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

ATT&CK techniques

C2

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
- T1105Ingress Tool Transfer
Exfiltration
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

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

Pivot detection · T1105 · 9 related

Changelog

v2

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-ieexec-exe-download-and-execute-execution-via-process-creation-9801abb8

title: Windows IEExec.EXE Download-and-Execute via Process Creation
id: 57134c47-7eb6-4847-9e70-ea1d7250f14c
status: test
description: 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.
references:
  - https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Ieexec/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_ieexec_download.yml
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-05-16
modified: 2023-11-09
tags:
  - attack.command-and-control
  - attack.t1105
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: \IEExec.exe
    - OriginalFileName: IEExec.exe
  selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains:
      - http://
      - https://
  condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 9801abb8-e297-4dbf-9fbd-57dde0e830ad
    type: derived

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