huntrule

Windows IEExec.EXE Download-and-Execute via Process Creation

Flags IEExec.exe executions that reference HTTP/HTTPS URLs for download-and-execute behavior.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2022-05-16
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

C2

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies Windows processes where IEExec.exe is launched with command-line arguments that include HTTP or HTTPS URLs, indicating a download-and-execute behavior. Attackers can use IEExec as a living-off-the-land utility to retrieve payloads from remote locations and start execution with minimal tooling. The detection relies on process creation telemetry capturing the executed image/original filename and the full command line containing web addresses.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1105 — drag to rearrange
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Suspicious File Download Via Bitsadmin Transfer
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Explorer WebDAV UNC Download Using At-Port Syntax
Windows IEExec.EXE Download-and-Execute via Process Creation
Pivot detection · T1105 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. 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.