MITRE ATT&CKsub-technique
T1027.006 HTML Smuggling
- Domain
- enterprise
- Tactics
- Stealth
- Platforms
- Linux, macOS, Windows
- Version
- 2.0
- Created
- 2021-05-20
Description
Adversaries may smuggle data and files past content filters by hiding malicious payloads inside of seemingly benign HTML files. HTML documents can store large binary objects known as JavaScript Blobs (immutable data that represents raw bytes) that can later be constructed into file-like objects. Data may also be stored in Data URLs, which enable embedding media type or MIME files inline of HTML documents. HTML5 also introduced a download attribute that may be used to initiate file downloads.
Adversaries may deliver payloads to victims that bypass security controls through HTML Smuggling by abusing JavaScript Blobs and/or HTML5 download attributes. Security controls such as web content filters may not identify smuggled malicious files inside of HTML/JS files, as the content may be based on typically benign MIME types such as text/plain and/or text/html. Malicious files or data can be obfuscated and hidden inside of HTML files through Data URLs and/or JavaScript Blobs and can be deobfuscated when they reach the victim (i.e. Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information), potentially bypassing content filters.
For example, JavaScript Blobs can be abused to dynamically generate malicious files in the victim machine and may be dropped to disk by abusing JavaScript functions such as msSaveBlob.
Related
Subtechnique of · MITRE ATT&CK (1)
- T1027 Obfuscated Files or Information technique
Tactic · MITRE ATT&CK (1)
- TA0005 Stealth tactic
Referenced by MITRE ATT&CK · mitigates (1)
- M1048 Application Isolation and Sandboxing mitigation
Referenced by MITRE ATT&CK · uses (3)
Referenced by CAPEC · att&ck technique (1)
- CAPEC-35 Leverage Executable Code in Non-Executable Files attack pattern
References
- https://outflank.nl/blog/2018/08/14/html-smuggling-explained/ Outlflank HTML Smuggling 2018
- https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/05/27/new-sophisticated-email-based-attack-from-nobelium/ MSTIC NOBELIUM May 2021
- https://www.menlosecurity.com/blog/new-attack-alert-duri HTML Smuggling Menlo Security 2020
- https://www.nccgroup.com/us/research-blog/smuggling-hta-files-in-internet-exploreredge/ nccgroup Smuggling HTA 2017