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Windows ImageLoad DLL Sideloading: EACore.dll

Alerts on Windows loading of EACore.dll that may indicate DLL sideloading, excluding a specific EA Desktop legitimate case.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Category
image_load
Author
X__Junior (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2023-08-03
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 process image-load events where the loaded module name ends with EACore.dll. It treats EACore.dll loads as suspicious unless the image path and EACoreServer.exe context match the expected Electronic Arts EA Desktop location. Attackers may use DLL sideloading to execute malicious code under a legitimate process, so the rule relies on Windows image load telemetry capturing both ImageLoaded and the loading process Image path.

Reporting behind it

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Malicious dal_keepalives.dll Sideloaded By Signed Binary (via image_load)
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Suspicious CoinLoader DLL Sideload From Z-1-36-81 Directory (via image_load)
Suspicious shfolder.dll Sideloading via VMware net-service Binary
Windows ImageLoad DLL Sideloading: EACore.dll
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.