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T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol Mappings

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. Different protocol channels could also include Web services such as cloud storage. 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)

View in MITRE ATT&CK®

Mappings

Capability ID Capability Description Mapping Type ATT&CK ID ATT&CK Name Notes
AC-3 Access Enforcement Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
AC-4 Information Flow Enforcement Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
CA-7 Continuous Monitoring Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
CM-2 Baseline Configuration Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
CM-6 Configuration Settings Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
CM-7 Least Functionality Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
SC-46 Cross Domain Policy Enforcement Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
SC-7 Boundary Protection Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
SI-10 Information Input Validation Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
SI-15 Information Output Filtering Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
SI-3 Malicious Code Protection Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
SI-4 System Monitoring Protects T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
alerts_for_windows_machines Alerts for Windows Machines technique_scores T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
Comments
This control's detection is specific to a minority of this technique's sub-techniques and procedure examples resulting in a Minimal Coverage score and consequently an overall score of Minimal.
References
  1. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security-center/defender-for-servers-introduction
  2. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security-center/alerts-reference#alerts-windows
network_security_groups Network Security Groups technique_scores T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
Comments
NSG can minimize alternative protocols allowed to communicate externally.
References
  1. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/network-security-groups-overview
  2. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/network-security-group-how-it-works
  3. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security-center/security-center-adaptive-network-hardening
azure_sentinel Azure Sentinel technique_scores T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
Comments
This control provides minimal coverage for a minority of this technique's sub-techniques and does not cover all procedure examples, resulting in an overall score of Minimal.
References
  1. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sentinel/overview
  2. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sentinel/hunting
microsoft_defender_for_identity Microsoft Defender for Identity technique_scores T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
Comments
This control provides Partial detection for one of this technique's sub-techniques, while not providing any detection for the remaining, resulting in a Minimal score.
References
  1. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-for-identity/what-is
azure_dns_analytics Azure DNS Analytics technique_scores T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
Comments
This control can identify anomalous / high talker DNS clients, possibly related to exfil via DNS
References
  1. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/insights/dns-analytics
azure_firewall Azure Firewall technique_scores T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
Comments
This control provides partial protection for this technique's sub-techniques and some of its procedure examples resulting in an overall Partial score.
References
  1. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/overview
alerts_for_dns Alerts for DNS technique_scores T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
Comments
Can detect anomalous use of DNS. Because this detection is specific to DNS, its coverage score is Minimal resulting in an overall Minimal score.
References
  1. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security-center/defender-for-dns-introduction
  2. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security-center/alerts-reference#alerts-dns
azure_network_traffic_analytics Azure Network Traffic Analytics technique_scores T1048 Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol
Comments
This control can detect anomalous traffic with respect to specific protocols/ports.
References
  1. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/traffic-analytics

ATT&CK Subtechniques

Technique ID Technique Name Number of Mappings
T1048.002 Exfiltration Over Asymmetric Encrypted Non-C2 Protocol 15
T1048.001 Exfiltration Over Symmetric Encrypted Non-C2 Protocol 16
T1048.003 Exfiltration Over Unencrypted/Obfuscated Non-C2 Protocol 18