Msxsl.EXE Execution
Detects the execution of the MSXSL utility. This can be used to execute Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) files. These files are commonly used to describe the processing and rendering of data within XML files.…
Description
Detects the execution of the MSXSL utility. This can be used to execute Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) files. These files are commonly used to describe the processing and rendering of data within XML files. Adversaries can abuse this functionality to execute arbitrary files while potentially bypassing application whitelisting defenses.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- Windows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source product
- windows
- Log source category
- process_creation
Known benign triggers
- Msxsl is not installed by default and is deprecated, so unlikely on most systems.
MITRE ATT&CK mappings
0 exclusive techniques.This is coverage no other published rule has; it is not this rule's total technique count.
References
| Reference | Cited by |
|---|---|
| github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/f339e7da7d05f6057fdfcdd3742bfcf365fee2a9/atomics/T1220/T1220.md | 3 |
| lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/OtherMSBinaries/Msxsl/ | 3from 2 sources |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 9e50a8b3-dd05-4eb8-9153-bdb6b79d50b0
- Tagged by the source as
- attack.stealth
Licence
- Published under
- Detection Rule License 1.1Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Aug 26, 2026
- Version
- 1