MITRE ATT&CKsub-technique

T1561.001 Disk Content Wipe

Published 2020-02-20 Modified 2026-05-12 Official page ↗
Domain
enterprise
Tactics
Impact
Platforms
Linux, macOS, Network Devices, Windows
Version
1.2
Created
2020-02-20

Description

Adversaries may erase the contents of storage devices on specific systems or in large numbers in a network to interrupt availability to system and network resources. Adversaries may partially or completely overwrite the contents of a storage device rendering the data irrecoverable through the storage interface. Instead of wiping specific disk structures or files, adversaries with destructive intent may wipe arbitrary portions of disk content. To wipe disk content, adversaries may acquire direct access to the hard drive in order to overwrite arbitrarily sized portions of disk with random data. Adversaries have also been observed leveraging third-party drivers like RawDisk to directly access disk content. This behavior is distinct from Data Destruction because sections of the disk are erased instead of individual files. To maximize impact on the target organization in operations where network-wide availability interruption is the goal, malware used for wiping disk content may have worm-like features to propagate across a network by leveraging additional techniques like Valid Accounts, OS Credential Dumping, and SMB/Windows Admin Shares.

Related

Subtechnique of · MITRE ATT&CK (1)

  • T1561 Disk Wipe technique

Tactic · MITRE ATT&CK (1)

Referenced by MITRE ATT&CK · mitigates (1)

  • M1053 Data Backup mitigation

Referenced by MITRE ATT&CK · uses (18)

  • S9051 The Gentlemen Ransomware software (malware)
  • G1055 VOID MANTICORE group
  • C0051 APT28 Nearest Neighbor Campaign campaign
  • S1205 cipher.exe software (tool)
  • S1167 AcidPour software (malware)
  • S1133 Apostle software (malware)
  • S1134 DEADWOOD software (malware)
  • S1125 AcidRain software (malware)
  • S1111 DarkGate software (malware)
  • S1068 BlackCat software (malware)
  • S0697 HermeticWiper software (malware)
  • S0689 WhisperGate software (malware)
  • S0576 MegaCortex software (malware)
  • S0380 StoneDrill software (malware)
  • S1010 VPNFilter software (malware)
  • S0364 RawDisk software (tool)
  • G0032 Lazarus Group group
  • G0047 Gamaredon Group group

Referenced by Compliance · mitigates (13)

  • CIS-11.2 Perform Automated Backups CIS Safeguard v8.1
  • CIS-11.3 Protect Recovery Data CIS Safeguard v8.1
  • CIS-11.4 Establish and Maintain an Isolated Instance of Recovery Data CIS Safeguard v8.1
  • NIST-AC-3 Access Enforcement NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-AC-6 Least Privilege NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-CM-2 Baseline Configuration NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-CP-10 System Recovery and Reconstitution NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-CP-2 Contingency Plan NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-CP-7 Alternate Processing Site NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-CP-9 System Backup NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SI-3 Malicious Code Protection NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SI-4 System Monitoring NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SI-7 Software, Firmware, and Information Integrity NIST 800-53 control

References