Windows: DXCap.exe Used with -c to Launch Arbitrary Binaries

Flags Windows executions of DXCap.EXE using -c, a pattern that can launch arbitrary binaries or packages.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2

Product: windows
Category: process_creation
Author: Beyu Denis, oscd.community, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (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
- T1218System Binary Proxy Execution
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags process creation events where DXCap.exe is executed with the -c flag, indicating it is being used to launch an arbitrary binary or Windows package through DXCap. Attackers can use this behavior to evade application control and whitelist checks by routing execution through a signed system utility. Detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry including the executable name (or OriginalFileName) and the presence of ' -c ' in the command line.

Reporting behind it

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Windows: DXCap.exe Used with -c to Launch Arbitrary Binaries

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-dxcap-exe-with-c-to-launch-arbitrary-payloads-60f16a96

title: "Windows: DXCap.exe Used with -c to Launch Arbitrary Binaries"
id: cf5ea792-2c8b-4601-adae-85d53ef9c423
status: test
description: This rule flags process creation events where DXCap.exe is executed with the -c flag, indicating it is being used to launch an arbitrary binary or Windows package through DXCap. Attackers can use this behavior to evade application control and whitelist checks by routing execution through a signed system utility. Detection relies on Windows process creation telemetry including the executable name (or OriginalFileName) and the presence of ' -c ' in the command line.
references:
  - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/OtherMSBinaries/Dxcap/
  - https://twitter.com/harr0ey/status/992008180904419328
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_dxcap_arbitrary_binary_execution.yml
author: Beyu Denis, oscd.community, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2019-10-26
modified: 2022-06-09
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1218
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: \DXCap.exe
    - OriginalFileName: DXCap.exe
  selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains: " -c "
  condition: all of selection*
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate execution of dxcap.exe by legitimate user
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 60f16a96-db70-42eb-8f76-16763e333590
    type: derived

Convert

This rule as a query you can run. Uses no unlock credit.

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