> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/analytics-alerts/alerts-by-name/possible-dll-search-order-hijacking.md).
# Possible DLL Search Order Hijacking
### Synopsis
| Field | Value |
| -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Activation Period | 14 Days |
| Training Period | 30 Days |
| Test Period | N/A (single event) |
| Deduplication Period | 1 Day |
| Required Data | XDR Agent |
| Detector Tags | DLL Hijacking Analytics |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Persistence (TA0003), Privilege Escalation (TA0004), Defense Evasion (TA0005) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Hijack Execution Flow: DLL (T1574.001), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable (T1574.007), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Unquoted Path (T1574.009), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking (T1574.008) |
| Severity | Low |
### Description
An attacker might abuse the Windows DLL search order to trigger known, signed processes to load the attacker's malicious module.
### Attacker's Goals
An attacker is attempting to load an untrusted module into a trusted context to avoid detection, gain persistence or to perform privilege escalation.
### Investigative actions
* Investigate the loaded module to verify if it is malicious.
* Investigate if the loading process and the loaded module reside in legitimate locations.
### Variations
Possible DLL Search Order Hijacking by DLL Substitution
**Synopsis**
| Field | Value |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Persistence (TA0003), Privilege Escalation (TA0004), Defense Evasion (TA0005) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Hijack Execution Flow: DLL (T1574.001), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable (T1574.007), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Unquoted Path (T1574.009), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking (T1574.008), Masquerading (T1036), Masquerading: Match Legitimate Resource Name or Location (T1036.005) |
| Severity | Low |
**Description**
An attacker might abuse the Windows DLL search order to trigger known, signed processes to load the attacker's malicious module.
**Attacker's Goals**
An attacker is attempting to load an untrusted module into a trusted context to avoid detection, gain persistence or to perform privilege escalation.
**Investigative actions**
* Investigate the loaded module to verify if it is malicious.
* Investigate if the loading process and the loaded module reside in legitimate locations.
Possible DLL Search Order Hijacking - DLL extracted from an internet-downloaded archive
**Synopsis**
| Field | Value |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Persistence (TA0003), Privilege Escalation (TA0004), Defense Evasion (TA0005) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Hijack Execution Flow: DLL (T1574.001), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable (T1574.007), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Unquoted Path (T1574.009), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking (T1574.008) |
| Severity | Low |
**Description**
An attacker might abuse the Windows DLL search order to trigger known, signed processes to load the attacker's malicious module.
**Attacker's Goals**
An attacker is attempting to load an untrusted module into a trusted context to avoid detection, gain persistence or to perform privilege escalation.
**Investigative actions**
* Investigate the loaded module to verify if it is malicious.
* Investigate if the loading process and the loaded module reside in legitimate locations.
Possible DLL Search Order Hijacking - DLL downloaded from an uncommon source
**Synopsis**
| Field | Value |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ATT\&CK Tactic | Persistence (TA0003), Privilege Escalation (TA0004), Defense Evasion (TA0005) |
| ATT\&CK Technique | Hijack Execution Flow: DLL (T1574.001), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable (T1574.007), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Unquoted Path (T1574.009), Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking (T1574.008) |
| Severity | Low |
**Description**
An attacker might abuse the Windows DLL search order to trigger known, signed processes to load the attacker's malicious module.
**Attacker's Goals**
An attacker is attempting to load an untrusted module into a trusted context to avoid detection, gain persistence or to perform privilege escalation.
**Investigative actions**
* Investigate the loaded module to verify if it is malicious.
* Investigate if the loading process and the loaded module reside in legitimate locations.
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