T1103: AppInit DLLs
Dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) that are specified in the AppInit_DLLs value in the Registry keys HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows are loaded by user32.dll into every process that loads user32.dll. In practice this is nearly every program, since user32.dll is a very common library. [1] Similar to Process Injection, these values can be abused to obtain persistence and privilege escalation by causing a malicious DLL to be loaded and run in the context of separate processes on the computer. [2]
The AppInit DLL functionality is disabled in Windows 8 and later versions when secure boot is enabled. [3]
This ATT&CK object is revoked or deprecated in the current MITRE ATT&CK release.
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Analyst summary pending validation
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AppInit DLLs
Dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) that are specified in the AppInit_DLLs value in the Registry keys HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows are loaded by user32.dll into every process that loads user32.dll. In practice this is nearly every program, since user32.dll is a very common library. [1] Similar to Process Injection, these values can be abused to obtain persistence and privilege escalation by causing a malicious DLL to be loaded and run in the context of separate processes on the computer. [2]
The AppInit DLL functionality is disabled in Windows 8 and later versions when secure boot is enabled. [3]
How security teams should use this page
Treat this object as behavior context, not an attribution claim. Validate the related groups, software, data sources, and mitigations against official ATT&CK relationships and your own telemetry before making control-coverage decisions.
Related techniques
This mirrors the MITRE pattern of making group, software, campaign, and technique relationships scannable. Relationship notes come from mirrored ATT&CK relationship text when available.
| Domain | ID | Name | Relationship / procedure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | T1546.010 | AppInit DLLs Sub-technique | This object revoked by AppInit DLLs. |
All related ATT&CK context
Object version and sync metadata
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Imported snapshots across ATT&CK releases (1)
| Release | Bundle imported | Object version | Modified | Status | Raw hash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.1 | 1.1 | Current bundle Revoked | 0e430e8bd6be… |
Mirrored ATT&CK source object
The raw object is retained through the mirrored ATT&CK source bundle and object hash. The raw endpoint returns the exact object from the mirrored bundle when available.
External references and citations
MITRE external references are preserved separately from Glexia analysis so citations remain traceable to their original source records.
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[1]
Elastic Process Injection July 2017
Hosseini, A. (2017, July 18). Ten Process Injection Techniques: A Technical Survey Of Common And Trending Process Injection Techniques. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
Open source URL -
[2]
AppInit Registry
Microsoft. (2006, October). Working with the AppInit_DLLs registry value. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
Open source URL -
[3]
AppInit Secure Boot
Microsoft. (n.d.). AppInit DLLs and Secure Boot. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
Open source URL -
[4]
TechNet Autoruns
Russinovich, M. (2016, January 4). Autoruns for Windows v13.51. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
Open source URL -
[5]
mitre-attack T1103Open source URL
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