T1218.004 — System Binary Proxy Execution: InstallUtil
Sub-technique of T1218 System Binary Proxy Execution
Description
Adversaries may use InstallUtil to proxy execution of code through a trusted Windows utility. InstallUtil is a command-line utility that allows for installation and uninstallation of resources by executing specific installer components specified in .NET binaries. The InstallUtil binary may also be digitally signed by Microsoft and located in the .NET directories on a Windows system: C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v<version>\InstallUtil.exe and C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v<version>\InstallUtil.exe.
InstallUtil may also be used to bypass application control through use of attributes within the binary that execute the class decorated with the attribute [System.ComponentModel.RunInstaller(true)].
Detected by EasySIEM
This project's own SigmaHQ-derived detection pipeline tags every compiled rule with the ATT&CK technique(s) it maps to -- if a rule in your install covers this technique, it shows up automatically on your own Grafana Alerts dashboard's "Top ATT&CK Techniques" panel, no lookup needed. This page exists so a click from there always lands here on easysiem.com, not on attack.mitre.org.