Indicator Removal on Host

Adversaries may attempt to remove indicators of their presence on a system in an effort to cover their tracks. In cases where an adversary may feel detection is imminent, they may try to overwrite, delete, or cover up changes they have made to the device.

ID: T0872
Sub-techniques:  No sub-techniques
Tactic: Evasion
Platforms: None
Version: 1.0
Created: 21 May 2020
Last Modified: 25 April 2025

Procedure Examples

ID Name Description
S0607 KillDisk

KillDisk deletes application, security, setup, and system event logs from Windows systems. [1]

S1009 Triton

Triton would reset the controller to the previous state over TriStation and if this failed it would write a dummy program to memory in what was likely an attempt at anti-forensics. [2]

C0030 Triton Safety Instrumented System Attack

In the Triton Safety Instrumented System Attack, TEMP.Veles would programmatically return the controller to a normal running state if the Triton malware failed. If the controller could not recover in a defined time window, TEMP.Veles programmatically overwrote their malicious program with invalid data.[3]

Targeted Assets

ID Asset
A0008 Application Server
A0007 Control Server
A0009 Data Gateway
A0006 Data Historian
A0017 Distributed Control System (DCS) Controller
A0016 Firewall
A0002 Human-Machine Interface (HMI)
A0005 Intelligent Electronic Device (IED)
A0012 Jump Host
A0018 Programmable Automation Controller (PAC)
A0003 Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)
A0004 Remote Terminal Unit (RTU)
A0010 Safety Controller
A0015 Switch
A0011 Virtual Private Network (VPN) Server
A0001 Workstation

Mitigations

ID Mitigation Description
M0922 Restrict File and Directory Permissions

Protect files stored locally with proper permissions to limit opportunities for adversaries to remove indicators of their activity on the system. [4] [5]

Detection Strategy

ID Name Analytic ID Analytic Description
DET0750 Detection of Indicator Removal on Host AN1882

Monitor executed commands and arguments that may delete or alter generated artifacts on a host system, including logs or captured files such as quarantined malware.
Monitor for API calls that may delete or alter generated artifacts on a host system, including logs or captured files such as quarantined malware.
Monitor for changes made to Windows Registry keys or values that may delete or alter generated artifacts on a host system, including logs or captured files such as quarantined malware. For added context on adversary procedures and background see Indicator Removal and applicable sub-techniques.
Monitor for contextual file data that may show signs of deletion or alter generated artifacts on a host system, including logs or captured files such as quarantined malware.
Monitor Windows registry keys that may be deleted or alter generated artifacts on a host system, including logs or captured files such as quarantined malware. For added context on adversary procedures and background see Indicator Removal and applicable sub-techniques.
Monitor for a file that may delete or alter generated artifacts on a host system, including logs or captured files such as quarantined malware.
Monitor for changes made to a file may delete or alter generated artifacts on a host system, including logs or captured files such as quarantined malware.
Monitor for newly executed processes that may delete or alter generated artifacts on a host system, including logs or captured files such as quarantined malware.

References