Detect DLL in IBM QRadar
Adversaries may abuse dynamic-link library (DLL) mechanisms to achieve persistence, privilege escalation, and defense evasion. Techniques include DLL search order hijacking (planting a malicious DLL earlier in the search path), DLL side-loading (placing a malicious DLL alongside a legitimate signed executable), phantom DLL hijacking (targeting references to non-existent DLLs), DLL substitution (replacing a valid DLL), and DLL redirection (using .manifest or .local files). Groups including Chimera, TONESHELL/Mustang Panda, Velvet Ant, APT41, and Aquatic Panda have extensively used these techniques to load malicious payloads under trusted process contexts.
MITRE ATT&CK
- Technique
- T1574 Hijack Execution Flow
- Sub-technique
- T1574.001 DLL
- Canonical reference
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1574/001/
QRadar Detection Query
SELECT DATEFORMAT(devicetime, 'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss') AS event_time, sourceip, username, "ImageLoaded", "Image", "Signed", "SignatureStatus", "Hashes", LOGSOURCENAME(logsourceid) AS log_source FROM events WHERE LOGSOURCETYPENAME(devicetype) ILIKE '%Sysmon%' AND QIDNAME(qid) ILIKE '%Image Load%' AND (LOWER("ImageLoaded") LIKE '%\appdata\%' OR LOWER("ImageLoaded") LIKE '%\programdata\%' OR LOWER("ImageLoaded") LIKE '%\users\public\%' OR LOWER("ImageLoaded") LIKE '%\windows\temp\%') AND (LOWER("Image") LIKE '%\windows\system32\%' OR LOWER("Image") LIKE '%\windows\syswow64\%' OR LOWER("Image") LIKE '%\program files\%') AND ("Signed" ILIKE 'false' OR "SignatureStatus" <> 'Valid') AND devicetime > (NOW() - 86400000) ORDER BY devicetime DESC LAST 10000 EVENTSDetects DLL hijacking via QRadar by correlating Sysmon ImageLoad events (EventCode 7) where a trusted process from System32 or Program Files loads an unsigned or invalidly-signed DLL from a suspicious writable path. Targets T1574.001 patterns where adversaries plant malicious DLLs in user-writable directories.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Enterprise software management tools (e.g., SCCM, Intune agents) that stage DLLs in ProgramData before loading them under a privileged context
- Antivirus or DLP products that use unsigned helper modules loaded from non-standard paths during operation
- Python or scripting runtimes where the interpreter (in System32 or Program Files) loads extension modules from user AppData directories
Other platforms for T1574.001
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 3 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1DLL Search Order Hijacking via Phantom DLL
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 11 (FileCreate): Target file path containing 'dll-hijack-test\cryptsp.dll'. Sysmon Event ID 7 (ImageLoad) if the DLL is loaded. Process creation events showing calc.exe running from a non-standard path.
- Test 2DLL Side-Loading with Legitimate Signed Binary
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 11 (FileCreate): Legitimate executable copied to TEMP directory. Sysmon Event ID 1 (Process Create): Process launched from TEMP instead of its legitimate System32 home. File creation events in the temp directory.
- Test 3DLL Redirection via .local File
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 11 (FileCreate): .local file created alongside a legitimate executable copy. The presence of [executable].local causes Windows to prioritize the application's directory for all DLL searches, enabling DLL hijacking of any DLL that calc.exe imports.
References (7)
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1574/001/
- https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/dll-hijacking-techniques/
- https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/blog/4-ways-adversaries-hijack-dlls/
- https://www.wietzebeukema.nl/blog/hijacking-dlls-in-windows
- https://www.hexacorn.com/blog/2013/12/08/beyond-good-ol-run-key-part-5/
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1574.001/T1574.001.md
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/dlls/dynamic-link-library-search-order
Unlock Pro Content
Get the full detection package for T1574.001 including response playbook, investigation guide, and atomic red team tests.