Suspicious mshta child process

splApache-2.0from splunk/security_content

The following analytic identifies child processes spawned from "mshta.exe". It leverages data from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents, focusing on specific child processes like "powershell.exe" and "cmd.exe". This activity is significant because "mshta.exe" is often exploited by attackers to execute malicious scripts or commands. If confirmed malicious, this behavior could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or maintain persistence within the environment. Monitoring this activity helps in early detection of potential threats leveraging "mshta.exe" for malicious purposes.