ExtraHop named a Leader in the 2025 Forrester Wave™: Network Analysis And Visibility Solutions

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DETECTION OVERVIEW

New HTML Application (HTA) File Download Activity

Risk Factors

Attackers often deliver malicious code to victims through HTML Application (HTA) files. Attack tools help attackers create malicious HTA files for Windows devices. If malicious code from an HTA file runs on the victim, the attacker can compromise the device and launch attacks on the network.

The system might change the risk score for this detection.

Category

Exploitation
Detection diagram
Next in Exploitation: New Outbound SSH Traffic to an Unusual Location Activity

Attack Background

Microsoft HTML Application (HTA) files are programs written in HTML and scripting languages such as VBScript or JScript. The Windows mshta.exe utility runs local and remote HTA files through Internet Explorer, but the files are run outside of the browser security settings. Browsers typically prohibit code in HTML files from modifying system resources, such as registry keys. However, the code in HTA files is permitted to modify system resources and run through a trusted signed Microsoft binary file. If mshta.exe runs an HTA file that contains malicious code, malware can be delivered to a device.

Mitigation Options

Quarantine the client to check for indicators of compromise

Disable or block the mshta.exe utility

Block inbound HTA files at the network perimeter

Change the default file handler for the .hta file extension to an application that does not run the file, such as notepad.exe

Block the ability to run HTA files

MITRE ATT&CK ID

Associated content

Announcing The Forrester Wave™: Network Analysis And Visibility Solutions, Q4 2025

Network analysis and visibility solutions remain underrepresented in enterprises. Find out why in this preview of a new Wave report.

Report

ExtraHop® Named a Leader in First-Ever Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Network Detection and Response — ExtraHop

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News

Detections

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Docs

The 2025 ExtraHop Global Threat Landscape Report: The Alarming Reality of Threat Actor Dwell Time and Deeper Network Access — ExtraHop

This analysis exposes the critical link between an organization's lack of internal visibility and the escalating cost of compromise, demanding an urgent re-evaluation of how core business assets are protected.

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ExtraHop RevealX MITRE ATT&CK Coverage 2024 — ExtraHop

Learn why you need to be wary of the claims certain network detection and response providers make about their coverage against the MITRE ATT&CK framework.

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MITRE ATT&CK - Network Detection & Response with RevealX — ExtraHop

Learn how NDR from RevealX helps security teams detect and investigate more adversary TTPs in the MITRE ATT&CK framework than rule-based tools.

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