Process hollowing

Process Hollowing

Process hollowing is a technique used by cybercriminals to hide and execute malicious code within the address space of a legitimate process. By replacing the code of a legitimate process with a malicious payload and running it as if it were part of the original process, attackers can evade detection by security software and operate covertly within a system. Process hollowing works by following these steps:

1. Replacement: Attackers start by creating a legitimate process, typically by invoking the CreateProcess function in Windows. They then replace the code of this process with the malicious payload. This is achieved by manipulating the memory of the process, specifically the region that contains the executable code.

2. Execution: Once the process has been modified, it is launched and runs the malicious code. From the perspective of the operating system and any security software, it appears that a legitimate process is running. This allows the attackers to execute their malicious activities without raising suspicion.

3. Invisibility: One of the primary benefits of process hollowing is its ability to hide the malicious activity within a seemingly innocent process. By running the malicious code within the address space of a legitimate process, the attackers can bypass traditional security measures that rely on detecting suspicious or malicious processes. This includes anti-virus software, intrusion detection systems, and behavior-based analysis tools.

Prevention Tips

To protect against process hollowing attacks, it is important to implement preventative measures and security best practices. Here are some tips to consider:

• Monitoring Tools: Utilize process monitoring tools that can detect any anomalies in the behavior of processes or modifications made to their memory. These tools can help identify potential process hollowing attempts and alert administrators to investigate further.

• Code Signing: Regularly check for code signing and other indicators of legitimacy for processes and their associated modules. Code signing provides a way to validate that code has not been tampered with and that it comes from a trusted source.

• Endpoint Security: Implement strong endpoint security solutions that have the capability to detect and prevent process hollowing techniques. Endpoint security solutions use various detection mechanisms, including behavior-based analysis, heuristics, and machine learning, to identify and block malicious activities.

• Patch Management: Keep software and operating systems up to date with the latest security patches. Vulnerabilities in software can often be exploited by attackers to gain access to processes and perform process hollowing.

• User Education: Educate users about potential threats and encourage them to exercise caution when opening email attachments, downloading files, or visiting suspicious websites. By promoting a culture of cybersecurity awareness, users can become an additional line of defense against process hollowing attacks.

Related Terms

• Code Injection: The process of introducing malicious code into a legitimate application or process. Code injection can be used as part of the process hollowing technique.

• DLL Injection: DLL injection involves injecting a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) into the address space of a running process to execute malicious code. DLL injection can be used in conjunction with or as an alternative to process hollowing.