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ATT&CK Technique

Spearphishing Attachment

T1598.002 · reconnaissance

Adversaries may send spearphishing messages with a malicious attachment to elicit sensitive information that can be used during targeting. Spearphishing for information is an attempt to trick targets into divulging information, frequently credentials or other actionable information. Spearphishing for information frequently involves social engineering techniques, such as posing as a source with a reason to collect information (ex: Establish Accounts or Compromise Accounts) and/or sending multiple, seemingly urgent messages.

All forms of spearphishing are electronically delivered social engineering targeted at a specific individual, company, or industry. In this scenario, adversaries attach a file to the spearphishing email. In some cases, they may rely upon the recipient populating information, then returning the file.

The text of the spearphishing email usually tries to give a plausible reason why the file should be filled-in, such as a request for information from a business associate. In other cases, adversaries may leverage techniques such as HTML Smuggling to harvest user credentials via fake login portals. Adversaries may also use information from previous reconnaissance efforts (ex: Search Open Websites/Domains or Search Victim-Owned Websites) to craft persuasive and believable lures.

PRE
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Actors Using This

3
iranAPT35
iranImperial Kitten
russiaStar Blizzard
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Likely Attack Path

Techniques the same actors pair with this one distinctively - those showing up among actors who use this technique noticeably more than across all actors (lift > 1.15), grouped by kill-chain phase. The × is that lift multiplier; the shared-actor count is in the tooltip. A near-universal technique pairs with everything at baseline, so its list is short by design.
reconnaissance same
T1598 · Phishing for Information ×7.21T1598.003 · Spearphishing Link ×7.21
resource-development later
T1585.003 · Cloud Accounts ×14.00T1587.003 · Digital Certificates ×11.90T1585.002 · Email Accounts ×3.72
initial-access later
T1566.003 · Spearphishing via Service ×3.35
persistence later
T1078.004 · Cloud Accounts ×4.49T1078.002 · Domain Accounts ×3.17
credential-access later
T1110.003 · Password Spraying ×8.21T1110.001 · Password Guessing ×7.68T1110 · Brute Force ×3.09
discovery later
T1087.002 · Domain Account ×3.22T1087.001 · Local Account ×2.98
command-and-control later
T1071.003 · Mail Protocols ×9.52T1102.002 · Bidirectional Communication ×3.72
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Mitigations

2
MITRE ATT&CK mitigations - vendor-agnostic guidance for reducing exposure to this technique.
M1017User Training

User Training involves educating employees and contractors on recognizing, reporting, and preventing cyber threats that rely on human interaction, such as phishing, social engineering, and other manipulative techniques. Comprehensive training programs create a human firewall by empowering users to be an active component of the organization's cybersecurity defenses.

Create Comprehensive Training Programs
  • Design training modules tailored to the organization's risk profile, covering topics such as phishing, password management, and incident reporting.
  • Provide role-specific training for high-risk employees, such as helpdesk staff or executives.
Use Simulated Exercises
  • Conduct phishing simulations to measure user susceptibility and provide targeted follow-up training.
  • Run social engineering drills to evaluate employee responses and reinforce protocols.
Leverage Gamification and Engagement
  • Introduce interactive learning methods such as quizzes, gamified challenges, and rewards for successful detection and reporting of threats.
Incorporate Security Policies into Onboarding
  • Include cybersecurity training as part of the onboarding process for new employees.
  • Provide easy-to-understand materials outlining acceptable use policies and reporting procedures.
Regular Refresher Courses
  • Update training materials to include emerging threats and techniques used by adversaries.
  • Ensure all employees complete periodic refresher courses to stay informed.
Emphasize Real-World Scenarios
  • Use case studies of recent attacks to demonstrate the consequences of successful phishing or social engineering.
  • Discuss how specific employee actions can prevent or mitigate such attacks.
M1054Software Configuration

Software configuration refers to making security-focused adjustments to the settings of applications, middleware, databases, or other software to mitigate potential threats. These changes help reduce the attack surface, enforce best practices, and protect sensitive data.

Conduct a Security Review of Application Settings
  • Review the software documentation to identify recommended security configurations.
  • Compare default settings against organizational policies and compliance requirements.
Implement Access Controls and Permissions
  • Restrict access to sensitive features or data within the software.
  • Enforce least privilege principles for all roles and accounts interacting with the software.
Enable Logging and Monitoring
  • Configure detailed logging for key application events such as authentication failures, configuration changes, or unusual activity.
  • Integrate logs with a centralized monitoring solution, such as a SIEM.
Update and Patch Software Regularly
  • Ensure the software is kept up-to-date with the latest security patches to address known vulnerabilities.
  • Use automated patch management tools to streamline the update process.
Disable Unnecessary Features or Services
  • Turn off unused functionality or components that could introduce vulnerabilities, such as debugging interfaces or deprecated APIs.
Test Configuration Changes
  • Perform configuration changes in a staging environment before applying them in production.
  • Conduct regular audits to ensure that settings remain aligned with security policies.
Tools for Implementation Configuration Management Tools
  • Ansible: Automates configuration changes across multiple applications and environments.
  • Chef: Ensures consistent application settings through code-based configuration management.
  • Puppet: Automates software configurations and audits changes for compliance.
Security Benchmarking Tools
  • CIS-CAT: Provides benchmarks and audits for secure software configurations.
  • Aqua Security Trivy: Scans containerized applications for configuration issues.
Vulnerability Management Solutions
  • Nessus: Identifies misconfigurations and suggests corrective actions.
Logging and Monitoring Tools
  • Splunk: Aggregates and analyzes application logs to detect suspicious activity.
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Detection Coverage

0/6 layers
Coverage across standard detection surfaces. Rows marked none have no rule of that type mapped. Some are real blind spots worth closing; others are simply not applicable to this technique (e.g. YARA matches malware files, not network behaviour).
Behavioral / log (Sigma) none
Analytics (MITRE CAR) none
Runtime / container (Falco) none
File / malware (YARA) none
Network (Suricata/Snort) none
Vuln scan (Nuclei) none
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Comply & Defend

NIST 800-53AC-04, CA-07, CM-02, CM-06, IA-09, SC-07, SC-20, SC-44, SI-03, SI-04, SI-08
Intelligence Graph · click any node to traverse
CVETechnique ActorTool Family
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