{
  "node_id": "mitre-attack-t1574-002-dll-side-loading",
  "title": "MITRE ATT&CK T1574.002: DLL Side-Loading (Enterprise Tactic TA0003 - Persistence / TA0004 - Privilege Escalation / TA0005 - Defense Evasion)",
  "domain": "Cybersecurity",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "last_updated": "2026-05-25",
  "bluf": "MITRE ATT&CK T1574.002 (DLL Side-Loading) is an Enterprise Persistence and Privilege Escalation and Defense Evasion sub-technique of T1574 (Hijack Execution Flow). Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by side-loading DLLs. Similar to DLL Search Order Hijacking, side-loading involves hijacking which DLL a program loads. But rather than just planting the DLL within the search order of a program then waiting for the victim application to be invoked, adversaries may directly side-load their payloads by planting then invoking a legitimate application that executes their payload(s). Affected platforms: Windows. MITRE-documented mitigations include M1051 Update Software, M1013 Application Developer Guidance, M1022 Restrict File and Directory Permissions, M1047 Audit. The Center for Threat-Informed Defense maps this technique to NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 controls AC-02, AC-03, AC-04, AC-05, AC-06, CA-07, CM-02, CM-05.",
  "paywall": {
    "status": "LOCKED",
    "unlock_cost_usd": "0.01",
    "skyfire_id": "41779894-ece2-4163-9761-b3b1b76e19b0"
  },
  "crosswalks": {
    "_available_keys": [
      "nist_framework",
      "iso_standard",
      "industry_mapping",
      "mitre_d3fend"
    ],
    "_note": "Full crosswalk values included in vault response"
  },
  "dependencies": [
    "nist-cybersecurity-framework-2-0",
    "iso-27001-2022",
    "nist-sp-800-53-r5",
    "cis-controls-v8",
    "mitre-attack-t1574-hijack-execution-flow"
  ],
  "primary_citations_count": 7
}