Windows Process Creation: Fireball Archer installs via rundll32.exe and InstallArcherSvc
Flags rundll32.exe executions referencing InstallArcherSvc in the process command line on Windows.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2017-06-03
- 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 events where the command line contains rundll32.exe along with InstallArcherSvc, consistent with an Archer malware installation step using Windows DLL execution. Attackers commonly use rundll32 to run code indirectly and blend execution into legitimate Windows tooling, making command-line telemetry critical. It relies on process creation events and inspection of the full command line string.
Reporting behind it
- virustotal.comhttps://www.virustotal.com/en/file/9b4971349ae85aa09c0a69852ed3e626c954954a3927b3d1b6646f139b930022/analysis/
- hybrid-analysis.comhttps://www.hybrid-analysis.com/sample/9b4971349ae85aa09c0a69852ed3e626c954954a3927b3d1b6646f139b930022?environmentId=100
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2017/Malware/Fireball/proc_creation_win_malware_fireball.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 Creation: Fireball Archer installs via rundll32.exe and InstallArcherSvc"
id: 49ec03f7-b639-45a1-bd2a-032eb0ffdc75
status: test
description: This rule flags execution events where the command line contains rundll32.exe along with InstallArcherSvc, consistent with an Archer malware installation step using Windows DLL execution. Attackers commonly use rundll32 to run code indirectly and blend execution into legitimate Windows tooling, making command-line telemetry critical. It relies on process creation events and inspection of the full command line string.
references:
- https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/9b4971349ae85aa09c0a69852ed3e626c954954a3927b3d1b6646f139b930022/analysis/
- https://www.hybrid-analysis.com/sample/9b4971349ae85aa09c0a69852ed3e626c954954a3927b3d1b6646f139b930022?environmentId=100
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules-emerging-threats/2017/Malware/Fireball/proc_creation_win_malware_fireball.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2017-06-03
modified: 2021-11-27
tags:
- attack.execution
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1218.011
- detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
CommandLine|contains|all:
- rundll32.exe
- InstallArcherSvc
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 3d4aebe0-6d29-45b2-a8a4-3dfde586a26d
type: derived