Windows: Detect ImageLoad of vivaldi_elf.dll for Potential DLL Sideloading

Flags ImageLoad events for vivaldi_elf.dll on Windows that are not consistent with an expected Vivaldi app path.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2

Product: windows
Category: image_load
Author: X__Junior (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published: 2023-08-03
Updated: 2026-07-31

ATT&CK techniques

Execution → Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
- T1574.001DLL
Persistence
- T1574.001DLL
Priv Esc
- T1574.001DLL
Defense Evasion
- T1574.001DLL
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags when the Windows image loader loads a DLL named vivaldi_elf.dll. DLL sideloading is commonly used to execute attacker-controlled code under the context of a legitimate process, so anomalous loads of this specific DLL matter. It relies on image load telemetry that provides the loading process path (Image) and the DLL load path (ImageLoaded), and excludes cases where the DLL load occurs from an expected Vivaldi application directory for the main Vivaldi executable.

Reporting behind it

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Windows: Detect ImageLoad of vivaldi_elf.dll for Potential DLL Sideloading

Pivot detection · T1574.001 · 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-imageload-of-vivaldi-elf-dll-suggesting-potential-dll-sideloading-2092cacb

title: "Windows: Detect ImageLoad of vivaldi_elf.dll for Potential DLL Sideloading"
id: ea452673-fa85-4c81-bb3d-19d191abe3ee
status: test
description: This rule flags when the Windows image loader loads a DLL named vivaldi_elf.dll. DLL sideloading is commonly used to execute attacker-controlled code under the context of a legitimate process, so anomalous loads of this specific DLL matter. It relies on image load telemetry that provides the loading process path (Image) and the DLL load path (ImageLoaded), and excludes cases where the DLL load occurs from an expected Vivaldi application directory for the main Vivaldi executable.
references:
  - https://research.checkpoint.com/2023/beyond-the-horizon-traveling-the-world-on-camaro-dragons-usb-flash-drives/
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/image_load/image_load_side_load_vivaldi_elf.yml
author: X__Junior (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2023-08-03
tags:
  - attack.persistence
  - attack.privilege-escalation
  - attack.execution
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1574.001
logsource:
  category: image_load
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    ImageLoaded|endswith: \vivaldi_elf.dll
  filter_main_legit_path:
    Image|endswith: \Vivaldi\Application\vivaldi.exe
    ImageLoaded|contains: \Vivaldi\Application\
  condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 2092cacb-d77b-4f98-ab0d-32b32f99a054
    type: derived

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