Windows Process Execution of Extexport.exe Suggesting Potential DLL Sideloading
Flags execution of Extexport.exe on Windows, which can be abused to side-load DLLs via crafted command lines.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2021-11-26
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
ATT&CK techniques
Defense EvasionRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule flags execution of Extexport.exe by matching process creation events where the image path ends with \Extexport.exe or the OriginalFileName is extexport.exe. Extexport.exe can be abused to side load DLLs when invoked with specific command-line conditions, making its execution a potential indicator of stealthy payload loading attempts. Telemetry relied on is Windows process creation data including Image path and OriginalFileName.
Reporting behind it
- lolbas-project.github.iohttps://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Extexport/
- hexacorn.comhttps://www.hexacorn.com/blog/2018/04/24/extexport-yet-another-lolbin/
- microsoft.comhttps://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2020/03/23/latest-astaroth-living-off-the-land-attacks-are-even-more-invisible-but-not-less-observable/
- res.armor.comhttps://res.armor.com/resources/threat-intelligence/astaroth-banking-trojan/
- securelist.comhttps://securelist.com/the-tetrade-brazilian-banking-malware/97779/
- welivesecurity.comhttps://www.welivesecurity.com/2020/03/05/guildma-devil-drives-electric/
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-threat-hunting/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_extexport_execution.yml
Changelog
v5- v5Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v4Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v3Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: Windows Process Execution of Extexport.exe Suggesting Potential DLL Sideloading
id: 6de63986-c43d-4d9a-8df9-15838be7c385
status: test
description: This rule flags execution of Extexport.exe by matching process creation events where the image path ends with \Extexport.exe or the OriginalFileName is extexport.exe. Extexport.exe can be abused to side load DLLs when invoked with specific command-line conditions, making its execution a potential indicator of stealthy payload loading attempts. Telemetry relied on is Windows process creation data including Image path and OriginalFileName.
references:
- https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Extexport/
- https://www.hexacorn.com/blog/2018/04/24/extexport-yet-another-lolbin/
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2020/03/23/latest-astaroth-living-off-the-land-attacks-are-even-more-invisible-but-not-less-observable/
- https://res.armor.com/resources/threat-intelligence/astaroth-banking-trojan/
- https://securelist.com/the-tetrade-brazilian-banking-malware/97779/
- https://www.welivesecurity.com/2020/03/05/guildma-devil-drives-electric/
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-threat-hunting/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_extexport_execution.yml
author: frack113, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2021-11-26
modified: 2024-08-26
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1218
- detection.threat-hunting
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
- Image|endswith: \Extexport.exe
- OriginalFileName: extexport.exe
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: medium
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: fb0b815b-f5f6-4f50-970f-ffe21f253f7a
type: derived