Adversaries may use the Windows Component Object Model (COM) for local code execution. COM is an inter-process communication (IPC) component of the native Windows application programming interface (API) that enables interaction between software objects, or executable code that implements one or more interfaces.^[1] Through COM, a client object can call methods of server objects, which are typically binary Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL) or executables (EXE).^[2] Remote COM execution is facilitated by Remote Services such as Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM).^[1]

Various COM interfaces are exposed that can be abused to invoke arbitrary execution via a variety of programming languages such as C, C++, Java, and Visual Basic.^[2] Specific COM objects also exist to directly perform functions beyond code execution, such as creating a Scheduled Task/Job, fileless download/execution, and other adversary behaviors related to privilege escalation and persistence.^[1],[3]

References

1. Hamilton, C. (2019, June 4). Hunting COM Objects. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
2. Microsoft. (n.d.). Component Object Model (COM). Retrieved November 22, 2017.
3. Forshaw, J. (2018, April 18). Windows Exploitation Tricks: Exploiting Arbitrary File Writes for Local Elevation of Privilege. Retrieved May 3, 2018.

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