Hijack Execution Flow (T1574) is a MITRE ATT&CK technique in the Persistence tactic. SOC analysts detect it by monitoring for XDR, SIEM events, behavioral anomalies, and the specific indicators described in this detection guide. Practice detection in SOCSimulator Operations.
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking the way operating systems run programs. Hijacking execution flow can be for the purposes of persistence, since this hijacking may reoccur over time. There are many ways an adversary may hijack the flow of execution, including by manipulating how the operating system locates programs to be executed. How the operating system locates libraries to be loaded is also susceptible to hijacking. Adversaries may plant trojanized content in locations where an application or operating system searches for legitimate programs or libraries. Common hijacking techniques include DLL search order hijacking, where malicious DLLs are placed in directories searched before the legitimate DLL location; DLL side-loading, where malicious DLLs are placed alongside legitimate applications that load them by name without full path validation; and PATH environment variable hijacking. These techniques are attractive to attackers because they achieve execution through legitimate, trusted processes rather than standalone malicious executables.
“Hijack Execution Flow is documented as technique T1574 in the MITRE ATT&CK knowledge base under the Persistence tactic. Detection requires visibility into XDR, SIEM telemetry.”
Detection Strategies
The following detection strategies help SOC analysts identify Hijack Execution Flow activity. These methods apply across XDR, SIEM environments and can be implemented as detection rules, correlation queries, or behavioral analytics in your security platform.
1
Monitor for DLL file creation in directories that are earlier in the search path than the legitimate DLL location, particularly in application directories, current working directories, or Windows PATH directories for missing DLLs.
2
Alert on processes loading DLLs from unexpected paths, comparing loaded module paths against known good baselines for that application, with particular attention to security-sensitive applications that may grant elevated permissions to loaded modules.
3
Detect DLL side-loading by monitoring for known vulnerable applications loading unsigned or unexpected DLLs from the same directory as the application executable, which is the characteristic pattern of DLL side-loading attacks.
4
Monitor PATH environment variable modifications that add user-writable directories before system directories, which could allow attackers to substitute malicious versions of system utilities called without full paths.
5
Implement application whitelisting to restrict which DLL files can be loaded by specific processes, preventing hijacking attempts from succeeding even when malicious DLLs are successfully placed in searched locations.
Example Alerts
These realistic alert examples show what Hijack Execution Flow looks like in your security tools. Use them to tune detection rules and train analysts to recognize true positives versus false positives in live environments.
HighXDR
DLL Side-Loading via Legitimate Signed Application
Legitimate signed application VulnerableApp.exe loaded version.dll from its own application directory rather than System32. The loaded version.dll is not the legitimate Windows version library; its hash matches a known Cobalt Strike loader. The malicious DLL was placed alongside the signed application, which loads it without path validation. Execution through a trusted signed process evades many security controls that check parent process reputation.
HighXDR
Malicious DLL Planted in Application Directory for Search Order Hijacking
File creation event detected: cryptbase.dll written to C:\Users\jsmith\Downloads\LegitSoftware\ by a PowerShell process. When LegitSoftware.exe is executed from this directory, it will load the malicious cryptbase.dll instead of the system copy because the application directory is searched first. The malicious DLL contains a backdoor that executes within the context of the trusted application process.
MediumSIEM
PATH Hijacking via User-Writable Directory Prepend
Registry modification detected adding C:\Users\attacker\tools to the front of the system PATH environment variable. If any scripts or applications call system utilities like net.exe or powershell.exe without full paths, the attacker-controlled directory will be searched first, allowing malicious replacements to execute in place of legitimate system tools. This technique is particularly effective in automation scripts and scheduled tasks.
Practice Detecting Hijack Execution Flow
SOCSimulator provides hands-on training rooms where you investigate real-world attack scenarios including Hijack Execution Flow. Build detection skills with zero consequences — free forever.
SOC analysts detect Hijack Execution Flow (T1574) by monitoring XDR, SIEM telemetry for behavioral anomalies and specific indicators. Key detection methods include monitor for dll file creation in directories that are earlier in the search path than the legitimate dll location, particularly in application directo. SOCSimulator provides hands-on practice detecting this technique with realistic alerts.
What security tools are used to detect Hijack Execution Flow?
Hijack Execution Flow can be detected using XDR, SIEM platforms. XDR tools are particularly effective for this technique because they provide visibility into the persistence phase of the attack chain. SOCSimulator simulates all three tool types for hands-on training.
How common is Hijack Execution Flow in real-world attacks?
Hijack Execution Flow is a well-documented MITRE ATT&CK technique in the Persistence tactic. It appears in threat intelligence reports from multiple security vendors and has been observed in campaigns by various threat actor groups. SOCSimulator includes realistic Hijack Execution Flow scenarios based on documented attack patterns, helping analysts build detection intuition.
Can I practice detecting Hijack Execution Flow for free?
Yes. SOCSimulator offers free forever access to training scenarios, including Persistence techniques like Hijack Execution Flow. You can investigate realistic alerts in guided Operations rooms, build detection skills with SIEM, XDR, and Firewall interfaces, and test yourself under pressure in Shift Mode. No credit card required.