Applied Cybernetics Group
T1546.015 Component Object Model Hijacking
- Technique
T1546.015- Tactics
- Privilege Escalation, Persistence
- Research, 90 days
- 1
- KEV CVEs mapped
- 0
- SigmaHQ rules
- 9
- Elastic, Splunk
- 5
- thrunt rules
- 0
- Upstream
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/015
MITRE description
Adversaries may establish persistence by executing malicious content triggered by hijacked references to Component Object Model (COM) objects. COM is a system within Windows to enable interaction between software components through the operating system.(Citation: Microsoft Component Object Model) References to various COM objects are stored in the Registry. Adversaries may use the COM system to insert malicious code that can be executed in place of legitimate software through hijacking the COM references and relationships as a means for persistence. Hijacking a COM object requires a change in the Registry to replace a reference to a legitimate system component which may cause that component to not work when executed. When that system component is executed through normal system operation the adversary's code will be executed instead.(Citation: GDATA COM Hijacking) An adversary is likely to hijack objects that are used frequently enough to maintain a consistent level of persistence, but are unlikely to break noticeable functionality within the system as to avoid system instability that could lead to detection. One variation of COM hijacking involves abusing Type Libraries (TypeLibs), which provide metadata about COM objects, such as their interfaces and methods. Adversaries may modify Registry keys associated with TypeLibs to redirect legitimate COM object functionality to malicious scripts or payloads. Unlike traditional COM hijacking, which commonly uses local DLLs, this variation may leverage the "script:" moniker to execute remote scripts hosted on external servers.(Citation: RELIAQUEST) This approach enables stealthy execution of code while maintaining persistence, as the remote payload would be automatically downloaded whenever the hijacked COM object is accessed.
Research citing this technique
Reports and advisories from the last 90 days that cite this technique.
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2026-08-13Recorded Future Insikt: Malware Crypting Services and the Threat Actors Who Sell Them
Detection coverage
SigmaHQ community rules
- SOURGUM Actor Behaviours (emerging-threats)
- Suspicious GetTypeFromCLSID ShellExecute (core)
- Rundll32 Registered COM Objects (core)
- Potential Persistence Using DebugPath (core)
- COM Object Hijacking Via Modification Of Default System CLSID Default Value (core)
- Potential COM Object Hijacking Via TreatAs Subkey - Registry (core)
- Potential PSFactoryBuffer COM Hijacking (core)
- Potential Persistence Via Scrobj.dll COM Hijacking (core)
- COM Hijacking via TreatAs (core)
Elastic and Splunk rules
- Potential RemoteMonologue Attack (elastic)
- Component Object Model Hijacking (elastic)
- Powershell COM Hijacking InprocServer32 Modification (splunk)
- Powershell Execute COM Object (splunk)
- Windows COM Hijacking InprocServer32 Modification (splunk)