Windows: Process Creation of Dnx.EXE May Indicate Application Whitelisting Bypass

Alerts on execution of dnx.exe, a .NET-based utility that can be abused to bypass application whitelisting.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: Beyu Denis, oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1027.004Compile After Delivery
- T1218System Binary Proxy Execution
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule triggers when Dnx.EXE is executed on Windows. Dnx can run C# code, which may be abused to circumvent application allowlisting controls. The detection relies on process creation telemetry, specifically the image path ending with \dnx.exe.

Reporting behind it

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Windows: Process Creation of Dnx.EXE May Indicate Application Whitelisting Bypass

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-execution-of-dnx-exe-may-indicate-an-application-whitelisting-bypass-81ebd28b

title: "Windows: Process Creation of Dnx.EXE May Indicate Application Whitelisting Bypass"
id: 4b6ba094-feae-4f02-be7b-a4b3a8f5e6ef
status: test
description: This rule triggers when Dnx.EXE is executed on Windows. Dnx can run C# code, which may be abused to circumvent application allowlisting controls. The detection relies on process creation telemetry, specifically the image path ending with \dnx.exe.
references:
  - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/OtherMSBinaries/Csi/
  - https://enigma0x3.net/2016/11/17/bypassing-application-whitelisting-by-using-dnx-exe/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_dnx_execute_csharp_code.yml
author: Beyu Denis, oscd.community, Huntrule Team
date: 2019-10-26
modified: 2024-04-24
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1218
  - attack.t1027.004
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    Image|endswith: \dnx.exe
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate use of dnx.exe by legitimate user
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 81ebd28b-9607-4478-bf06-974ed9d53ed7
    type: derived

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