Trusted Developer Utilities Proxy Execution: ClickOnce

Threat Actors may use ClickOnce applications (.appref-ms and .application files) to proxy execution of code through a trusted Windows utility. ClickOnce is a deployment that enables a user to create self-updating Windows-based .NET applications (i.e, .XBAP, .EXE, or .DLL) that install and run from a file share or web page with minimal user interaction. The application launches as a child process of DFSVC.EXE, which is responsible for installing, launching, and updating the application.

ID: ATAGS-T1108.001
Sub-technique of:  ATAGS-T1108
Tactic: Defense Evasion
Targeted Components: Supply Chain
Responsibility: Provider
Created: 18 April 2026
Last Modified: 18 April 2026

Mitigations

This type of attack technique cannot be easily mitigated with preventive controls since it is based on the abuse of system features.