Query: detection engineering for Encrypted/Encoded File
Matching passage: T1027.013 Encrypted/Encoded File. Tactics: stealth. Description: Adversaries may encrypt or encode files to obfuscate strings, bytes, and other specific patterns to impede detection. Encrypting and/or encoding file content aims to conceal malicious artifacts within a file used in an intrusion. Many other techniques, such as [Software Packing](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027/002), [Steganography](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027/003), and [Embedded Payloads](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027/009), share this same broad objective. Encrypting and/or encoding files could lead to a lapse in detection of static signatures, only for this malicious content to be revealed (i.e., [Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1140)) at the time of execution/use. This type of file obfuscation can be applied to many file artifacts present on victim hosts, such as malware log/configuration and payload files.(Citation: File obfuscation) Files can be encrypted with a hardcoded or user-supplied key, as well as otherwise obfuscated using standard encoding schemes such as Base64. The entire content of a file may be obfuscated, or just specific functions or values (such as C2 addresses). Encryption and encoding may also be applied in redundant layers for additional protection. For example, adversaries may abuse password-protected Word documents or self-extracting (SFX) archives as a method of encrypting/encoding a file such as a [Phishing](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566) payload. These files typically function by attaching the intended archived content to a decompressor stub that is executed when the file is invoked (e.g., [User Execution](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1204)).(Citation: SFX - Encrypted/Encoded File) Adversaries may also abuse file-specific as well as custom encoding schemes. For example, Byte Order Mark (BOM) headers in text files may be abused to manipulate and obfuscate file content until [Command and Scripting Interpreter](https://attack.mitre.org/techn
Near-miss passage: T1027.017 SVG Smuggling. Tactics: stealth. Description: Adversaries may smuggle data and files past content filters by hiding malicious payloads inside of seemingly benign SVG files.(Citation: Trustwave SVG Smuggling 2025) SVGs, or Scalable Vector Graphics, are vector-based image files constructed using XML. As such, they can legitimately include `<script>` tags that enable adversaries to include malicious JavaScript payloads. However, SVGs may appear less suspicious to users than other types of executable files, as they are often treated as image files. SVG smuggling can take a number of forms. For example, threat actors may include content that: * Assembles malicious payloads(Citation: Talos SVG Smuggling 2022) * Downloads malicious payloads(Citation: Cofense SVG Smuggling 2024) * Redirects users to malicious websites(Citation: Bleeping Computer SVG Smuggling 2024) * Displays interactive content to users, such as fake login forms and download buttons.(Citation: Bleeping Computer SVG Smuggling 2024) SVG Smuggling may be used in conjunction with [HTML Smuggling](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027/006) where an SVG with a malicious payload is included inside an HTML file.(Citation: Talos SVG Smuggling 2022) SVGs may also be included in other types of documents, such as PDFs.