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  1. Frameworks
  2. >ATTACK
  3. >Defense Evasion
  4. >ATTACK-T1564.009
ATTACK-T1564.009Active

Resource Forking

Statement

Adversaries may abuse resource forks to hide malicious code or executables to evade detection and bypass security applications. A resource fork provides applications a structured way to store resources such as thumbnail images, menu definitions, icons, dialog boxes, and code.(Citation: macOS Hierarchical File System Overview) Usage of a resource fork is identifiable when displaying a file’s extended attributes, using <code>ls -l@</code> or <code>xattr -l</code> commands. Resource forks have been deprecated and replaced with the application bundle structure. Non-localized resources are placed at the top level directory of an application bundle, while localized resources are placed in the <code>/Resources</code> folder.(Citation: Resource and Data Forks)(Citation: ELC Extended Attributes)

Adversaries can use resource forks to hide malicious data that may otherwise be stored directly in files. Adversaries can execute content with an attached resource fork, at a specified offset, that is moved to an executable location then invoked. Resource fork content may also be obfuscated/encrypted until execution.(Citation: sentinellabs resource named fork 2020)(Citation: tau bundlore erika noerenberg 2020)

Location

Tactic
Defense Evasion

Technique Details

Identifier
ATTACK-T1564.009
Parent Technique
ATTACK-T1564
ATT&CK Page
View on MITRE

Tactics

Defense Evasion

Platforms

macOS

Detection

Detection Strategy for Resource Forking on macOS

Mitigations

Application Developer Guidance: Application Developer Guidance focuses on providing developers with the knowledge, tools, and best practices needed to write secure code, reduce vulnerabilities, and implement secure design principles. By integrating security throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC), this mitigation aims to prevent the introduction of exploitable weaknesses in applications, systems, and APIs. This mitigation can be implemented through the following measures:

Preventing SQL Injection (Secure Coding Practice):

  • Implementation: Train developers to use parameterized queries or prepared statements instead of directly embedding user input into SQL queries.
  • Use Case: A web application accepts user input to search a database. By sanitizing and validating user inputs, developers can prevent attackers from injecting malicious SQL commands.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Mitigation:

  • Implementation: Require developers to implement output encoding for all user-generated content displayed on a web page.
  • Use Case: An e-commerce site allows users to leave product reviews. Properly encoding and escaping user inputs prevents malicious scripts from being executed in other users’ browsers.

Secure API Design:

  • Implementation: Train developers to authenticate all API endpoints and avoid exposing sensitive information in API responses.
  • Use Case: A mobile banking application uses APIs for account management. By enforcing token-based authentication for every API call, developers reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

Static Code Analysis in the Build Pipeline:

  • Implementation: Incorporate tools into CI/CD pipelines to automatically scan for vulnerabilities during the build process.
  • Use Case: A fintech company integrates static analysis tools to detect hardcoded credentials in their source code before deployment.

Threat Modeling in the Design Phase:

  • Implementation: Use frameworks like STRIDE (Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Denial of Service, Elevation of Privilege) to assess threats during application design.
  • Use Case: Before launching a customer portal, a SaaS company identifies potential abuse cases, such as session hijacking, and designs mitigations like secure session management.

Tools for Implementation:

  • Static Code Analysis Tools: Use tools that can scan for known vulnerabilities in source code.
  • Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST): Use tools like Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP to simulate runtime attacks and identify vulnerabilities.
  • Secure Frameworks: Recommend secure-by-default frameworks (e.g., Django for Python, Spring Security for Java) that enforce security best practices.
SP 800-53
SP800-53-CM-11relatedvia ctid-attack-to-sp800-53
SP800-53-CM-2relatedvia ctid-attack-to-sp800-53
SP800-53-CM-6relatedvia ctid-attack-to-sp800-53
SP800-53-CM-7relatedvia ctid-attack-to-sp800-53
SP800-53-SA-10relatedvia ctid-attack-to-sp800-53
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← Back to Defense Evasion
Defense Evasion183 controls
ATTACK-T1006Direct Volume AccessATTACK-T1014RootkitATTACK-T1027Obfuscated Files or InformationATTACK-T1027.001Binary PaddingATTACK-T1027.002Software PackingATTACK-T1027.003SteganographyATTACK-T1027.004Compile After DeliveryATTACK-T1027.005Indicator Removal from ToolsATTACK-T1027.006HTML SmugglingATTACK-T1027.007Dynamic API ResolutionATTACK-T1027.008Stripped PayloadsATTACK-T1027.009Embedded PayloadsATTACK-T1027.010Command ObfuscationATTACK-T1027.011Fileless StorageATTACK-T1027.012LNK Icon SmugglingATTACK-T1027.013Encrypted/Encoded FileATTACK-T1027.014Polymorphic CodeATTACK-T1027.015CompressionATTACK-T1027.016Junk Code InsertionATTACK-T1027.017SVG SmugglingATTACK-T1036MasqueradingATTACK-T1036.001Invalid Code SignatureATTACK-T1036.002Right-to-Left OverrideATTACK-T1036.003Rename Legitimate UtilitiesATTACK-T1036.004Masquerade Task or ServiceATTACK-T1036.005Match Legitimate Resource Name or LocationATTACK-T1036.006Space after FilenameATTACK-T1036.007Double File ExtensionATTACK-T1036.008Masquerade File TypeATTACK-T1036.009Break Process TreesATTACK-T1036.010Masquerade Account NameATTACK-T1036.011Overwrite Process ArgumentsATTACK-T1036.012Browser FingerprintATTACK-T1055Process InjectionATTACK-T1055.001Dynamic-link Library InjectionATTACK-T1055.002Portable Executable InjectionATTACK-T1055.003Thread Execution HijackingATTACK-T1055.004Asynchronous Procedure CallATTACK-T1055.005Thread Local StorageATTACK-T1055.008Ptrace System CallsATTACK-T1055.009Proc MemoryATTACK-T1055.011Extra Window Memory InjectionATTACK-T1055.012Process HollowingATTACK-T1055.013Process DoppelgängingATTACK-T1055.014VDSO HijackingATTACK-T1055.015ListPlantingATTACK-T1070Indicator RemovalATTACK-T1070.001Clear Windows Event LogsATTACK-T1070.002Clear Linux or Mac System LogsATTACK-T1070.003Clear Command HistoryATTACK-T1070.004File DeletionATTACK-T1070.005Network Share Connection RemovalATTACK-T1070.006TimestompATTACK-T1070.007Clear Network Connection History and ConfigurationsATTACK-T1070.008Clear Mailbox DataATTACK-T1070.009Clear PersistenceATTACK-T1070.010Relocate MalwareATTACK-T1078Valid AccountsATTACK-T1078.001Default AccountsATTACK-T1078.002Domain AccountsATTACK-T1078.003Local AccountsATTACK-T1078.004Cloud AccountsATTACK-T1112Modify RegistryATTACK-T1127Trusted Developer Utilities Proxy ExecutionATTACK-T1127.001MSBuildATTACK-T1127.002ClickOnceATTACK-T1127.003JamPlusATTACK-T1134Access Token ManipulationATTACK-T1134.001Token Impersonation/TheftATTACK-T1134.002Create Process with TokenATTACK-T1134.003Make and Impersonate TokenATTACK-T1134.004Parent PID SpoofingATTACK-T1134.005SID-History InjectionATTACK-T1140Deobfuscate/Decode Files or InformationATTACK-T1197BITS JobsATTACK-T1202Indirect Command ExecutionATTACK-T1205Traffic SignalingATTACK-T1205.001Port KnockingATTACK-T1205.002Socket FiltersATTACK-T1207Rogue Domain ControllerATTACK-T1211Exploitation for Defense EvasionATTACK-T1216System Script Proxy ExecutionATTACK-T1216.001PubPrnATTACK-T1216.002SyncAppvPublishingServerATTACK-T1218System Binary Proxy ExecutionATTACK-T1218.001Compiled HTML FileATTACK-T1218.002Control PanelATTACK-T1218.003CMSTPATTACK-T1218.004InstallUtilATTACK-T1218.005MshtaATTACK-T1218.007MsiexecATTACK-T1218.008OdbcconfATTACK-T1218.009Regsvcs/RegasmATTACK-T1218.010Regsvr32ATTACK-T1218.011Rundll32ATTACK-T1218.012VerclsidATTACK-T1218.013MavinjectATTACK-T1218.014MMCATTACK-T1218.015Electron ApplicationsATTACK-T1220XSL Script ProcessingATTACK-T1221Template InjectionATTACK-T1222File and Directory Permissions ModificationATTACK-T1222.001Windows File and Directory Permissions ModificationATTACK-T1222.002Linux and Mac File and Directory Permissions ModificationATTACK-T1480Execution GuardrailsATTACK-T1480.001Environmental KeyingATTACK-T1480.002Mutual ExclusionATTACK-T1484Domain or Tenant Policy ModificationATTACK-T1484.001Group Policy ModificationATTACK-T1484.002Trust ModificationATTACK-T1497Virtualization/Sandbox EvasionATTACK-T1497.001System ChecksATTACK-T1497.002User Activity Based ChecksATTACK-T1497.003Time Based ChecksATTACK-T1535Unused/Unsupported Cloud RegionsATTACK-T1542Pre-OS BootATTACK-T1542.004ROMMONkitATTACK-T1542.005TFTP BootATTACK-T1548.006TCC ManipulationATTACK-T1550Use Alternate Authentication MaterialATTACK-T1550.001Application Access TokenATTACK-T1550.002Pass the HashATTACK-T1550.003Pass the TicketATTACK-T1550.004Web Session CookieATTACK-T1553Subvert Trust ControlsATTACK-T1553.001Gatekeeper BypassATTACK-T1553.002Code SigningATTACK-T1553.003SIP and Trust Provider HijackingATTACK-T1553.004Install Root CertificateATTACK-T1553.005Mark-of-the-Web BypassATTACK-T1553.006Code Signing Policy ModificationATTACK-T1562Impair DefensesATTACK-T1562.001Disable or Modify ToolsATTACK-T1562.002Disable Windows Event LoggingATTACK-T1562.003Impair Command History LoggingATTACK-T1562.004Disable or Modify System FirewallATTACK-T1562.006Indicator BlockingATTACK-T1562.007Disable or Modify Cloud FirewallATTACK-T1562.008Disable or Modify Cloud LogsATTACK-T1562.009Safe Mode BootATTACK-T1562.010Downgrade AttackATTACK-T1562.011Spoof Security AlertingATTACK-T1562.012Disable or Modify Linux Audit SystemATTACK-T1562.013Disable or Modify Network Device FirewallATTACK-T1564Hide ArtifactsATTACK-T1564.001Hidden Files and DirectoriesATTACK-T1564.002Hidden UsersATTACK-T1564.003Hidden WindowATTACK-T1564.004NTFS File AttributesATTACK-T1564.005Hidden File SystemATTACK-T1564.006Run Virtual InstanceATTACK-T1564.007VBA StompingATTACK-T1564.008Email Hiding RulesATTACK-T1564.009Resource ForkingATTACK-T1564.010Process Argument SpoofingATTACK-T1564.011Ignore Process InterruptsATTACK-T1564.012File/Path ExclusionsATTACK-T1564.013Bind MountsATTACK-T1564.014Extended AttributesATTACK-T1578Modify Cloud Compute InfrastructureATTACK-T1578.001Create SnapshotATTACK-T1578.002Create Cloud InstanceATTACK-T1578.003Delete Cloud InstanceATTACK-T1578.004Revert Cloud InstanceATTACK-T1578.005Modify Cloud Compute ConfigurationsATTACK-T1599Network Boundary BridgingATTACK-T1599.001Network Address Translation TraversalATTACK-T1600Weaken EncryptionATTACK-T1600.001Reduce Key SpaceATTACK-T1600.002Disable Crypto HardwareATTACK-T1601Modify System ImageATTACK-T1601.001Patch System ImageATTACK-T1601.002Downgrade System ImageATTACK-T1610Deploy ContainerATTACK-T1612Build Image on HostATTACK-T1620Reflective Code LoadingATTACK-T1622Debugger EvasionATTACK-T1647Plist File ModificationATTACK-T1656ImpersonationATTACK-T1666Modify Cloud Resource HierarchyATTACK-T1672Email SpoofingATTACK-T1678Delay ExecutionATTACK-T1679Selective Exclusion