Adversaries may steal data by exfiltrating it over a different protocol than that of the existing command and control channel. The data may also be sent to an alternate network location from the main command and control server.
Alternate protocols include FTP, SMTP, HTTP/S, DNS, SMB, or any other network protocol not being used as the main command and control channel. Adversaries may also opt to encrypt and/or obfuscate these alternate channels.
Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol can be done using various common operating system utilities such as Net/SMB or FTP.(Citation: Palo Alto OilRig Oct 2016) On macOS and Linux <code>curl</code> may be used to invoke protocols such as HTTP/S or FTP/S to exfiltrate data from a system.(Citation: 20 macOS Common Tools and Techniques)
Many IaaS and SaaS platforms (such as Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SharePoint, GitHub, and AWS S3) support the direct download of files, emails, source code, and other sensitive information via the web console or Cloud API.
View in MITRE ATT&CK®| Capability ID | Capability Description | Mapping Type | ATT&CK ID | ATT&CK Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2013-0641 | Adobe Reader Buffer Overflow Vulnerability | secondary_impact | T1048 | Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol |
Comments
This buffer overflow vulnerability is exploited via malicious-crafted pdf files delivered via targeted emails. Adversaries use this exploit to deliver a remote administration tool with the goal of data exfiltration.
References
|
| CVE-2017-6742 | Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software SNMP Remote Code Execution Vulnerability | secondary_impact | T1048 | Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol |
Comments
CVE-2017-6742 is a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) vulnerability in Cisco products related to a buffer overflow condition in the SNMP subsystem.
Reported by the NCSC, threat actors exploited CVE-2017-6742 to perform reconnaissance, enumerate router interfaces and deploy custom malware known as "Jaguar Tooth", as detailed in the NCSC’s Jaguar Tooth malware analysis report. This malware obtains further device information which is then exfiltrated over trivial file transfer protocol (TFTP) and enables unauthenticated access via a backdoor.
References
|
| CVE-2022-26500 | Veeam Backup & Replication Remote Code Execution Vulnerability | secondary_impact | T1048 | Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol |
Comments
This vulnerability is exploited by a remote, authenticated users access to internal API functions that allows attackers to upload and execute arbitrary code.
This vulnerability has been exploited by threat actors associated with AvosLocker ransomware, as identified by Kroll analysts. These actors have developed new tactics targeting backup systems, specifically leveraging vulnerabilities in Veeam Backup and Replication software (CVE-2022-26500 and CVE-2022-26501) to potentially exfiltrate data while evading detection.
References
|
| CVE-2022-26501 | Veeam Backup & Replication Remote Code Execution Vulnerability | secondary_impact | T1048 | Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol |
Comments
This vulnerability is exploited by a remote, unauthenticated attacker to access internal API functions and send malicious code to the Veeam Distribution Service via the default TCP port 9380.
This vulnerability has been exploited by threat actors associated with the AvosLocker ransomware. Kroll analysts have observed these actors using this vulnerability, alongside CVE-2022-26500, to potentially exfiltrate data and download malicious tools while appearing as legitimate activity to evade detection.
References
|
| Technique ID | Technique Name | Number of Mappings |
|---|---|---|
| T1048.003 | Exfiltration Over Unencrypted Non-C2 Protocol | 1 |