type: attack-pattern
spec_version: 2.1
id: attack-pattern--7e3beebd-8bfe-4e7b-a892-e44ab06a75f9
created: 2020-10-01T00:36:30.759Z
created_by_ref: identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5
revoked: no
external_references: source_name: mitre-attack
url: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1584
external_id: T1584
source_name: amnesty_nso_pegasus
description: Amnesty International Security Lab. (2021, July 18). Forensic Methodology Report: How to catch NSO Group’s Pegasus. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
url: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/2021/07/forensic-methodology-report-how-to-catch-nso-groups-pegasus/
source_name: Sysdig Proxyjacking
description: Crystal Morin. (2023, April 4). Proxyjacking has Entered the Chat. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
url: https://sysdig.com/blog/proxyjacking-attackers-log4j-exploited/
source_name: FireEye DNS Hijack 2019
description: Hirani, M., Jones, S., Read, B. (2019, January 10). Global DNS Hijacking Campaign: DNS Record Manipulation at Scale. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
url: https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2019/01/global-dns-hijacking-campaign-dns-record-manipulation-at-scale.html
source_name: ICANNDomainNameHijacking
description: ICANN Security and Stability Advisory Committee. (2005, July 12). Domain Name Hijacking: Incidents, Threats, Risks and Remediation. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
url: https://www.icann.org/en/ssac/registration-services/documents/sac-007-domain-name-hijacking-incidents-threats-risks-and-remediation-12-07-2005-en
source_name: Koczwara Beacon Hunting Sep 2021
description: Koczwara, M. (2021, September 7). Hunting Cobalt Strike C2 with Shodan. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
url: https://michaelkoczwara.medium.com/cobalt-strike-c2-hunting-with-shodan-c448d501a6e2
source_name: Nearest Neighbor Volexity
description: Koessel, Sean. Adair, Steven. Lancaster, Tom. (2024, November 22). The Nearest Neighbor Attack: How A Russian APT Weaponized Nearby Wi-Fi Networks for Covert Access. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
url: https://www.volexity.com/blog/2024/11/22/the-nearest-neighbor-attack-how-a-russian-apt-weaponized-nearby-wi-fi-networks-for-covert-access/
source_name: Mandiant APT1
description: Mandiant. (n.d.). APT1 Exposing One of China’s Cyber Espionage Units. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
url: https://www.fireeye.com/content/dam/fireeye-www/services/pdfs/mandiant-apt1-report.pdf
source_name: Talos DNSpionage Nov 2018
description: Mercer, W., Rascagneres, P. (2018, November 27). DNSpionage Campaign Targets Middle East. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
url: https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2018/11/dnspionage-campaign-targets-middle-east.html
source_name: NSA NCSC Turla OilRig
description: NSA/NCSC. (2019, October 21). Cybersecurity Advisory: Turla Group Exploits Iranian APT To Expand Coverage Of Victims. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
url: https://media.defense.gov/2019/Oct/18/2002197242/-1/-1/0/NSA_CSA_Turla_20191021%20ver%204%20-%20nsa.gov.pdf
source_name: Mandiant SCANdalous Jul 2020
description: Stephens, A. (2020, July 13). SCANdalous! (External Detection Using Network Scan Data and Automation). Retrieved November 17, 2024.
url: https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/threat-intelligence/scandalous-external-detection-using-network-scan-data-and-automation/
source_name: ThreatConnect Infrastructure Dec 2020
description: ThreatConnect. (2020, December 15). Infrastructure Research and Hunting: Boiling the Domain Ocean. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
url: https://threatconnect.com/blog/infrastructure-research-hunting/
source_name: FireEye EPS Awakens Part 2
description: Winters, R. (2015, December 20). The EPS Awakens - Part 2. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20151226205946/https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2015/12/the-eps-awakens-part-two.html
object_marking_refs: marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168
modified: 2025-10-24T17:49:01.181Z
name: Compromise Infrastructure
description: Adversaries may compromise third-party infrastructure that can be used during targeting. Infrastructure solutions include physical or cloud servers, domains, network devices, and third-party web and DNS services. Instead of buying, leasing, or renting infrastructure an adversary may compromise infrastructure and use it during other phases of the adversary lifecycle.(Citation: Mandiant APT1)(Citation: ICANNDomainNameHijacking)(Citation: Talos DNSpionage Nov 2018)(Citation: FireEye EPS Awakens Part 2) Additionally, adversaries may compromise numerous machines to form a botnet they can leverage.

Use of compromised infrastructure allows adversaries to stage, launch, and execute operations. Compromised infrastructure can help adversary operations blend in with traffic that is seen as normal, such as contact with high reputation or trusted sites. For example, adversaries may leverage compromised infrastructure (potentially also in conjunction with [Digital Certificates](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1588/004)) to further blend in and support staged information gathering and/or [Phishing](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566) campaigns.(Citation: FireEye DNS Hijack 2019) Adversaries may also compromise numerous machines to support [Proxy](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1090) and/or proxyware services or to form a botnet.(Citation: amnesty_nso_pegasus)(Citation: Sysdig Proxyjacking) Additionally, adversaries may compromise infrastructure residing in close proximity to a target in order to gain [Initial Access](https://attack.mitre.org/tactics/TA0001) via [Wi-Fi Networks](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1669).(Citation: Nearest Neighbor Volexity)

By using compromised infrastructure, adversaries may enable follow-on malicious operations. Prior to targeting, adversaries may also compromise the infrastructure of other adversaries.(Citation: NSA NCSC Turla OilRig)
kill_chain_phases: kill_chain_name: mitre-attack
phase_name: resource-development
x_mitre_attack_spec_version: 3.2.0
x_mitre_contributors: Jeremy Galloway
Shailesh Tiwary (Indian Army)
Menachem Goldstein
Cian Heasley
Rouven Bissinger (SySS GmbH)
x_mitre_deprecated: no
x_mitre_domains: enterprise-attack
x_mitre_is_subtechnique: no
x_mitre_modified_by_ref: identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5
x_mitre_platforms: PRE
x_mitre_version: 1.6