Inhibit System Recovery
Adversaries may delete or remove built-in data and turn off services designed to aid in the recovery of a corrupted system to prevent recovery. This may deny access to available backups and recovery options. Operating systems may contain features that can help fix corrupted systems, such as a backup catalog, volume shadow copies, and automatic repair features. Adversaries may disable or delete system recovery features to augment the effects of Data Destruction and Data Encrypted for Impact. Furthermore, adversaries may disable recovery notifications, then corrupt backups. A number of native Windows utilities have been used by adversaries to disable or delete system recovery features: * vssadmin.exe can be used to delete all volume shadow copies on a system - vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /quiet * Windows Management Instrumentation can be used to delete volume shadow copies - wmic shadowcopy delete * wbadmin.exe can be used to delete the Windows Backup Catalog - wbadmin.exe delete catalog -quiet * bcdedit.exe can be used to disable automatic Windows recovery features by modifying boot configuration data - bcdedit.exe /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures & bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled no * REAgentC.exe can be used to disable Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) repair/recovery options of an infected system * diskshadow.exe can be used to delete all volume shadow copies on a system - diskshadow delete shadows all On network devices, adversaries may leverage Disk Wipe to delete backup firmware images and reformat the file system, then System Shutdown/Reboot to reload the device. Together this activity may leave network devices completely inoperable and inhibit recovery operations. Adversaries may also delete “online” backups that are connected to their network – whether via network storage media or through folders that sync to cloud services. In cloud environments, adversaries may disable versioning and backup policies and delete snapshots, database backups, machine images, and prior versions of objects designed to be used in disaster recovery scenarios.
Open detection, hunting, mitigation, and evidence workspace
Detection logic
Use process monitoring to monitor the execution and command line parameters of binaries involved in inhibiting system recovery, such as vssadmin, wbadmin, bcdedit, REAgentC, and diskshadow. The Windows event logs, ex. Event ID 524 indicating a system catalog was deleted, may contain entries associated with suspicious activity. Monitor the status of services involved in system recovery. Monitor the registry for changes associated with system recovery features (ex: the creation of HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PreviousVersions\DisableLocalPage). For network infrastructure devices, collect AAA logging to monitor for `erase`, `format`, and `reload` commands being run in succession.
Observed actors
Correlated CTI and IR reports
Microsoft Security · 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 mentionAttack Playbook — Operation DragonRx
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: Sandworm / APT44
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionCTI Research: Sandworm / APT44
1200km CTI repository · explicit report mentionDefensive Cyber Threat Intelligence Report: Israeli Critical Infrastructure and Geopolitical Escalation (2024-2026)
Israel Threat Actors CTI · 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 mentionAttack Playbook Operation DragonRx
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 Sandworm APT44
1200km Medium · authored report mentionCustomer Driven AI CTI Project Template Part 2B Reference Toolkit
1200km Medium · authored report mention