T1574 Hijack Execution Flow Mappings

Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking the way operating systems run programs. Hijacking execution flow can be for the purposes of persistence, since this hijacked execution may reoccur over time. Adversaries may also use these mechanisms to elevate privileges or evade defenses, such as application control or other restrictions on execution.

There are many ways an adversary may hijack the flow of execution, including by manipulating how the operating system locates programs to be executed. How the operating system locates libraries to be used by a program can also be intercepted. Locations where the operating system looks for programs/resources, such as file directories and in the case of Windows the Registry, could also be poisoned to include malicious payloads.

View in MITRE ATT&CK®

VERIS Mappings

Capability ID Capability Description Mapping Type ATT&CK ID ATT&CK Name Notes
action.hacking.variety.Hijack To assume control over and steal functionality for an illicit purpose (e.g. Hijacking phone number intercept SMS verification codes) related-to T1574 Hijack Execution Flow
action.hacking.variety.Unknown Unknown related-to T1574 Hijack Execution Flow
action.hacking.variety.XML injection XML injection. Child of 'Exploit vuln'. related-to T1574 Hijack Execution Flow

GCP Mappings

Capability ID Capability Description Mapping Type ATT&CK ID ATT&CK Name Notes
google_secops Google Security Operations technique_scores T1574 Hijack Execution Flow
Comments
Google Security Ops is able to trigger alerts based on suspicious system processes that could indicate hijacking via malicious payloads. This technique was scored as minimal based on low or uncertain detection coverage factor. https://github.com/chronicle/detection-rules/blob/783e0e5947774785db1c55041b70176deeca6f46/soc_prime_rules/threat_hunting/antivirus/detects_powershell_attack__via_av_ids.yaral
References

ATT&CK Subtechniques

Technique ID Technique Name Number of Mappings
T1574.007 Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable 1
T1574.011 Services Registry Permissions Weakness 1
T1574.001 DLL Search Order Hijacking 4
T1574.014 AppDomainManager 1
T1574.005 Executable Installer File Permissions Weakness 3
T1574.010 Services File Permissions Weakness 1
T1574.013 KernelCallbackTable 1
T1574.002 DLL Side-Loading 4
T1574.004 Dylib Hijacking 3
T1574.012 COR_PROFILER 1