Windows DHCP Server Error: Callout DLL Failed to Load
Flags DHCP Server events showing failure to load a configured Callout DLL (Event IDs 1031/1032/1034).
- Product
- windows
- Service
- system
- Author
- Dimitrios Slamaris, @atc_project (fix) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2017-05-15
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Execution → Defense EvasionRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule identifies DHCP Server system events where the DHCP service reports an error loading a specified callout DLL. Attackers may leverage DHCP callouts for persistence or execution by registering malicious DLLs, making load failures a useful indicator for suspicious configuration attempts. The detection relies on Windows System logs with Microsoft-Windows-DHCP-Server provider events 1031, 1032, and 1034 that correspond to callout DLL load failures.
Reporting behind it
- blog.3or.dehttps://blog.3or.de/mimilib-dhcp-server-callout-dll-injection.html
- technet.microsoft.comhttps://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc726884(v=ws.10).aspx
- msdn.microsoft.comhttps://msdn.microsoft.com/de-de/library/windows/desktop/aa363389(v=vs.85).aspx
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/system/microsoft_windows_dhcp_server/win_system_susp_dhcp_config_failed.yml
Changelog
v2- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: "Windows DHCP Server Error: Callout DLL Failed to Load"
id: a0773047-5419-48a6-9a2f-5c0e10d226ae
status: test
description: This rule identifies DHCP Server system events where the DHCP service reports an error loading a specified callout DLL. Attackers may leverage DHCP callouts for persistence or execution by registering malicious DLLs, making load failures a useful indicator for suspicious configuration attempts. The detection relies on Windows System logs with Microsoft-Windows-DHCP-Server provider events 1031, 1032, and 1034 that correspond to callout DLL load failures.
references:
- https://blog.3or.de/mimilib-dhcp-server-callout-dll-injection.html
- https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc726884(v=ws.10).aspx
- https://msdn.microsoft.com/de-de/library/windows/desktop/aa363389(v=vs.85).aspx
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/system/microsoft_windows_dhcp_server/win_system_susp_dhcp_config_failed.yml
author: Dimitrios Slamaris, @atc_project (fix), Huntrule Team
date: 2017-05-15
modified: 2022-12-25
tags:
- attack.privilege-escalation
- attack.persistence
- attack.execution
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1574.001
logsource:
product: windows
service: system
detection:
selection:
EventID:
- 1031
- 1032
- 1034
Provider_Name: Microsoft-Windows-DHCP-Server
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 75edd3fd-7146-48e5-9848-3013d7f0282c
type: derived