MITRE ATT&CKtechnique

T1659 Content Injection

Published 2023-09-01 Modified 2025-04-15 Official page ↗
Domain
enterprise
Tactics
Initial Access, Command And Control
Platforms
Linux, macOS, Windows
Version
1.0
Created
2023-09-01

Description

Adversaries may gain access and continuously communicate with victims by injecting malicious content into systems through online network traffic. Rather than luring victims to malicious payloads hosted on a compromised website (i.e., Drive-by Target followed by Drive-by Compromise), adversaries may initially access victims through compromised data-transfer channels where they can manipulate traffic and/or inject their own content. These compromised online network channels may also be used to deliver additional payloads (i.e., Ingress Tool Transfer) and other data to already compromised systems. Adversaries may inject content to victim systems in various ways, including: • From the middle, where the adversary is in-between legitimate online client-server communications (Note: this is similar but distinct from Adversary-in-the-Middle, which describes AiTM activity solely within an enterprise environment) • From the side, where malicious content is injected and races to the client as a fake response to requests of a legitimate online server Content injection is often the result of compromised upstream communication channels, for example at the level of an internet service provider (ISP) as is the case with "lawful interception."

Related

Tactic · MITRE ATT&CK (2)

  • TA0001 Initial Access tactic
  • TA0011 Command and Control tactic

Referenced by MITRE ATT&CK · mitigates (2)

  • M1041 Encrypt Sensitive Information mitigation
  • M1021 Restrict Web-Based Content mitigation

Referenced by MITRE ATT&CK · uses (2)

  • G1019 MoustachedBouncer group
  • S1088 Disco software (malware)

Referenced by Compliance · mitigates (7)

  • CIS-12.3 Securely Manage Network Infrastructure CIS Safeguard v8.1
  • CIS-12.7 Ensure Remote Devices Utilize a VPN and are Connecting to an Enterprise's AAA Infrastructure CIS Safeguard v8.1
  • CIS-13.10 Perform Application Layer Filtering CIS Safeguard v8.1
  • CIS-4.6 Securely Manage Enterprise Assets and Software CIS Safeguard v8.1
  • NIST-AC-17 Remote Access NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-AC-4 Information Flow Enforcement NIST 800-53 control
  • NIST-SC-7 Boundary Protection NIST 800-53 control

References