Windows Registry-Based DLL Hijack via WAB.EXE Using WAB Registry DLLPath

Flags WAB.EXE DLLPath registry writes where the configured DLL path differs from the default.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
registry_set
Author
oscd.community, Natalia Shornikova (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-13
Updated
2026-07-30

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Cred Access

  8. Discovery

  9. Lateral Movement

  10. Collection

  11. C2

  12. Exfiltration

  13. Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies attempts to alter WAB.EXE’s DLL load path by setting the WAB registry value for DLLPath to something other than the default location. Attackers can use this registry-based DLL redirection to load a different DLL than expected when WAB.EXE launches. The detection relies on registry set telemetry for the specific DLLPath value and compares the stored details against the default DLL path.

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Windows Registry-Based DLL Hijack via WAB.EXE Using WAB Registry DLLPath
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Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.