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Windows DLL Sideloading Indicators: 7za.dll Loaded from Non-Program Files Paths

Alerts when a process loads 7za.dll from a non-Program Files path, indicating potential DLL sideloading.

FreeReviewedSigma · Low · v2
Product
windows
Category
image_load
Author
X__Junior (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2023-06-09
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 identifies Windows processes that load an image ending with "\7za.dll" while not loading it from the common "C:\Program Files" or "C:\Program Files (x86)" directories. DLL sideloading can allow an attacker to execute malicious code by influencing the location a process searches for dependencies. The detection relies on image load telemetry indicating the full loaded module path (ImageLoaded) and applies allowlisting for Program Files locations.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1574.001 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious DLL Sideloading via msdtc oci.dll Install (via process_creation)
Suspicious wmicodegen.dll Sideload by inetinfo.exe (UAT-8099 Cobalt Strike)
Suspicious LucidRook DismCore.dll Side-Load into Browser Process
Suspicious Encrypted Implant File Creation for DLL Search Order Hijacking (RainyDay Turian PlugX)
Suspicious RoboForm Signed Binary Executed From Non-Standard Path (via process_creation)
Malicious dal_keepalives.dll Sideloaded By Signed Binary (via image_load)
Suspicious Cortex XDR Binary Sideloading winutils.dll (via image_load)
Suspicious CoinLoader DLL Sideload From Z-1-36-81 Directory (via image_load)
Suspicious shfolder.dll Sideloading via VMware net-service Binary
Windows DLL Sideloading Indicators: 7za.dll Loaded from Non-Program Files Paths
Pivot detection · T1574.001 · 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.