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MITRE ATT&CK® Mitigation

T1096: NTFS File Attributes Mitigation

It may be difficult or inadvisable to block access to EA and ADSs. [1] [2] Efforts should be focused on preventing potentially malicious software from running. Identify and block potentially malicious software that may contain functionality to hide information in EA and ADSs by using whitelisting [3] tools like AppLocker [4] [5] or Software Restriction Policies [6] where appropriate. [7]

Consider adjusting read and write permissions for NTFS EA, though this should be tested to ensure routine OS operations are not impeded. [8]

EnterpriseT1096MitigationObject v1.0 Modified
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Historical object

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Glexia's Take

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Official MITRE ATT&CK definition

NTFS File Attributes Mitigation

It may be difficult or inadvisable to block access to EA and ADSs. [1] [2] Efforts should be focused on preventing potentially malicious software from running. Identify and block potentially malicious software that may contain functionality to hide information in EA and ADSs by using whitelisting [3] tools like AppLocker [4] [5] or Software Restriction Policies [6] where appropriate. [7]

Consider adjusting read and write permissions for NTFS EA, though this should be tested to ensure routine OS operations are not impeded. [8]

View the same entry on attack.mitre.org (MITRE-hosted reference; in-page links above use the Glexia ATT&CK library.)

Glexia analysis

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Treat this object as behavior context, not an attribution claim. Validate the related groups, software, data sources, and mitigations against official ATT&CK relationships and your own telemetry before making control-coverage decisions.

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Change history

Object version and sync metadata

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ATT&CK release
19.1
Object version
1.0
Created
Modified
Raw hash
699c92fc9d2cd057...
Imported snapshots across ATT&CK releases (1)
Release Bundle imported Object version Modified Status Raw hash
19.1 1.0 Current bundle Deprecated 699c92fc9d2c…
Raw source

Mirrored ATT&CK source object

The raw object is retained through the mirrored ATT&CK source bundle and object hash. The raw endpoint returns the exact object from the mirrored bundle when available.

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Source references

External references and citations

MITRE external references are preserved separately from Glexia analysis so citations remain traceable to their original source records.

  1. [1]
    Microsoft ADS Mar 2014

    Marlin, J. (2013, March 24). Alternate Data Streams in NTFS. Retrieved March 21, 2018.

    Open source URL
  2. [2]
    Symantec ADS May 2009

    Pravs. (2009, May 25). What you need to know about alternate data streams in windows? Is your Data secure? Can you restore that?. Retrieved March 21, 2018.

    Open source URL
  3. [3]
    Beechey 2010

    Beechey, J. (2010, December). Application Whitelisting: Panacea or Propaganda?. Retrieved November 18, 2014.

    Open source URL
  4. [4]
    Windows Commands JPCERT

    Tomonaga, S. (2016, January 26). Windows Commands Abused by Attackers. Retrieved February 2, 2016.

    Open source URL
  5. [5]
    NSA MS AppLocker

    NSA Information Assurance Directorate. (2014, August). Application Whitelisting Using Microsoft AppLocker. Retrieved March 31, 2016.

    Open source URL
  6. [6]
    Corio 2008

    Corio, C., & Sayana, D. P. (2008, June). Application Lockdown with Software Restriction Policies. Retrieved November 18, 2014.

    Open source URL
  7. [7]
    TechNet Applocker vs SRP

    Microsoft. (2012, June 27). Using Software Restriction Policies and AppLocker Policies. Retrieved April 7, 2016.

    Open source URL
  8. [8]
    InsiderThreat NTFS EA Oct 2017

    Sander, J. (2017, October 12). Attack Step 3: Persistence with NTFS Extended Attributes – File System Attacks. Retrieved March 21, 2018.

    Open source URL
  9. [9]
    mitre-attack T1096
    Open source URL
Source and licensing

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