type: attack-pattern
spec_version: 2.1
id: attack-pattern--6151cbea-819b-455a-9fa6-99a1cc58797d
created: 2020-03-13T20:15:31.974Z
created_by_ref: identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5
revoked: no
external_references: source_name: mitre-attack
url: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078/001
external_id: T1078.001
source_name: Google Cloud Threat Intelligence VMWare ESXi Zero-Day 2023
description: Alexander Marvi, Brad Slaybaugh, Ron Craft, and Rufus Brown. (2023, June 13). VMware ESXi Zero-Day Used by Chinese Espionage Actor to Perform Privileged Guest Operations on Compromised Hypervisors. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
url: https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/threat-intelligence/vmware-esxi-zero-day-bypass/
source_name: AWS Root User
description: Amazon. (n.d.). AWS Account Root User. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
url: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/id_root-user.html
source_name: Microsoft Local Accounts Feb 2019
description: Microsoft. (2018, December 9). Local Accounts. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/identity-protection/access-control/local-accounts
source_name: Metasploit SSH Module
description: undefined. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2019.
url: https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/tree/master/modules/exploits/linux/ssh
source_name: Threat Matrix for Kubernetes
description: Weizman, Y. (2020, April 2). Threat Matrix for Kubernetes. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
url: https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2020/04/02/attack-matrix-kubernetes/
source_name: Pentera vCenter Information Disclosure
description: Yuval Lazar. (2022, March 29). Mitigating VMware vCenter Information Disclosure. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
url: https://pentera.io/blog/information-disclosure-in-vmware-vcenter/
object_marking_refs: marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168
modified: 2025-10-24T17:48:51.181Z
name: Default Accounts
description: Adversaries may obtain and abuse credentials of a default account as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion. Default accounts are those that are built-into an OS, such as the Guest or Administrator accounts on Windows systems. Default accounts also include default factory/provider set accounts on other types of systems, software, or devices, including the root user account in AWS, the root user account in ESXi, and the default service account in Kubernetes.(Citation: Microsoft Local Accounts Feb 2019)(Citation: AWS Root User)(Citation: Threat Matrix for Kubernetes)

Default accounts are not limited to client machines; rather, they also include accounts that are preset for equipment such as network devices and computer applications, whether they are internal, open source, or commercial. Appliances that come preset with a username and password combination pose a serious threat to organizations that do not change it post installation, as they are easy targets for an adversary. Similarly, adversaries may also utilize publicly disclosed or stolen [Private Keys](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1552/004) or credential materials to legitimately connect to remote environments via [Remote Services](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1021).(Citation: Metasploit SSH Module)

Default accounts may be created on a system after initial setup by connecting or integrating it with another application. For example, when an ESXi server is connected to a vCenter server, a default privileged account called `vpxuser` is created on the ESXi server. If a threat actor is able to compromise this account’s credentials (for example, via [Exploitation for Credential Access](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1212) on the vCenter host), they will then have access to the ESXi server.(Citation: Google Cloud Threat Intelligence VMWare ESXi Zero-Day 2023)(Citation: Pentera vCenter Information Disclosure)
kill_chain_phases: kill_chain_name: mitre-attack
phase_name: defense-evasion
kill_chain_name: mitre-attack
phase_name: persistence
kill_chain_name: mitre-attack
phase_name: privilege-escalation
kill_chain_name: mitre-attack
phase_name: initial-access
x_mitre_attack_spec_version: 3.2.0
x_mitre_contributors: Janantha Marasinghe
x_mitre_deprecated: no
x_mitre_domains: enterprise-attack
x_mitre_is_subtechnique: yes
x_mitre_modified_by_ref: identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5
x_mitre_platforms: Windows
SaaS
IaaS
Linux
macOS
Containers
Network Devices
Office Suite
Identity Provider
ESXi
x_mitre_version: 1.5