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TECHNIQUES
Enterprise
Reconnaissance
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Masquerading
Modify Authentication Process
Modify Cloud Compute Infrastructure
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Network Boundary Bridging
Obfuscated Files or Information
Pre-OS Boot
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Signed Binary Proxy Execution
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Subvert Trust Controls
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Trusted Developer Utilities Proxy Execution
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Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion
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Credential Access
Brute Force
Credentials from Password Stores
Forge Web Credentials
Input Capture
Man-in-the-Middle
Modify Authentication Process
OS Credential Dumping
Steal or Forge Kerberos Tickets
Unsecured Credentials
Discovery
Account Discovery
Permission Groups Discovery
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Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion
Lateral Movement
Remote Service Session Hijacking
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Use Alternate Authentication Material
Collection
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Impact
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Execution
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  1. Home
  2. Techniques
  3. Enterprise
  4. Signed Binary Proxy Execution
  5. InstallUtil

Signed Binary Proxy Execution: InstallUtil

ID Name
T1218.001 Compiled HTML File
T1218.002 Control Panel
T1218.003 CMSTP
T1218.004 InstallUtil
T1218.005 Mshta
T1218.007 Msiexec
T1218.008 Odbcconf
T1218.009 Regsvcs/Regasm
T1218.010 Regsvr32
T1218.011 Rundll32
T1218.012 Verclsid

Adversaries may use InstallUtil to proxy execution of code through a trusted Windows utility. InstallUtil is a command-line utility that allows for installation and uninstallation of resources by executing specific installer components specified in .NET binaries. [1] InstallUtil is digitally signed by Microsoft and located in the .NET directories on a Windows system: C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v\InstallUtil.exe and C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v\InstallUtil.exe.

InstallUtil may also be used to bypass application control through use of attributes within the binary that execute the class decorated with the attribute [System.ComponentModel.RunInstaller(true)]. [2]

ID: T1218.004
Sub-technique of:  T1218
Tactic: Defense Evasion
Platforms: Windows
Permissions Required: User
Data Sources: Process command-line parameters, Process monitoring
Defense Bypassed: Application control, Digital Certificate Validation
Contributors: Casey Smith; Travis Smith, Tripwire
Version: 1.0
Created: 23 January 2020
Last Modified: 20 June 2020

Procedure Examples

Name Description
menuPass

menuPass has used InstallUtil.exe to execute malicious software.[3]

Mitigations

Mitigation Description
Disable or Remove Feature or Program

InstallUtil may not be necessary within a given environment.
Execution Prevention

Use application control configured to block execution of InstallUtil.exe if it is not required for a given system or network to prevent potential misuse by adversaries.

Detection

Use process monitoring to monitor the execution and arguments of InstallUtil.exe. Compare recent invocations of InstallUtil.exe with prior history of known good arguments and executed binaries to determine anomalous and potentially adversarial activity. Command arguments used before and after the InstallUtil.exe invocation may also be useful in determining the origin and purpose of the binary being executed.

References

  1. Microsoft. (n.d.). Installutil.exe (Installer Tool). Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  2. LOLBAS. (n.d.). Installutil.exe. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  1. PwC and BAE Systems. (2017, April). Operation Cloud Hopper: Technical Annex. Retrieved April 13, 2017.