Techniques › T1220 › AN0581
AN0581 Analytic 0581
Windows · attack.mitre.org · ATT&CK Enterprise v19.2
<p>Execution of XSL scripts via msxsl.exe or wmic.exe using embedded JScript or VBScript for proxy execution. Detection correlates process creation, command-line patterns, and module load behavior of scripting components (e.g., jscript.dll).</p>
- Detects
- T1220 XSL Script Processing
- Part of
- DET0205 Detect XSL Script Abuse via msxsl and wmic
Log sources and channels
Exactly as MITRE states them in x_mitre_log_source_references. Where a channel is vague, it is vague in the source; kevmap does not tidy it.
| Log source | Channel | Data component |
|---|---|---|
| WinEventLog:Sysmon | EventCode=1 | DC0032 Process Creation |
| WinEventLog:Sysmon | EventCode=7 | DC0016 Module Load |
Mutable elements
Parameters MITRE marks as environment-specific. These are the knobs you are expected to tune; they are why an analytic is not a rule.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
CommandLinePattern | May need to tune based on encoded input or custom extensions (e.g., .jpeg instead of .xsl). |
ParentProcess | Legitimate administrative or developer tools may use msxsl; validate the parent process chain. |
TimeWindow | Temporal correlation window between script engine DLL load and suspicious process spawn. |
RemoteXSLDomainWhitelist | Filter known safe URLs used by enterprise for XSL transformations. |