huntrule

Windows: Rundll32 LaunchApplication via pcwutl.dll

Flags rundll32.exe using pcwutl.dll to invoke LaunchApplication.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Julia Fomina, oscd.community (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2020-10-05
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Defense Evasion

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule identifies process creation where rundll32.exe is invoked to call the LaunchApplication function from pcwutl.dll. Attackers may use this DLL-based execution path to stealthily launch executables through trusted system binaries. It relies on Windows process creation telemetry, matching rundll32.exe invocation details and command-line arguments referencing pcwutl and LaunchApplication.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1218.011 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Lunar Spider Loader Execution via rundll32 (via process_creation)
Malicious SYSTEM Persistence via Scheduled Task Running rundll32 at Startup (via process_creation)
Malicious Rundll32 Executing Image File as DLL
Suspicious Scheduled Task Executing Rundll32 DLL Export by Ordinal
Malicious Renamed Rundll32 Copied to Temp via Xcopy
Suspicious rundll32 Executing DLL from ProgramData (via process_creation)
Suspicious Rundll32 Loading DLL From Public or ProgramData Path via Process Creation (via process_creation)
Malicious LSASS Credential Dump via Rundll32 Comsvcs MiniDump via Process Creation (via process_creation)
Suspicious Rundll32 Execution Without a DLL Reference via Process Creation (via process_creation)
Windows: Rundll32 LaunchApplication via pcwutl.dll
Pivot detection · T1218.011 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. 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.