Potential LethalHTA Technique Execution

Hunt Hypothesis

Detects potential LethalHTA technique where the “mshta.exe” is spawned by an “svchost.exe” process

Detection Rule

Sigma (Original)

title: Potential LethalHTA Technique Execution
id: ed5d72a6-f8f4-479d-ba79-02f6a80d7471
status: test
description: Detects potential LethalHTA technique where the "mshta.exe" is spawned by an "svchost.exe" process
references:
    - https://codewhitesec.blogspot.com/2018/07/lethalhta.html
author: Markus Neis
date: 2018-06-07
modified: 2023-02-07
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1218.005
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\svchost.exe'
        Image|endswith: '\mshta.exe'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high

KQL (Azure Sentinel)

imProcessCreate
| where (ParentProcessName endswith "\\svchost.exe" or ActingProcessName endswith "\\svchost.exe") and TargetProcessName endswith "\\mshta.exe"

Required Data Sources

False Positive Guidance

• Unknown

MITRE ATT&CK Context

• Technique: T1218.005 — T1218.005

References

• https://codewhitesec.blogspot.com/2018/07/lethalhta.html
• SigmaHQ Rule