cyberstrikeus T1673 Virtual Machine Discovery
High-Level Description
An adversary may attempt to enumerate running virtual machines (VMs) after gaining access to a host or hypervisor. For example, adversaries may enumerate a list of VMs on an ESXi hypervisor using a Hypervisor CLI such as esxcli or vim-cmd (e.g. esxcli vm process list or vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms). Adversaries may also directly leverage a graphical user interface, such as VMware vCenter, in order to view virtual machines on a host.
Adversaries may use the information from Virtual Machine Discovery during discovery to shape follow-on behaviors. Subsequently discovered VMs may be leveraged for follow-on activities such as Service Stop or Data Encrypted for Impact.
Kill Chain Phase
- Discovery (TA0007)
Platforms: ESXi, Linux, macOS, Windows
What to Check
- Identify if Virtual Machine Discovery technique is applicable to target environment
- Check ESXi systems for indicators of Virtual Machine Discovery
- Check Linux systems for indicators of Virtual Machine Discovery
- Check macOS systems for indicators of Virtual Machine Discovery
- Assess detection coverage (1 detection strategies)
How to Test
Manual Testing
Identify Attack Surface: Determine if the target environment is susceptible to Virtual Machine Discovery by examining the target platforms (ESXi, Linux, macOS).
Assess Existing Defenses: Review whether mitigations for T1673 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
No specific mitigations documented for this technique.
Detection
Detection Strategy for Virtual Machine Discovery
Risk Assessment
| Finding | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Machine Discovery technique applicable | Medium | Discovery |
CWE Categories
| CWE ID | Title |
|---|---|
| CWE-200 | Exposure of Sensitive Information |