Windows Image Load Alerts for dbgcore.dll Sideloading

Alerts when dbgcore.dll is loaded from paths outside typical Windows directories, indicating possible DLL sideloading.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2

Product: windows
Category: image_load
Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Wietze Beukema (project and research) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2022-10-25
Updated: 2026-07-31

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 cases where dbgcore.dll is loaded from paths outside common Windows and Program Files locations, indicating potential DLL sideloading behavior. Attackers can exploit search-order and load-path weaknesses to have a process load a malicious copy of a trusted DLL name. It relies on Windows image-load telemetry that records ImageLoaded paths, applying exclusions for standard directories and a few known packaged application locations.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1574.001 — drag to rearrange

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Windows Image Load Alerts for dbgcore.dll Sideloading

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-sideloading-dbgcore-dll-loaded-from-unusual-paths-9ca2bf31

title: Windows Image Load Alerts for dbgcore.dll Sideloading
id: bd1fe3bc-1a9b-4844-8128-efe0ebb279ee
status: test
description: This rule flags cases where dbgcore.dll is loaded from paths outside common Windows and Program Files locations, indicating potential DLL sideloading behavior. Attackers can exploit search-order and load-path weaknesses to have a process load a malicious copy of a trusted DLL name. It relies on Windows image-load telemetry that records ImageLoaded paths, applying exclusions for standard directories and a few known packaged application locations.
references:
  - https://hijacklibs.net/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/image_load/image_load_side_load_dbgcore.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Wietze Beukema (project and research), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-10-25
modified: 2025-10-06
tags:
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.execution
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1574.001
logsource:
  category: image_load
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    ImageLoaded|endswith: \dbgcore.dll
  filter_main_generic:
    ImageLoaded|startswith:
      - C:\Program Files (x86)\
      - C:\Program Files\
      - C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\
      - C:\Windows\System32\
      - C:\Windows\SystemTemp\
      - C:\Windows\SysWOW64\
      - C:\Windows\WinSxS\
  filter_optional_steam:
    ImageLoaded|endswith: \Steam\bin\cef\cef.win7x64\dbgcore.dll
  filter_optional_opera:
    ImageLoaded|contains: opera\Opera Installer Temp\opera_package
    ImageLoaded|endswith: \assistant\dbgcore.dll
  condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate applications loading their own versions of the DLL mentioned in this rule
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 9ca2bf31-0570-44d8-a543-534c47c33ed7
    type: derived

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