Sigma rule: DarkGate - Drop DarkGate Loader In C:\Temp Directory

Rule

Title

DarkGate - Drop DarkGate Loader In C:\Temp Directory

Status

test

Level

medium

Author

Tomasz Dyduch, Josh Nickels

Date

2024-05-31

File

rules-emerging-threats/2024/Malware/DarkGate/file_event_win_malware_darkgate_autoit3_save_temp.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects attackers attempting to save, decrypt and execute the DarkGate Loader in C:\temp folder.

Log source

product

windows

category

file_event

Detection

selection_filename_suffix:
    TargetFilename|contains: ':\temp\'
    TargetFilename|endswith:
        - '.au3'
        - '\autoit3.exe'
selection_image_suffix:
    Image|contains: ':\temp\'
    Image|endswith:
        - '.au3'
        - '\autoit3.exe'
condition: 1 of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Unlikely legitimate usage of AutoIT in temp folders.

Tags

• attack.execution
• attack.t1059
• detection.emerging-threats

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1059

References

• https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-exploit-windows-smartscreen-flaw-to-drop-darkgate-malware/
• https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/24/c/cve-2024-21412--darkgate-operators-exploit-microsoft-windows-sma.html

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules-emerging-threats/2024/Malware/DarkGate/file_event_win_malware_darkgate_autoit3_save_temp.yml