Windows: Detect Aruba Netsvc DLL Search Order Hijacking via arubanetsvc.exe Loaded DLLs

Flags arubanetsvc.exe loading targeted DLLs outside standard system paths, suggesting possible DLL search order hijacking.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2

Product: windows
Category: image_load
Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2023-01-22
Updated: 2026-07-31

Analysis Detection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1574.001DLL
Persistence
- T1574.001DLL
Priv Esc
- T1574.001DLL
Defense Evasion
- T1574.001DLL
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags DLL loads associated with the Aruba Networks Virtual Intranet Access process arubanetsvc.exe, focusing on DLLs commonly targeted for DLL search order hijacking. Attackers may abuse DLL resolution to execute malicious code in the context of a legitimate signed application. The detection relies on image_load telemetry capturing the loaded DLL image paths and matching arubanetsvc.exe alongside specific DLL names, excluding loads from standard Windows system directories.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1574.001 — drag to rearrange

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Windows: Detect Aruba Netsvc DLL Search Order Hijacking via arubanetsvc.exe Loaded DLLs

Pivot detection · T1574.001 · 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-dll-search-order-hijacking-via-arubanetsvc-exe-dll-loads-90ae0469

title: "Windows: Detect Aruba Netsvc DLL Search Order Hijacking via arubanetsvc.exe Loaded DLLs"
id: 1a4c64d6-aa92-454b-8f08-5535213cd96c
status: test
description: This rule flags DLL loads associated with the Aruba Networks Virtual Intranet Access process arubanetsvc.exe, focusing on DLLs commonly targeted for DLL search order hijacking. Attackers may abuse DLL resolution to execute malicious code in the context of a legitimate signed application. The detection relies on image_load telemetry capturing the loaded DLL image paths and matching arubanetsvc.exe alongside specific DLL names, excluding loads from standard Windows system directories.
references:
  - https://twitter.com/wdormann/status/1616581559892545537?t=XLCBO9BziGzD7Bmbt8oMEQ&s=09
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/image_load/image_load_side_load_aruba_networks_virtual_intranet_access.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-01-22
modified: 2023-03-15
tags:
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.execution
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1574.001
logsource:
  category: image_load
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith: \arubanetsvc.exe
    ImageLoaded|endswith:
      - \wtsapi32.dll
      - \msvcr100.dll
      - \msvcp100.dll
      - \dbghelp.dll
      - \dbgcore.dll
      - \wininet.dll
      - \iphlpapi.dll
      - \version.dll
      - \cryptsp.dll
      - \cryptbase.dll
      - \wldp.dll
      - \profapi.dll
      - \sspicli.dll
      - \winsta.dll
      - \dpapi.dll
  filter:
    ImageLoaded|startswith:
      - C:\Windows\System32\
      - C:\Windows\SysWOW64\
      - C:\Windows\WinSxS\
  condition: selection and not filter
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 90ae0469-0cee-4509-b67f-e5efcef040f7
    type: derived

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