Dark Mode

Settings

Capec-641 Detail

DLL Side-Loading

Detailed Software Likelihood: Low Typical Severity: High

Parents: 159

Threats: T79 T287 T337 T391 T406

Description

An adversary places a malicious version of a Dynamic-Link Library (DLL) in the Windows Side-by-Side (WinSxS) directory to trick the operating system into loading this malicious DLL instead of a legitimate DLL. Programs specify the location of the DLLs to load via the use of WinSxS manifests or DLL redirection and if they aren't used then Windows searches in a predefined set of directories to locate the file. If the applications improperly specify a required DLL or WinSxS manifests aren't explicit about the characteristics of the DLL to be loaded, they can be vulnerable to side-loading.

Not present

External ID Source Link Description
CAPEC-641 capec https://capec.mitre.org/data/definitions/641.html
CWE-706 cwe http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/706.html
T1574.002 ATTACK https://attack.mitre.org/wiki/Technique/T1574/002 Hijack Execution Flow:DLL Side-Loading
REF-501 reference_from_CAPEC https://www.fireeye.com/content/dam/fireeye-www/global/en/current-threats/pdfs/rpt-dll-sideloading.pdf Stewart A., DLL SIDE-LOADING: A Thorn in the Side of the Anti-Virus Industry, FireEye

Not present

  1. The target must fail to verify the integrity of the DLL before using them.

Not present

High
Trick the operating system in loading a malicious DLL instead of a legitimate DLL.
Integrity
Execute Unauthorized Commands
Bypass Protection Mechanism

Not present