Data Destruction
Adversaries may destroy data and files on specific systems or in large numbers on a network to interrupt availability to systems, services, and network resources. Data destruction is likely to render stored data irrecoverable by forensic techniques through overwriting files or data on local and remote drives. Common operating system file deletion commands such as del and rm often only remove pointers to files without wiping the contents of the files themselves, making the files recoverable by proper forensic methodology. This behavior is distinct from Disk Content Wipe and Disk Structure Wipe because individual files are destroyed rather than sections of a storage disk or the disk's logical structure. Adversaries may attempt to overwrite files and directories with randomly generated data to make it irrecoverable. In some cases politically oriented image files have been used to overwrite data. To maximize impact on the target organization in operations where network-wide availability interruption is the goal, malware designed for destroying data may have worm-like features to propagate across a network by leveraging additional techniques like Valid Accounts, OS Credential Dumping, and SMB/Windows Admin Shares.. In cloud environments, adversaries may leverage access to delete cloud storage objects, machine images, database instances, and other infrastructure crucial to operations to damage an organization or their customers.
Open detection, hunting, mitigation, and evidence workspace
Detection logic
Use process monitoring to monitor the execution and command-line parameters of binaries that could be involved in data destruction activity, such as SDelete. Monitor for the creation of suspicious files as well as high unusual file modification activity. In particular, look for large quantities of file modifications in user directories and under C:\Windows\System32\. In cloud environments, the occurrence of anomalous high-volume deletion events, such as the DeleteDBCluster and DeleteGlobalCluster events in AWS, or a high quantity of data deletion events, such as DeleteBucket, within a short period of time may indicate suspicious activity.
Observed actors
Correlated CTI and IR reports
MITRE ATT&CK · direct source mappingAnalyzing Iran-nexus TTP evolution in 2026
Push Security · direct source mappingHamas-affiliated Threat Actor WIRTE Continues its Middle East Operations and Moves to Disruptive Activity
Check Point Research · direct source mappingCTI Research: Handala Hack Group aka Handala Hack Team
Andrey Pautov · direct source mappingIranian State Actors Conduct Cyber Operations Against the Government of Albania
CISA · curated primary-source mappingAPT39 (Chafer / Remix Kitten)
Israel Threat Actors CTI · explicit report mentionAPT41 Targeting Pharmaceutical Sector: Log4Shell to Domain Compromise
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionATT&CK as a Working Tool: Theory and Hands-On Practical Usage
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionCTI Research: Handala Hack Group (aka Handala Hack Team)
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionCTI Research: Handala Hack Group (aka Handala Hack Team)
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionCTI Research: MuddyWater / Seedworm (Mango Sandstorm)
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionCTI Research: MuddyWater / Seedworm (Mango Sandstorm)
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionCTI Research: Sandworm / APT44
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionCTI Research: Sandworm / APT44
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionCyber Threat Intelligence Dossier: Iranian and Hamas-Aligned Operations Targeting Israeli and Allied Ecosystems (2023-2026)
Israel Threat Actors CTI · explicit report mentionDefensive CTI Research on Threats to Israeli Government and Public-Sector Environments
Israel Threat Actors CTI · explicit report mentionDefensive Cyber Threat Intelligence Report: Israeli Critical Infrastructure and Geopolitical Escalation (2024-2026)
Israel Threat Actors CTI · explicit report mentionDetection Guide — Operation DragonRx
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionOperation DragonRx — APT41 Full Attack Simulation
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionOperation DragonRx: Simulating an APT41 Attack End-to-End — From Log4Shell to DFIR and Malware Analysis
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionWorked Cases
Israel Threat Actors CTI · explicit report mentionAPT41 Targeting Pharmaceutical Sector Log4Shell to Domain Compromise
1200km Medium · authored report mentionATT CK as a Working Tool Theory and Hands On Practical Usage
1200km Medium · authored report mentionCTI Led Defensive Strategy for a Cellular Provider Case Study
1200km Medium · authored report mentionCTI Research Handala Hack Group aka Handala Hack Team
1200km Medium · authored report mentionCTI Research MuddyWater Seedworm Mango Sandstorm
1200km Medium · authored report mentionCTI Research Sandworm APT44
1200km Medium · authored report mentionOperation DragonRx Simulating an APT41 Attack End to End From Log4Shell to DFIR and Malware
1200km Medium · authored report mention