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Software Discovery

ID Name
T1518.001 Security Software Discovery
T1518.002 Backup Software Discovery

Adversaries may attempt to get a listing of software and software versions that are installed on a system or in a cloud environment. Adversaries may use the information from Software Discovery during automated discovery to shape follow-on behaviors, including whether or not the adversary fully infects the target and/or attempts specific actions.

Such software may be deployed widely across the environment for configuration management or security reasons, such as Software Deployment Tools, and may allow adversaries broad access to infect devices or move laterally.

Adversaries may attempt to enumerate software for a variety of reasons, such as figuring out what security measures are present or if the compromised system has a version of software that is vulnerable to Exploitation for Privilege Escalation.

ID: T1518
Sub-techniques:  T1518.001, T1518.002
ⓘ
Tactic: Discovery
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Platforms: ESXi, IaaS, Linux, Windows, macOS
Version: 1.5
Created: 16 September 2019
Last Modified: 24 October 2025
Version Permalink

Procedure Examples

ID Name Description
S0534 Bazar

Bazar can query the Registry for installed applications.[1]
G0060 BRONZE BUTLER

BRONZE BUTLER has used tools to enumerate software installed on an infected host.[2]
S0482 Bundlore

Bundlore has the ability to enumerate what browser is being used as well as version information for Safari.[3]
S0674 CharmPower

CharmPower can list the installed applications on a compromised host.[4]
S0154 Cobalt Strike

The Cobalt Strike System Profiler can discover applications through the browser and identify the version of Java the target has.[5]
S0126 ComRAT

ComRAT can check the victim's default browser to determine which process to inject its communications module into.[6]
S1153 Cuckoo Stealer

Cuckoo Stealer has the ability to search systems for installed applications.[7]
S0472 down_new

down_new has the ability to gather information on installed applications.[2]
S0384 Dridex

Dridex has collected a list of installed software on the system.[8]
S0062 DustySky

DustySky lists all installed software for the infected machine.[9]
S0024 Dyre

Dyre has the ability to identify installed programs on a compromised host.[10]
G1001 HEXANE

HEXANE has enumerated programs installed on an infected machine.[11]
S0431 HotCroissant

HotCroissant can retrieve a list of applications from the SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths registry key.[12]
G0100 Inception

Inception has enumerated installed software on compromised systems.[13]
S1245 InvisibleFerret

InvisibleFerret has gathered installed programs and running processes.[14]
S0260 InvisiMole

InvisiMole can collect information about installed software used by specific users, software executed on user login, and software executed by each system.[15][16]
C0044 Juicy Mix

During Juicy Mix, OilRig used browser data dumper tools to create a list of users with Google Chrome installed.[17]
S0526 KGH_SPY

KGH_SPY can collect information on installed applications.[18]
S1185 LightSpy

If sent the command 16001, LightSpy uses the NSFileManger contentsOfDirectoryAtPath() to enumerate the Applications folder to collect the bundle name, bundle identifier, and version information from each application's info.plist file. The results are then converted into a JSON blob for exfiltration.[19]
S1141 LunarWeb

LunarWeb can list installed software on compromised systems.[20]
S0652 MarkiRAT

MarkiRAT can check for the Telegram installation directory by enumerating the files on disk.[21]
S0455 Metamorfo

Metamorfo has searched the compromised system for banking applications.[22][23]
G0069 MuddyWater

MuddyWater has used a PowerShell backdoor to check for Skype connectivity on the target machine.[24]
G0129 Mustang Panda

Mustang Panda has searched the victim system for the InstallUtil.exe program and its version.[25]
C0016 Operation Dust Storm

During Operation Dust Storm, the threat actors deployed a file called DeployJava.js to fingerprint installed software on a victim system prior to exploit delivery.[26]
C0014 Operation Wocao

During Operation Wocao, threat actors collected a list of installed software on the infected system.[27]
S0229 Orz

Orz can gather the victim's Internet Explorer version.[28]
S0598 P.A.S. Webshell

P.A.S. Webshell can list PHP server configuration details.[29]
S1228 PUBLOAD

PUBLOAD has used several commands executed in sequence via cmd in a short interval to gather software versions including querying Registry keys.[30]
S0650 QakBot

QakBot can enumerate a list of installed programs.[31]
S1148 Raccoon Stealer

Raccoon Stealer is capable of identifying running software on victim machines.[32][33]
S1240 RedLine Stealer

RedLine Stealer can get a list of programs on the victim device.[34]
S0148 RTM

RTM can scan victim drives to look for specific banking software on the machine to determine next actions.[35]
S1099 Samurai

Samurai can check for the presence and version of the .NET framework.[36]
S0445 ShimRatReporter

ShimRatReporter gathered a list of installed software on the infected host.[37]
G1008 SideCopy

SideCopy has collected browser information from a compromised host.[38]
G0121 Sidewinder

Sidewinder has used tools to enumerate software installed on an infected host.[39][40]
S0623 Siloscape

Siloscape searches for the kubectl binary.[41]
S1124 SocGholish

SocGholish can identify the victim's browser in order to serve the correct fake update page.[42]
S0646 SpicyOmelette

SpicyOmelette can enumerate running software on a targeted system.[43]
S1183 StrelaStealer

StrelaStealer variants use COM objects to enumerate installed applications from the "AppsFolder" on victim machines.[44]
S1042 SUGARDUMP

SUGARDUMP can identify Chrome, Opera, Edge Chromium, and Firefox browsers, including version number, on a compromised host.[45]
S1064 SVCReady

SVCReady can collect a list of installed software from an infected host.[46]
S0467 TajMahal

TajMahal has the ability to identify the Internet Explorer (IE) version on an infected host.[47]
G0081 Tropic Trooper

Tropic Trooper's backdoor could list the infected system's installed software.[48]
G1017 Volt Typhoon

Volt Typhoon has queried the Registry on compromised systems for information on installed software.[49][50]
G0124 Windigo

Windigo has used a script to detect installed software on targeted systems.[51]
G0112 Windshift

Windshift has used malware to identify installed software.[52]
S1065 Woody RAT

Woody RAT can collect .NET, PowerShell, and Python information from an infected host.[53]
S0658 XCSSET

XCSSET uses ps aux with the grep command to enumerate common browsers and system processes potentially impacting XCSSET's exfiltration capabilities.[54]

Mitigations

This type of attack technique cannot be easily mitigated with preventive controls since it is based on the abuse of system features.

Detection Strategy

ID Name Analytic ID Analytic Description
DET0392 Multi-Platform Software Discovery Behavior Chain AN1100

Adversary spawns a process or script to enumerate installed software using WMI, registry, or PowerShell, potentially followed by additional discovery or evasion behavior.
AN1101

Adversary invokes 'dpkg -l', 'rpm -qa', or other package managers via shell or script to enumerate installed software.
AN1102

Adversary runs 'system_profiler SPApplicationsDataType' or queries plist files to enumerate software via Terminal or scripts.
AN1103

Adversary uses cloud-native APIs or CLI (e.g., AWS Systems Manager, Azure Resource Graph) to list installed software on cloud workloads.
AN1104

Adversary uses 'esxcli software vib list' to enumerate installed VIBs, drivers, and modules.

References

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  3. Sushko, O. (2019, April 17). macOS Bundlore: Mac Virus Bypassing macOS Security Features. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
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  24. Peretz, A. and Theck, E. (2021, March 5). Earth Vetala – MuddyWater Continues to Target Organizations in the Middle East. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
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  27. Dantzig, M. v., Schamper, E. (2019, December 19). Operation Wocao: Shining a light on one of China’s hidden hacking groups. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
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