huntrule

Windows DLL Load Trusted Path Bypass via Spoofed Directory Paths with Extra Space

Flags Windows DLL loads from spoofed "C:\Windows \\System32"-style paths with an extra space to indicate trusted-path bypass attempts.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Category
image_load
Author
Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2025-06-17
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

  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 flags DLL image loads from Windows directory paths that include an extra space, matching strings like :\Windows \System32\ and :\Windows \SysWOW64\. Such spoofed paths can cause Windows trusted path checks to be bypassed, enabling DLL loading behavior that may run with higher integrity than intended. The detection relies on Windows image load telemetry that records the loaded image path.

Reporting behind it

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Malicious User Account Control Bypass via Auto-Elevating Binary Hijack (via process_creation)
Suspicious Mock Trusted Directory with Trailing Space (via process_creation)
Windows DLL Load Trusted Path Bypass via Spoofed Directory Paths with Extra Space
Pivot detection · T1548.002 · 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.