{"id":"0cbe38c0-270c-41d9-ab79-6e5a9a669290","title":"Trusted Path Bypass via Windows Directory Spoofing","description":"Detects DLLs loading from a spoofed Windows directory path with an extra space (e.g \"C:\\Windows \\System32\") which can bypass Windows trusted path verification.\nThis technique tricks Windows into treating the path as trusted, allowing malicious DLLs to load with high integrity privileges bypassing UAC.\n","author":"Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)","status":"experimental","level":"high","date":"2025-06-17","modified":"","tags":["attack.persistence","attack.privilege-escalation","attack.execution","attack.stealth","attack.t1574.007","attack.t1548.002"],"technique_ids":["T1548.002","T1574.007"],"logsource":{"category":"image_load","product":"windows"},"falsepositives":["Unlikely"],"references":["https://x.com/Wietze/status/1933495426952421843"],"source_path":"rules/windows/image_load/image_load_win_trusted_path_bypass.yml","source_sha256":"d7dde9e745e6e4711f7855b4a63465edd242f80be760944182ee033489c81570","source_url":"https://github.com/anpa1200/sigma/blob/b249e9683190cffdcaf188ccbfb90bf4759844e1/rules/windows/image_load/image_load_win_trusted_path_bypass.yml","license":"Detection Rule License 1.1","license_url":"https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License/blob/main/LICENSE.Detection.Rules.md","yaml":"title: Trusted Path Bypass via Windows Directory Spoofing\nid: 0cbe38c0-270c-41d9-ab79-6e5a9a669290\nrelated:\n    - id: 4ac47ed3-44c2-4b1f-9d51-bf46e8914126\n      type: similar\nstatus: experimental\ndescription: |\n    Detects DLLs loading from a spoofed Windows directory path with an extra space (e.g \"C:\\Windows \\System32\") which can bypass Windows trusted path verification.\n    This technique tricks Windows into treating the path as trusted, allowing malicious DLLs to load with high integrity privileges bypassing UAC.\nreferences:\n    - https://x.com/Wietze/status/1933495426952421843\nauthor: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)\ndate: 2025-06-17\ntags:\n    - attack.persistence\n    - attack.privilege-escalation\n    - attack.execution\n    - attack.stealth\n    - attack.t1574.007\n    - attack.t1548.002\nlogsource:\n    category: image_load\n    product: windows\ndetection:\n    selection:\n        ImageLoaded|contains:\n            - ':\\Windows \\System32\\'  # Note the space between \"Windows\" and \"System32\"\n            - ':\\Windows \\SysWOW64\\'  # Note the space between \"Windows\" and \"SysWOW64\"\n    condition: selection\nfalsepositives:\n    - Unlikely\nlevel: high\n","validation":"yaml_parsed_not_backend_compiled_or_live_validated","techniques":[{"key":"enterprise/T1548.002","id":"T1548.002","name":"Bypass User Account Control","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1548.002/"},{"key":"enterprise/T1574.007","id":"T1574.007","name":"Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1574.007/"}],"data_path":"data/detection-rules/0cbe38c0-270c-41d9-ab79-6e5a9a669290.json","kind":"sigma"}