Modify Authentication Process: Reversible Encryption Defense Evasion [Mitre]

An adversary may abuse Active Directory authentication encryption properties to gain access to credentials on Windows systems. The AllowReversiblePasswordEncryption property specifies whether reversible password encryption for an account is enabled or disabled. By default this property is disabled (instead storing user credentials as the output of one-way hashing functions) and should not be enabled unless legacy or other software require …

Rootkit Defense Evasion [Mitre]

Adversaries may use rootkits to hide the presence of programs, files, network connections, services, drivers, and other system components. Rootkits are programs that hide the existence of malware by intercepting/hooking and modifying operating system API calls that supply system information.

Rootkits or rootkit enabling functionality may reside at the user or kernel level in the operating system or lower, …

Valid Accounts: Default Accounts Defense Evasion [Mitre]

Adversaries may obtain and abuse credentials of a default account as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion. Default accounts are those that are built-into an OS, such as the Guest or Administrator accounts on Windows systems. Default accounts also include default factory/provider set accounts on other types of systems, software, or devices, including the …

Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information Defense Evasion [Mitre]

Adversaries may use Obfuscated Files or Information to hide artifacts of an intrusion from analysis. They may require separate mechanisms to decode or deobfuscate that information depending on how they intend to use it. Methods for doing that include built-in functionality of malware or by using utilities present on the system.

One such example is use of certutil to …

Modify Registry Defense Evasion [Mitre]

Adversaries may interact with the Windows Registry to hide configuration information within Registry keys, remove information as part of cleaning up, or as part of other techniques to aid in persistence and execution.

Access to specific areas of the Registry depends on account permissions, some requiring administrator-level access. The built-in Windows command-line utility Reg may be used for local …

System Binary Proxy Execution: CMSTP Defense Evasion [Mitre]

Adversaries may abuse CMSTP to proxy execution of malicious code. The Microsoft Connection Manager Profile Installer (CMSTP.exe) is a command-line program used to install Connection Manager service profiles. CMSTP.exe accepts an installation information file (INF) as a parameter and installs a service profile leveraged for remote access connections.

Adversaries may supply CMSTP.exe with INF files infected with malicious commands. …

FuncIn Antivirus/EDR Evasion Anti-Debugging Anti-Disassembly Anti-Forensic

FuncIn involves a payload staging strategy wherein the entire set of malicious functionalities is not contained within the malware file itself or any third-party file/network location (e.g., a web server). Instead, these functionalities are transmitted over the network by the Command and Control (C2) server when required.

This approach addresses three primary issues in malware development. Firstly, it mitigates …

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