T1610 Deploy Container

Adversaries may deploy a container into an environment to facilitate execution or evade defenses. In some cases, adversaries may deploy a new container to execute processes associated with a particular image or deployment, such as processes that execute or download malware. In others, an adversary may deploy a new container configured without network rules, user limitations, etc. to bypass existing defenses within the environment. In Kubernetes environments, an adversary may attempt to deploy a privileged or vulnerable container into a specific node in order to Escape to Host and access other containers running on the node. (Citation: AppSecco Kubernetes Namespace Breakout 2020)

Containers can be deployed by various means, such as via Docker's <code>create</code> and <code>start</code> APIs or via a web application such as the Kubernetes dashboard or Kubeflow. (Citation: Docker Containers API)(Citation: Kubernetes Dashboard)(Citation: Kubeflow Pipelines) In Kubernetes environments, containers may be deployed through workloads such as ReplicaSets or DaemonSets, which can allow containers to be deployed across multiple nodes.(Citation: Kubernetes Workload Management) Adversaries may deploy containers based on retrieved or built malicious images or from benign images that download and execute malicious payloads at runtime.(Citation: Aqua Build Images on Hosts)

View in MITRE ATT&CK®

CRI Profile Mappings

Capability ID Capability Description Mapping Type ATT&CK ID ATT&CK Name Notes
PR.IR-01.02 Network device configurations Mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
Comments
This diagnostic statement provides protection through secure network device configurations (e.g., firewall rules, ports, and protocols) aligned to security baselines. Using network appliances to limit communications with container services can prevent adversary deployment of a container.
References
    PR.AA-05.01 Access privilege limitation Mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
    Comments
    This diagnostic statement describes the implementation of least privilege principle, which can be applied to limiting permissions through role-based access controls, file and directory permissions, and the execution of systems and services. An adversary must already have high-level, admin or root level access on a local system to make full use of these ATT&CK techniques. Restrict users and accounts to the least privileges they require can help mitigate these techniques.
    References
      PR.IR-01.01 Network segmentation Mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
      Comments
      This diagnostic statement is for the implementation of network segmentation which helps prevent access to critical systems and sensitive information. Employing network segmentation to deny direct remote access to internal systems externally provides protection against adversaries attempting to deploy containers.
      References
        PR.IR-01.03 Network communications integrity and availability Mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
        Comments
        This diagnostic statement protects against Deploy Container through the use of secure network configurations, architecture, implementations of zero trust architecture, and segmentation.
        References
          PR.AA-01.01 Identity and credential management Mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
          Comments
          This diagnostic statement protects against Deploy Container through the use of hardened access control policies, secure defaults, password complexity requirements, multifactor authentication requirements, and removal of terminated accounts.
          References
            PR.PS-01.08 End-user device protection Mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
            Comments
            This diagnostic statement protects against Deploy Container through the use of limiting access to resources to only authorized devices, management of personal computing devices, network intrusion prevention, and the use of antimalware.
            References

              NIST 800-53 Mappings

              Capability ID Capability Description Mapping Type ATT&CK ID ATT&CK Name Notes
              CM-06 Configuration Settings mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
              AC-17 Remote Access mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
              IA-02 Identification and Authentication (Organizational Users) mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
              CM-07 Least Functionality mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
              SI-04 System Monitoring mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
              AC-02 Account Management mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
              AC-03 Access Enforcement mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
              AC-06 Least Privilege mitigates T1610 Deploy Container
              SC-07 Boundary Protection mitigates T1610 Deploy Container

              VERIS Mappings

              Capability ID Capability Description Mapping Type ATT&CK ID ATT&CK Name Notes
              action.malware.variety.Downloader Downloader (pull updates or other malware) related-to T1610 Deploy Container
              action.malware.variety.Unknown Unknown related-to T1610 Deploy Container

              Azure Mappings

              Capability ID Capability Description Mapping Type ATT&CK ID ATT&CK Name Notes
              defender_for_containers Microsoft Defender for Containers technique_scores T1610 Deploy Container
              Comments
              This capability can detect unauthorized deployment of containers.
              References
              defender_for_containers Microsoft Defender for Containers technique_scores T1610 Deploy Container
              Comments
              This capability can protect against unauthorized deployment of containers.
              References

              GCP Mappings

              Capability ID Capability Description Mapping Type ATT&CK ID ATT&CK Name Notes
              artifact_analysis Artifact Analysis technique_scores T1610 Deploy Container
              Comments
              Artifact Analysis performs vulnerability scans on artifacts in Artifact Registry or Container Registry (deprecated). When Artifact Analysis is deployed, it can scan for known vulnerabilities in containers. This information can be used to detect malicious deployed containers used to evade defenses and execute processes in a target environment. Due to the medium threat detection coverage and temporal factor, the control was scored as partial.
              References
              artifact_analysis Artifact Analysis technique_scores T1610 Deploy Container
              Comments
              Artifact Analysis performs vulnerability scans on artifacts in Artifact Registry or Container Registry (deprecated). When Artifact Analysis is deployed, it can detect known vulnerabilities in Docker containers. This information can be used to detect malicious implanted images in the environment. This control does not directly protect against exploitation.
              References
              binary_authorization Binary Authorization technique_scores T1610 Deploy Container
              Comments
              Based on configured policies, Binary Authorization allows or blocks deployment of container images.
              References
              gke_enterprise GKE Enterprise technique_scores T1610 Deploy Container
              Comments
              GKE Enterprise incorporates the Anthos Config Management Policy Controller feature to enforce fully programmable policies on your clusters. You can use these policies to shift security left and guard against violations during development and test time, as well as runtime violations. This control can be used to block adversaries that try to deploy new containers with malware or configurations policies that are not in compliance with security policies already defined.
              References
              google_kubernetes_engine Google Kubernetes Engine technique_scores T1610 Deploy Container
              Comments
              Kubernetes role-based access control (RBAC), uses granular permissions to control access to resources within projects and objects within Kubernetes clusters.
              References

              AWS Mappings

              Capability ID Capability Description Mapping Type ATT&CK ID ATT&CK Name Notes
              aws_cloudwatch AWS CloudWatch technique_scores T1610 Deploy Container
              Comments
              AWS CloudWatch provides various metrics including CPU utilization, connections, disk space, memory, bytes sent/received, and the number of running containers among others. The following metric could be used to detect if an adversary deployed a new container in the environment. node_number_of_running_containers This mapping is given a score of Partial because it is not possible to differentiate between an authorized and unauthorized deployment of a new container.
              References
              aws_config AWS Config technique_scores T1610 Deploy Container
              Comments
              The "eks-endpoint-no-public-access" managed rule can identify whether Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS) endpoints are misconfigured to allow public endpoint access, which should be fixed in order to prevent malicious external access to the Kubernetes API server, including malicious attempts to deploy containers. It is run periodically and only provides partial coverage because it is specific to public access, resulting in an overall score of Partial.
              References