type: attack-pattern
spec_version: 2.1
id: attack-pattern--0ff59227-8aa8-4c09-bf1f-925605bd07ea
created: 2020-10-02T15:47:10.102Z
created_by_ref: identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5
revoked: no
external_references: source_name: mitre-attack
url: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1590/002
external_id: T1590.002
source_name: Circl Passive DNS
description: CIRCL Computer Incident Response Center. (n.d.). Passive DNS. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
url: https://www.circl.lu/services/passive-dns/
source_name: DNS-CISA
description: CISA. (2016, September 29). DNS Zone Transfer AXFR Requests May Leak Domain Information. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
url: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2015/04/13/dns-zone-transfer-axfr-requests-may-leak-domain-information
source_name: DNS Dumpster
description: Hacker Target. (n.d.). DNS Dumpster. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
url: https://dnsdumpster.com/
source_name: Alexa-dns
description: Scanning Alexa's Top 1M for AXFR. (2015, March 29). Retrieved June 5, 2024.
url: https://en.internetwache.org/scanning-alexas-top-1m-for-axfr-29-03-2015/
source_name: Sean Metcalf Twitter DNS Records
description: Sean Metcalf. (2019, May 9). Sean Metcalf Twitter. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
url: https://x.com/PyroTek3/status/1126487227712921600
source_name: Trails-DNS
description: SecurityTrails. (2018, March 14). Wrong Bind Configuration Exposes the Complete List of Russian TLD's to the Internet. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20180615055527/https://securitytrails.com/blog/russian-tlds
object_marking_refs: marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168
modified: 2025-10-24T17:48:24.404Z
name: DNS
description: Adversaries may gather information about the victim's DNS that can be used during targeting. DNS information may include a variety of details, including registered name servers as well as records that outline addressing for a target’s subdomains, mail servers, and other hosts. DNS MX, TXT, and SPF records may also reveal the use of third party cloud and SaaS providers, such as Office 365, G Suite, Salesforce, or Zendesk.(Citation: Sean Metcalf Twitter DNS Records)

Adversaries may gather this information in various ways, such as querying or otherwise collecting details via [DNS/Passive DNS](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1596/001). DNS information may also be exposed to adversaries via online or other accessible data sets (ex: [Search Open Technical Databases](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1596)).(Citation: DNS Dumpster)(Citation: Circl Passive DNS) Gathering this information may reveal opportunities for other forms of reconnaissance (ex: [Search Open Technical Databases](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1596), [Search Open Websites/Domains](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1593), or [Active Scanning](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1595)), establishing operational resources (ex: [Acquire Infrastructure](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1583) or [Compromise Infrastructure](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1584)), and/or initial access (ex: [External Remote Services](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1133)).

Adversaries may also use DNS zone transfer (DNS query type AXFR) to collect all records from a misconfigured DNS server.(Citation: Trails-DNS)(Citation: DNS-CISA)(Citation: Alexa-dns)
kill_chain_phases: kill_chain_name: mitre-attack
phase_name: reconnaissance
x_mitre_attack_spec_version: 3.2.0
x_mitre_contributors: Jannie Li, Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC)
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: PRE
x_mitre_version: 1.2