type: attack-pattern
spec_version: 2.1
id: attack-pattern--7e150503-88e7-4861-866b-ff1ac82c4475
created: 2017-05-31T21:30:45.139Z
created_by_ref: identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5
revoked: no
external_references: source_name: mitre-attack
url: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1049
external_id: T1049
source_name: Amazon AWS VPC Guide
description: Amazon. (n.d.). What Is Amazon VPC?. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
url: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/userguide/what-is-amazon-vpc.html
source_name: Microsoft Azure Virtual Network Overview
description: Annamalai, N., Casey, C., Almeida, M., et. al.. (2019, June 18). What is Azure Virtual Network?. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-networks-overview
source_name: Google VPC Overview
description: Google. (2019, September 23). Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) network overview. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
url: https://cloud.google.com/vpc/docs/vpc
source_name: US-CERT-TA18-106A
description: US-CERT. (2018, April 20). Alert (TA18-106A) Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Actors Targeting Network Infrastructure Devices. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
url: https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA18-106A
source_name: Sygnia ESXi Ransomware 2025
description: Zhongyuan Hau (Aaron), Ren Jie Yow, and Yoav Mazor. (2025, January 21). ESXi Ransomware Attacks: Stealthy Persistence through. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
url: https://www.sygnia.co/blog/esxi-ransomware-ssh-tunneling-defense-strategies/
object_marking_refs: marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168
modified: 2025-10-24T17:49:01.094Z
name: System Network Connections Discovery
description: Adversaries may attempt to get a listing of network connections to or from the compromised system they are currently accessing or from remote systems by querying for information over the network. 

An adversary who gains access to a system that is part of a cloud-based environment may map out Virtual Private Clouds or Virtual Networks in order to determine what systems and services are connected. The actions performed are likely the same types of discovery techniques depending on the operating system, but the resulting information may include details about the networked cloud environment relevant to the adversary's goals. Cloud providers may have different ways in which their virtual networks operate.(Citation: Amazon AWS VPC Guide)(Citation: Microsoft Azure Virtual Network Overview)(Citation: Google VPC Overview) Similarly, adversaries who gain access to network devices may also perform similar discovery activities to gather information about connected systems and services.

Utilities and commands that acquire this information include [netstat](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0104), "net use," and "net session" with [Net](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0039). In Mac and Linux, [netstat](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0104) and lsof can be used to list current connections. who -a and w can be used to show which users are currently logged in, similar to "net session". Additionally, built-in features native to network devices and [Network Device CLI](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/008) may be used (e.g. show ip sockets, show tcp brief).(Citation: US-CERT-TA18-106A) On ESXi servers, the command `esxi network ip connection list` can be used to list active network connections.(Citation: Sygnia ESXi Ransomware 2025)
kill_chain_phases: kill_chain_name: mitre-attack
phase_name: discovery
x_mitre_attack_spec_version: 3.2.0
x_mitre_contributors: Praetorian
Austin Clark, @c2defense
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: Windows
IaaS
Linux
macOS
Network Devices
ESXi
x_mitre_version: 2.5