{
  "type": "attack-pattern",
  "spec_version": "2.1",
  "id": "attack-pattern--72b74d71-8169-42aa-92e0-e7b04b9f5a08",
  "created": "2017-05-31T21:31:06.988Z",
  "created_by_ref": "identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5",
  "revoked": false,
  "external_references": [
    {
      "source_name": "mitre-attack",
      "url": "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1087",
      "external_id": "T1087"
    },
    {
      "source_name": "AWS List Users",
      "description": "Amazon. (n.d.). List Users. Retrieved August 11, 2020.",
      "url": "https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/iam/list-users.html"
    },
    {
      "source_name": "Google Cloud - IAM Servie Accounts List API",
      "description": "Google. (2020, June 23). gcloud iam service-accounts list. Retrieved August 4, 2020.",
      "url": "https://cloud.google.com/sdk/gcloud/reference/iam/service-accounts/list"
    },
    {
      "source_name": "Elastic - Koadiac Detection with EQL",
      "description": "Stepanic, D.. (2020, January 13). Embracing offensive tooling: Building detections against Koadic using EQL. Retrieved November 17, 2024.",
      "url": "https://www.elastic.co/security-labs/embracing-offensive-tooling-building-detections-against-koadic-using-eql"
    }
  ],
  "object_marking_refs": [
    "marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168"
  ],
  "modified": "2026-05-12T15:12:00.641Z",
  "name": "Account Discovery",
  "description": "Adversaries may attempt to get a listing of valid accounts, usernames, or email addresses on a system or within a compromised environment. This information can help adversaries determine which accounts exist, which can aid in follow-on behavior such as brute-forcing, spear-phishing attacks, or account takeovers (e.g., [Valid Accounts](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078)).\n\nAdversaries may use several methods to enumerate accounts, including abuse of existing tools, built-in commands, and potential misconfigurations that leak account names and roles or permissions in the targeted environment.\n\nFor examples, cloud environments typically provide easily accessible interfaces to obtain user lists.(Citation: AWS List Users)(Citation: Google Cloud - IAM Servie Accounts List API) On hosts, adversaries can use default [PowerShell](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/001) and other command line functionality to identify accounts. Information about email addresses and accounts may also be extracted by searching an infected system’s files.",
  "kill_chain_phases": [
    {
      "kill_chain_name": "mitre-attack",
      "phase_name": "discovery"
    }
  ],
  "x_mitre_attack_spec_version": "3.3.0",
  "x_mitre_contributors": [
    "Daniel Stepanic, Elastic",
    "Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC)",
    "Travis Smith, Tripwire"
  ],
  "x_mitre_deprecated": false,
  "x_mitre_domains": [
    "enterprise-attack"
  ],
  "x_mitre_is_subtechnique": false,
  "x_mitre_modified_by_ref": "identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5",
  "x_mitre_platforms": [
    "ESXi",
    "IaaS",
    "Identity Provider",
    "Linux",
    "macOS",
    "Office Suite",
    "SaaS",
    "Windows"
  ],
  "x_mitre_version": "2.6"
}