Detection Strategy for T1218.012 Verclsid Abuse

Technique Detected:  Verclsid | T1218.012

ID: DET0042
Domains: Enterprise
Analytics: AN0118
Version: 1.0
Created: 21 October 2025
Last Modified: 21 October 2025

Analytics

AN0118

Detects abuse of verclsid.exe to execute COM objects by monitoring process creation, CLSID arguments, DLLs or scriptlet engines loaded into memory, and If the CLSID points to remote SCT/HTA content, verclsid.exe makes outbound connections.

Log Sources
Data Component Name Channel
Process Creation (DC0032) WinEventLog:Sysmon EventCode=1
Module Load (DC0016) WinEventLog:Sysmon EventCode=7
Windows Registry Key Modification (DC0063) WinEventLog:Sysmon EventCode=13, 14
Network Connection Creation (DC0082) WinEventLog:Sysmon EventCode=3
Mutable Elements
Field Description
AllowedCLSIDs Baseline CLSIDs frequently invoked by verclsid.exe in normal shell extension verification.
ParentProcessFilter Unusual parents (e.g., winword.exe, excel.exe) spawning verclsid.exe should be treated as suspicious.
TimeWindow Correlation window between verclsid.exe start, module load, and network activity.
ExternalIPRange Restrict detection to external IPs not in approved ranges to cut noise.