Windows MsiInstaller installs remote MSI from web URLs (EventID 1040/1042)

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218System Binary Proxy Execution
- T1218.007Msiexec
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows Installer activity where the MsiInstaller provider is involved and the event contains a URL-like string ("//"). Remote MSI installations can be used to deliver and execute additional payloads or perform stealthy software deployment. It relies on Windows application logs with EventID 1040 or 1042 and the presence of web-style URI content in the recorded event data.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1218.007 — drag to rearrange

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Possible PurpleFox MSHTA to Msiexec Remote MSI Chain

Suspicious Cabinet Extraction of Masqueraded vstm Archive via extrac32

Malicious Remote MSI Execution with Image Extension via msiexec (via process_creation)

Suspicious Raspberry Robin Msiexec Spawning a Proxy Binary (via process_creation)

Malicious DLL Execution via Wuauclt Update Handler (via process_creation)

Malicious Msiexec Installation of a Remote MSI Package (via process_creation)

Malicious aspnet_compiler.exe Injection Host Spawned by PowerShell via process_creation

Windows MsiInstaller installs remote MSI from web URLs (EventID 1040/1042)

Pivot detection · T1218.007 · 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-msiinstaller-installs-a-remote-msi-from-a-url-5594e67a

title: Windows MsiInstaller installs remote MSI from web URLs (EventID 1040/1042)
id: 829f2f28-e82a-46d1-b285-76ba5e3d5593
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows Installer activity where the MsiInstaller provider is involved and the event contains a URL-like string ("//"). Remote MSI installations can be used to deliver and execute additional payloads or perform stealthy software deployment. It relies on Windows application logs with EventID 1040 or 1042 and the presence of web-style URI content in the recorded event data.
references:
  - https://twitter.com/_st0pp3r_/status/1583922009842802689
  - https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/builtin/application/msiinstaller/win_msi_install_from_web.yml
author: Stamatis Chatzimangou, Huntrule Team
date: 2022-10-23
tags:
  - attack.stealth
  - attack.t1218
  - attack.t1218.007
logsource:
  product: windows
  service: application
detection:
  selection:
    Provider_Name: MsiInstaller
    EventID:
      - 1040
      - 1042
    Data|contains: ://
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
  - id: 5594e67a-7f92-4a04-b65d-1a42fd824a60
    type: derived

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