cyberstrikeus T1568 Dynamic Resolution
High-Level Description
Adversaries may dynamically establish connections to command and control infrastructure to evade common detections and remediations. This may be achieved by using malware that shares a common algorithm with the infrastructure the adversary uses to receive the malware's communications. These calculations can be used to dynamically adjust parameters such as the domain name, IP address, or port number the malware uses for command and control.
Adversaries may use dynamic resolution for the purpose of Fallback Channels. When contact is lost with the primary command and control server malware may employ dynamic resolution as a means to reestablishing command and control.
Kill Chain Phase
- Command and Control (TA0011)
Platforms: Linux, macOS, Windows, ESXi
What to Check
- Identify if Dynamic Resolution technique is applicable to target environment
- Check Linux systems for indicators of Dynamic Resolution
- Check macOS systems for indicators of Dynamic Resolution
- Check Windows systems for indicators of Dynamic Resolution
- Verify mitigations are bypassed or absent (2 known mitigations)
- Assess detection coverage (1 detection strategies)
How to Test
Manual Testing
Identify Attack Surface: Determine if the target environment is susceptible to Dynamic Resolution by examining the target platforms (Linux, macOS, Windows).
Assess Existing Defenses: Review whether mitigations for T1568 are in place. If defenses are absent or misconfigured, this technique may be exploitable.
Execute Test: Use tools and methods described in the MITRE ATT&CK page and external references below.
Note: No Atomic Red Team tests available for this technique. See Atomic Red Team GitHub for updates.
Remediation Guide
M1031 Network Intrusion Prevention
Network intrusion detection and prevention systems that use network signatures to identify traffic for specific adversary malware can be used to mitigate activity at the network level. Malware researchers can reverse engineer malware variants that use dynamic resolution and determine future C2 infrastructure that the malware will attempt to contact, but this is a time and resource intensive effort.
M1021 Restrict Web-Based Content
In some cases a local DNS sinkhole may be used to help prevent behaviors associated with dynamic resolution.
Detection
Detection Strategy for Dynamic Resolution across OS Platforms
Risk Assessment
| Finding | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Resolution technique applicable | Low | Command And Control |
CWE Categories
| CWE ID | Title |
|---|---|
| CWE-300 | Channel Accessible by Non-Endpoint |