Disk Wipe: Disk Structure Wipe
Other sub-techniques of Disk Wipe (2)
| ID | Name |
|---|---|
| T1561.001 | Disk Content Wipe |
| T1561.002 | Disk Structure Wipe |
Adversaries may corrupt or wipe the disk data structures on a hard drive necessary to boot a system; targeting specific critical systems or in large numbers in a network to interrupt availability to system and network resources.
Adversaries may attempt to render the system unable to boot by overwriting critical data located in structures such as the master boot record (MBR) or partition table.[1][2][3][4][5] The data contained in disk structures may include the initial executable code for loading an operating system or the location of the file system partitions on disk. If this information is not present, the computer will not be able to load an operating system during the boot process, leaving the computer unavailable. Disk Structure Wipe may be performed in isolation, or along with Disk Content Wipe if all sectors of a disk are wiped.
To maximize impact on the target organization, malware designed for destroying disk structures may have worm-like features to propagate across a network by leveraging other techniques like Valid Accounts, OS Credential Dumping, and SMB/Windows Admin Shares.[1][2][3][4]
Procedure Examples
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| APT37 |
APT37 has access to destructive malware that is capable of overwriting a machine's Master Boot Record (MBR).[8][9] |
| APT38 |
APT38 has used a custom MBR wiper named BOOTWRECK to render systems inoperable.[10] |
| Lazarus Group |
Lazarus Group malware SHARPKNOT overwrites and deletes the Master Boot Record (MBR) on the victim's machine and has possessed MBR wiper malware since at least 2009.[11][12] |
| RawDisk |
RawDisk was used in Shamoon to help overwrite components of disk structure like the MBR and disk partitions.[3][5] |
| Sandworm Team |
Sandworm Team has used the BlackEnergy KillDisk component to corrupt the infected system's master boot record.[13][14] |
| Shamoon |
Shamoon has been seen overwriting features of disk structure such as the MBR.[1][2][3][5] |
| StoneDrill |
StoneDrill can wipe the master boot record of an infected computer.[7] |
Mitigations
| Mitigation | Description |
|---|---|
| Data Backup |
Consider implementing IT disaster recovery plans that contain procedures for taking regular data backups that can be used to restore organizational data.[6] Ensure backups are stored off system and is protected from common methods adversaries may use to gain access and destroy the backups to prevent recovery. |
Detection
Look for attempts to read/write to sensitive locations like the master boot record and the disk partition table. Monitor for direct access read/write attempts using the \\.\ notation.[15] Monitor for unusual kernel driver installation activity.
References
- Symantec. (2012, August 16). The Shamoon Attacks. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- FireEye. (2016, November 30). FireEye Responds to Wave of Destructive Cyber Attacks in Gulf Region. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
- Falcone, R.. (2016, November 30). Shamoon 2: Return of the Disttrack Wiper. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
- Kaspersky Lab. (2017, March 7). From Shamoon to StoneDrill: Wipers attacking Saudi organizations and beyond. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- Falcone, R. (2018, December 13). Shamoon 3 Targets Oil and Gas Organization. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- Ready.gov. (n.d.). IT Disaster Recovery Plan. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- Security Response attack Investigation Team. (2019, March 27). Elfin: Relentless Espionage Group Targets Multiple Organizations in Saudi Arabia and U.S.. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
- FireEye. (2018, February 20). APT37 (Reaper): The Overlooked North Korean Actor. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
- Mercer, W., Rascagneres, P. (2018, January 16). Korea In The Crosshairs. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
- FireEye. (2018, October 03). APT38: Un-usual Suspects. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
- US-CERT. (2018, March 09). Malware Analysis Report (MAR) - 10135536.11.WHITE. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- Novetta Threat Research Group. (2016, February 24). Operation Blockbuster: Unraveling the Long Thread of the Sony Attack. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- US-CERT. (2016, February 25). ICS Alert (IR-ALERT-H-16-056-01) Cyber-Attack Against Ukrainian Critical Infrastructure. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
- Cherepanov, A.. (2017, June 30). TeleBots are back: Supply chain attacks against Ukraine. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- Russinovich, M. & Garnier, T. (2017, May 22). Sysmon v6.20. Retrieved December 13, 2017.