Windows Process Execution of Extexport.exe Suggesting Potential DLL Sideloading

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
- T1218System Binary Proxy Execution
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

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Windows Process Execution of Extexport.exe Suggesting Potential DLL Sideloading

Pivot detection · T1218 · 9 related

Changelog

v5

v5
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v4
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
v3
Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
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-process-creation-extexport-exe-execution-indicative-of-dll-sideloading-fb0b815b

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

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