Rundll32 Control RunDLL Hunt
The following analytic identifies instances of rundll32.exe executing with `Control_RunDLL` in the command line, which is indicative of loading a .cpl or other file types. This detection leverages data from Endpoint…
Description
The following analytic identifies instances of rundll32.exe executing with `Control_RunDLL` in the command line, which is indicative of loading a .cpl or other file types. This detection leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on process execution logs and command-line arguments. This activity is significant as rundll32.exe can be exploited to execute malicious Control Panel Item files, potentially linked to CVE-2021-40444. If confirmed malicious, this could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or maintain persistence within the environment.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- Windows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- crowdstrike_processrollup2sysmon_eventid_1windows_event_log_security_4688
Known benign triggers
- This is a hunting detection, meant to provide a understanding of how voluminous control_rundll is within the environment.
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 |
|---|---|
| app.any.run/tasks/36c14029-9df8-439c-bba0-45f2643b0c70/ | 6 |
| attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/011/ | 9 |
| github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/388942adbd9641f4dfdcf079d7efe9a75ec0ac43/atomics/T1218.011/T1218.011.yaml#L250 | 5 |
| github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1218.002/T1218.002.yaml | 4 |
| msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-40444 | 6 |
| redcanary.com/blog/intelligence-insights-december-2021/ | 2 |
| strontic.github.io/xcyclopedia/library/rundll32.exe-111474C61232202B5B588D2B512CBB25.html | 3 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- c8e7ced0-10c5-11ec-8b03-acde48001122
- Tagged by the source as
- Living Off The LandMicrosoft MSHTML Remote Code Execution CVE-2021-40444Suspicious Rundll32 ActivityEndpointendpointSplunk CloudSplunk EnterpriseSplunk Enterprise Securityendpoint
Licence
- Published under
- Apache License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
- Obtained under
- Apache-2.0Read the origin licence
Authorship
- Written by
- Published
- Oct 13, 2026
- Version
- 2