Detection rules › Splunk
Windows Unsigned DLL Side-Loading In Same Process Path
This detection identifies unsigned DLLs loaded through DLL side-loading with same file path with the process loaded the DLL, a technique observed in DarkGate malware. This detection monitors DLL loading, verifies signatures, and flags unsigned DLLs. Suspicious file paths and known executable associations are checked. Detecting such suspicious DLLs is crucial in preventing privilege escalation attacks and other potential security breaches. Regular security assessments, thorough monitoring, and implementing security best practices are essential in safeguarding systems from such threats.
MITRE ATT&CK coverage
| Tactic | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Persistence | T1574.001 Hijack Execution Flow: DLL |
| Privilege Escalation | T1574.001 Hijack Execution Flow: DLL |
| Defense Evasion | T1574.001 Hijack Execution Flow: DLL |
Event coverage
| Provider | Event ID | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Sysmon | 7 | Image loaded |
Stages and Predicates
Stage 1: search
search NOT (NOT ImageLoaded IN ("*:\\windows\\system32\\*", "*:\\windows\\syswow64\\*", "c:\\Program Files*") Image IN ("*:\\windows\\system32\\*", "*:\\windows\\syswow64\\*", "c:\\Program Files*")) EventCode=7 SignatureStatus!="Valid" Signed=false
Stage 2: rex
rex field=Image ...
Stage 3: rex
rex field=ImageLoaded ...
Stage 4: where
where ImageFolderPath=
Stage 5: stats
stats BY Image, ImageLoaded, dest, loaded_file, loaded_file_path, process_exec, process_guid, process_hash, process_id, process_name, process_path, service_dll_signature_exists, service_dll_signature_verified, signature, signature_id, user_id, vendor_product
Stage 6: search
search
Stage 7: search
search
Stage 8: search
search `macro`
Exclusions
Top-level NOT(...) conjuncts — predicates this rule actively suppresses.
| Stage | Field | Kind | Excluded values |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ImageLoaded | in | "*:\\windows\\system32\\*", "*:\\windows\\syswow64\\*", "c:\\Program Files*" |
| 2 | Image | in | "*:\\windows\\system32\\*", "*:\\windows\\syswow64\\*", "c:\\Program Files*" |
Indicators
Each row is a field, operator, and value that the rule matches. The corpus column counts how many other rules in the catalog look for the same combination: high numbers point to widely-used, community-vetted indicators. Blank or 1 shows that the indicator is specific to this rule.
| Field | Kind | Values |
|---|---|---|
EventCode | eq |
|
ImageLoaded | in |
|
SignatureStatus | ne |
|
Signed | eq |
|
Neighbors
Broader alternatives (more inclusive than this rule)
These rules match a superset of what this rule catches. They cover the same events plus more. Use them if you want wider coverage and can absorb more false positives.
- Windows Remote Access Software BRC4 Loaded Dll (drops 3 filters this rule applies)