directs it to install an MSI from an HTTP URL. Attackers can abuse this LOLBIN behavior to fetch and execute arbitrary MSI payloads without using a dedicated downloader. The rule relies on Windows process creation telemetry and matches on exact command-line substrings present in the invoked command line.

Reporting behind it

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Windows: Detect devinit.exe MSI download flag combo (-t msi-install, -i http)

Pivot detection · T1218 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v1
No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

windows-devinit-exe-msi-download-flag-abuse-90d50722

title: "Windows: Detect devinit.exe MSI download flag combo (-t msi-install, -i http)"
id: 209fca08-efdc-42f0-8ac7-a21f963f65ae
status: test
description: Identifies process creations where devinit.exe is invoked with a specific command-line flag combination that directs it to install an MSI from an HTTP URL. Attackers can abuse this LOLBIN behavior to fetch and execute arbitrary MSI payloads without using a dedicated downloader. The rule relies on Windows process creation telemetry and matches on exact command-line substrings present in the invoked command line.
references:
  - https://twitter.com/mrd0x/status/1460815932402679809
  - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/OtherMSBinaries/Devinit/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_devinit_lolbin_usage.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-01-11
modified: 2023-04-06
tags:
  - attack.execution
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1218
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
      - " -t msi-install "
      - " -i http"
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 90d50722-0483-4065-8e35-57efaadd354d
    type: derived

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