T1574.002: DLL Side-Loading

Framework: MITRE ATT&CK · Tactic: Defense Evasion · Total Cataloged Families: 19 · Observed Samples: 1,526 · Primary Threat Categories: Ransomware · Trojan · Backdoor

Operational Executive Summary

T1574.002 (DLL Side-Loading) is classified under the Defense Evasion tactic within the MITRE ATT&CK framework. Tradecraft designed to avoid detection, analysis, and eradication throughout their operational lifecycle, including process injection, file obfuscation, and disabling defensive telemetry. In telemetry gathered across enterprise endpoints and the EMBER 2018 benchmark, this technique was weaponized across 19 distinct malware families, totaling over 1,526 validated samples.

Technical Anatomy & Adversary Tradecraft

Adversaries leverage DLL Side-Loading to accomplish operational objectives while minimizing anomalous forensic footprints. When executing DLL Side-Loading, malicious binaries commonly interact directly with low-level Windows APIs, kernel mode drivers, or native scripting interfaces to bypass traditional file-integrity monitors and static antivirus signatures.

In modern multi-stage campaigns, T1574.002 is frequently observed functioning as an intermediate bridge: initial access payloads (such as spearphishing loaders or exploit macros) execute DLL Side-Loading to establish in-memory execution or persistence before staging secondary ransomware or data-exfiltration implants.

Authoritative MITRE ATT&CK Reference: View official technique documentation, sub-techniques, and adversary groups at https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1574/002/.

Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting

Detecting DLL Side-Loading requires telemetry correlation across endpoint detection and response (EDR) agents, Sysmon event streams, and security information event management (SIEM) pipelines:

Process Creation & Lineage: Monitor parent-child process anomalies where unexpected parent binaries (e.g., Office executables, web browsers, or script hosts) spawn command shells or native Windows utilities.
API Hooking & Behavioral Telemetry: EDR platforms should flag rapid calls to memory allocation, process injection, or registry manipulation APIs originating from unbacked executable memory regions.
Network Anomaly Correlation: Cross-reference endpoint execution timestamps with external network socket establishment to identify anomalous beaconing or covert data staging.

SOC Containment & Hardening Guidance

To mitigate risks associated with T1574.002 (DLL Side-Loading) across production infrastructure, security teams should implement the following defensive controls:

Attack Surface Reduction (ASR): Enforce strict application control policies (WDAC or AppLocker) to restrict execution to signed and verified corporate binaries.
Least Privilege & Credential Hygiene: Restrict local administrative privileges to prevent adversaries from tampering with defensive agents or escalating privileges.
Network Microsegmentation: Restrict lateral communication across endpoint VLANs to prevent wormable payloads from utilizing DLL Side-Loading across adjacent network segments.

→ Incident Response Guidance: Read our Backdoor & RAT Protection for Businesses

Cataloged Malware Families Utilizing T1574.002 (19 Families)

The following malware families in the SystemHelpDesk catalog have been verified utilizing T1574.002 (DLL Side-Loading):

19 families

Family	Category	Sample Count	Technical Summary
darkgate	Loader	`1,205`	DarkGate is an evasive, commercial Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) loader and remote access platform developed by a cybercriminal known as 'RastaFarEye'. Active pri...
salgorea	Backdoor	`135`	Salgorea (cataloged across advanced threat intelligence reports as Backdoor.Win32.Salgorea, BadCake, and Trojan:Win32/Salgorea) is a sophisticated targeted cybe...
dllinject	Hacktool	`97`	DllInject (cataloged under vendor detection signatures including Trojan:Win32/DllInject, HackTool:Win32/DllInject, and MSIL/DllInject) represents a broad family...
mekotio	Banking Trojan	`44`	Mekotio (cataloged across security vendors and threat intelligence databases under signatures including Trojan-Banker:Win32/Mekotio, Trojan.Win32.Mekotio, and M...
korplug	Trojan	`10`	Backdoor:Win32/Korplug (widely known in the cybersecurity community as PlugX) is a highly customized, persistent Remote Access Trojan (RAT) used extensively...
plugx	Rat	`8`	PlugX (also known across threat intelligence teams as Korplug or Sogu) is an exceptionally sophisticated, highly modular Remote Access Trojan first observed in ...
uacme	Ransomware	`5`	HackTool:Win32/Uacme (often detected due to its inclusion in the open-source UACMe repository) is a powerful, publicly available framework designed to bypas...
nukesped	Trojan	`4`	Backdoor:Win32/Nukesped is a highly sophisticated, persistent backdoor remote access trojan (RAT) heavily attributed to the Lazarus Group (HIDDEN COBRA), a ...
kaseya	Ransomware	`3`	HackTool:Win32/Kaseya (or related detections) does not refer to the Kaseya VSA software itself as being inherently malicious, but rather flags the abuse of this...
elevate	Ransomware	`2`	Behavior:Win32/Elevate is a critical Heuristic Detection that flags a running process actively attempting to perform Local Privilege Escalation (LPE). This ...
keyboy	Trojan	`2`	Backdoor:Win32/Keyboy is a sophisticated Remote Access Trojan (RAT) and backdoor heavily utilized by Chinese-speaking Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups, m...
plead	Trojan	`2`	Backdoor:Win32/Plead is a custom, highly evasive remote access trojan (RAT) heavily utilized by the state-sponsored cyber-espionage group BlackTech (also known ...
teamspy	Backdoor	`2`	Backdoor:Win32/Teamspy (also known as TeamSpy Crew or 'The TeamSpy Operation') is a highly sophisticated cyber-espionage toolkit (APT). Its defining characteris...
winnti	Backdoor	`2`	Backdoor:Win32/Winnti is the flagship modular cyber espionage platform and kernel rootkit family utilized by Chinese state-nexus threat group APT41 (also tracke...
copperturtle	Ransomware	`1`	<h3>Executive Summary</h3> CopperTurtle is a sophisticated Trojan and custom backdoor frequently associated with targeted espionage operations and Advanced Pers...
dllhijack	Ransomware	`1`	Exploit:Win32/Dllhijack refers not to a specific malware family, but to a critical execution and defense evasion technique (`T1574.001` - DLL Search Order Hijac...
hyperbro	Trojan	`1`	<h3>Executive Summary</h3> HyperBro is a custom, in-memory Remote Access Trojan (RAT) and backdoor exclusively utilized by the Chinese state-sponsored threat gr...
miragefox	Trojan	`1`	<h3>Executive Summary</h3> MirageFox is a highly specialized, sophisticated Remote Access Trojan (RAT) and backdoor utilized exclusively by the Chinese state-sp...
soldier	Ransomware	`1`	<h3>Executive Summary</h3> Soldier is a sophisticated Trojan and custom backdoor frequently associated with targeted espionage operations and Advanced Persisten...