Malicious Windows Script Components File Execution by TAEF Detection
Windows Test Authoring and Execution Framework (TAEF) framework allows you to run automation by executing tests files written on different languages (C, C#, Microsoft COM Scripting interfaces Adversaries may execute…
Description
Windows Test Authoring and Execution Framework (TAEF) framework allows you to run automation by executing tests files written on different languages (C, C#, Microsoft COM Scripting interfaces Adversaries may execute malicious code (such as WSC file with VBScript, dll and so on) directly by running te.exe
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- LinuxmacOSWindows
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
- It's not an uncommon to use te.exe directly to execute legal TAEF tests
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 |
|---|---|
| learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/taef/ | Only this detection cites it |
| lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/OtherMSBinaries/Te/ | Only this detection cites it |
| twitter.com/pabraeken/status/993298228840992768 | 2 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 634b00d5-ccc3-4a06-ae3b-0ec8444dd51b
- 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