Adversaries may inject code into processes in order to evade process-based defenses as well as possibly elevate privileges. Process injection is a method of executing arbitrary code in the address space of a separate live process. Running code in the context of another process may allow access to the process's memory, system/network resources, and possibly elevated privileges. Execution via process injection may also evade detection from security products since the execution is masked under a legitimate process.
There are many different ways to inject code into a process, many of which abuse legitimate functionalities. These implementations exist for every major OS but are typically platform specific.
More sophisticated samples may perform multiple process injections to segment modules and further evade detection, utilizing named pipes or other inter-process communication (IPC) mechanisms as a communication channel.
View in MITRE ATT&CK®| Capability ID | Capability Description | Mapping Type | ATT&CK ID | ATT&CK Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIS-13.7 | Deploy a Host-Based Intrusion Prevention Solution | mitigates | T1055 | Process Injection |
Comments
Endpoint security solutions can block process-injection behavior based on common sequences of activity, including suspicious API use and code injection from applications such as Microsoft Office.
References
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| CIS-10.1 | Deploy and Maintain Anti-Malware Software | mitigates | T1055 | Process Injection |
Comments
Some anti-malware products monitor cross-process memory writes, remote-thread creation, process hollowing, and similar injection behavior. Where these protections are enabled, the safeguard directly detects or blocks process injection.
References
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| CIS-10.7 | Use Behavior-Based Anti-Malware Software | mitigates | T1055 | Process Injection |
Comments
Process injection produces observable behaviors such as cross-process memory writes, remote-thread creation, process hollowing, and abnormal memory execution. Behavior-based anti-malware can directly detect or block these actions.
References
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| Capability ID | Capability Description | Mapping Type | ATT&CK ID | ATT&CK Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| action.malware.variety.In-memory | (malware never stored to persistent storage) | related-to | T1055 | Process Injection |
| Capability ID | Capability Description | Mapping Type | ATT&CK ID | ATT&CK Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| google_secops | Google Security Operations | technique_scores | T1055 | Process Injection |
Comments
Google Security Ops can trigger an alert based on suspicious running processes that could be used to evade defenses and escalate privileges. (e.g., directory traversal attempts via attachment downloads).
This technique was scored as minimal based on low or uncertain detection coverage factor.
https://github.com/chronicle/detection-rules/blob/783e0e5947774785db1c55041b70176deeca6f46/soc_prime_rules/threat_hunting/process_creation/mavinject_process_injection.yaral
References
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| Technique ID | Technique Name | Number of Mappings |
|---|---|---|
| T1055.011 | Extra Window Memory Injection | 1 |
| T1055.003 | Thread Execution Hijacking | 1 |
| T1055.013 | Process Doppelgänging | 1 |
| T1055.004 | Asynchronous Procedure Call | 2 |
| T1055.002 | Portable Executable Injection | 2 |
| T1055.014 | VDSO Hijacking | 2 |
| T1055.012 | Process Hollowing | 1 |
| T1055.009 | Proc Memory | 1 |
| T1055.005 | Thread Local Storage | 1 |
| T1055.008 | Ptrace System Calls | 1 |
| T1055.015 | ListPlanting | 2 |
| T1055.001 | Dynamic-link Library Injection | 1 |