Complete technique description
Adversaries may communicate with compromised devices using out of band data streams. This could be done for a variety of reasons, including evading network traffic monitoring, as a backup method of command and control, or for data exfiltration if the device is not connected to any Internet-providing networks (i.e. cellular or Wi-Fi). Several out of band data streams exist, such as SMS messages, NFC, and Bluetooth.
On Android, applications can read push notifications to capture content from SMS messages, or other out of band data streams. This requires that the user manually grant notification access to the application via the settings menu. However, the application could launch an Intent to take the user directly there.
On iOS, there is no way to programmatically read push notifications.
Official technique definition · Open in the interactive matrix
Detection telemetry and configuration
These contracts are selected through exact technique-to-data-component relationships or explicitly labelled planning overrides. Configure a collector at the relevant observation point; a telemetry name alone is not coverage.
API Calls · source-mapped
DC0112 collection page — Instrument selected APIs in the owned test app or approved research build; log caller, API, sanitized argument class and return status.
Providers and collection configuration
- Android logcat: Permitted logs from a consented test device/emulator; output depends on build, permissions and instrumentation.
- Android dumpsys: Point-in-time service/package state on an authorized development device.
- Instrumented test application: Own-app permission, API and state callbacks; not universal visibility into other apps.
- Use a disposable emulator or owned development device with approved debugging. Record OS/API level, app version and instrumentation privileges.
- Collect only relevant logcat buffers/tags and service snapshots; add explicit own-app instrumentation for events absent from OS logs.
- Forward sanitized logs and compare before/after state. Remove test data and revoke debugging access after the lab session.
Required normalized fields: package, api, result, thread.
Illustrative collection event
Project-normalized synthetic JSON, not a native provider log, captured event, attack verdict or validated detection. A parser/adapter is required for a real SIEM. Example names, IPs and values are fictional.
{
"schema": "1200km.telemetry.example.v1",
"synthetic": true,
"timestamp": "2026-09-27T12:00:00Z",
"telemetry_id": "DC0112",
"collector": "illustrative-lab-collector",
"observation": {
"package": "test.example.lab",
"api": "android.hardware.camera2.CameraManager.openCamera",
"result": "permission_denied",
"thread": "main"
}
}
Visibility limits: Android tooling does not imply iOS coverage. Standard mobile apps cannot observe all other apps or protected OS internals; MDM status is not full API, filesystem or content telemetry.
Application Permission · source-mapped
DC0114 collection page — Compare manifest declarations with runtime granted state using authorized package inspection and own-app permission checks.
Providers and collection configuration
- Android logcat: Permitted logs from a consented test device/emulator; output depends on build, permissions and instrumentation.
- Android dumpsys: Point-in-time service/package state on an authorized development device.
- Instrumented test application: Own-app permission, API and state callbacks; not universal visibility into other apps.
- Use a disposable emulator or owned development device with approved debugging. Record OS/API level, app version and instrumentation privileges.
- Collect only relevant logcat buffers/tags and service snapshots; add explicit own-app instrumentation for events absent from OS logs.
- Forward sanitized logs and compare before/after state. Remove test data and revoke debugging access after the lab session.
Required normalized fields: package, permission, declared, granted.
adb shell dumpsys package test.example.lab
Read-only snapshot on a consented debug device. Replace the example package with your owned test app. Output and access vary by Android build; this is not a permission-request event stream.
Illustrative collection event
Project-normalized synthetic JSON, not a native provider log, captured event, attack verdict or validated detection. A parser/adapter is required for a real SIEM. Example names, IPs and values are fictional.
{
"schema": "1200km.telemetry.example.v1",
"synthetic": true,
"timestamp": "2026-09-27T12:00:00Z",
"telemetry_id": "DC0114",
"collector": "illustrative-lab-collector",
"observation": {
"package": "test.example.lab",
"permission": "android.permission.CAMERA",
"declared": true,
"granted": false
}
}
Visibility limits: Android tooling does not imply iOS coverage. Standard mobile apps cannot observe all other apps or protected OS internals; MDM status is not full API, filesystem or content telemetry.
Network Traffic Content · source-mapped
DC0085 collection page — Scope approved packet capture/protocol content collection to the lab flow; retain capture provenance and truncation indicators.
Providers and collection configuration
- Zeek: Connection and protocol metadata from traffic visible to the sensor.
- Suricata EVE: Configured flow, alert, DNS, HTTP, TLS and protocol records.
- Use an authorized lab TAP/SPAN, virtual mirror or gateway interface. Define which traffic crosses it; avoid assuming visibility into every segment.
- Enable the required Zeek analyzers or Suricata EVE event types. Export logs with sensor identity, clock synchronization and flow correlation identifiers.
- Monitor capture loss, truncation and exporter sampling. Capture payload only with approval and restrictive retention; encryption normally prevents plaintext inspection.
Required normalized fields: flow_id, protocol, method, path, payload_excerpt.
Illustrative collection event
Project-normalized synthetic JSON, not a native provider log, captured event, attack verdict or validated detection. A parser/adapter is required for a real SIEM. Example names, IPs and values are fictional.
{
"schema": "1200km.telemetry.example.v1",
"synthetic": true,
"timestamp": "2026-09-27T12:00:00Z",
"telemetry_id": "DC0085",
"collector": "illustrative-lab-collector",
"observation": {
"flow_id": "lab-flow-1",
"protocol": "http",
"method": "GET",
"path": "/lab-check",
"payload_excerpt": "LAB_TELEMETRY_CHECK"
}
}
Visibility limits: Flows are not packet payloads. NAT, asymmetric routes, encryption, missing mirrors and sampling can hide attribution or content. A destination connection alone does not prove malicious intent.
Network Traffic Flow · source-mapped
DC0078 collection page — Collect Zeek conn.log, Suricata flow events or exporter equivalents, including observation point and sampling settings.
Providers and collection configuration
- Zeek: Connection and protocol metadata from traffic visible to the sensor.
- Suricata EVE: Configured flow, alert, DNS, HTTP, TLS and protocol records.
- AWS VPC Flow Logs: IP traffic metadata alternative; no packet payload or DNS answer history, and some traffic is not logged.
- Use an authorized lab TAP/SPAN, virtual mirror or gateway interface. Define which traffic crosses it; avoid assuming visibility into every segment.
- Enable the required Zeek analyzers or Suricata EVE event types. Export logs with sensor identity, clock synchronization and flow correlation identifiers.
- Monitor capture loss, truncation and exporter sampling. Capture payload only with approval and restrictive retention; encryption normally prevents plaintext inspection.
Required normalized fields: source_ip, destination_ip, destination_port, protocol, bytes_sent, bytes_received.
Illustrative collection event
Project-normalized synthetic JSON, not a native provider log, captured event, attack verdict or validated detection. A parser/adapter is required for a real SIEM. Example names, IPs and values are fictional.
{
"schema": "1200km.telemetry.example.v1",
"synthetic": true,
"timestamp": "2026-09-27T12:00:00Z",
"telemetry_id": "DC0078",
"collector": "illustrative-lab-collector",
"observation": {
"source_ip": "192.0.2.10",
"destination_ip": "198.51.100.20",
"destination_port": 443,
"protocol": "tcp",
"bytes_sent": 128,
"bytes_received": 512
}
}
Visibility limits: Flows are not packet payloads. NAT, asymmetric routes, encryption, missing mirrors and sampling can hide attribution or content. A destination connection alone does not prove malicious intent.
Protected Configuration · source-mapped
DC0115 collection page — Use approved device-management/research-build interfaces to snapshot the specific protected setting; document privileges and unsupported fields.
Providers and collection configuration
- Android logcat: Permitted logs from a consented test device/emulator; output depends on build, permissions and instrumentation.
- Android dumpsys: Point-in-time service/package state on an authorized development device.
- Instrumented test application: Own-app permission, API and state callbacks; not universal visibility into other apps.
- Use a disposable emulator or owned development device with approved debugging. Record OS/API level, app version and instrumentation privileges.
- Collect only relevant logcat buffers/tags and service snapshots; add explicit own-app instrumentation for events absent from OS logs.
- Forward sanitized logs and compare before/after state. Remove test data and revoke debugging access after the lab session.
Required normalized fields: device_id, setting, before, after.
Illustrative collection event
Project-normalized synthetic JSON, not a native provider log, captured event, attack verdict or validated detection. A parser/adapter is required for a real SIEM. Example names, IPs and values are fictional.
{
"schema": "1200km.telemetry.example.v1",
"synthetic": true,
"timestamp": "2026-09-27T12:00:00Z",
"telemetry_id": "DC0115",
"collector": "illustrative-lab-collector",
"observation": {
"device_id": "android-lab-1",
"setting": "usb_debugging_enabled",
"before": false,
"after": true
}
}
Visibility limits: Android tooling does not imply iOS coverage. Standard mobile apps cannot observe all other apps or protected OS internals; MDM status is not full API, filesystem or content telemetry.
System Notifications · source-mapped
DC0117 collection page — Use consented system debugging or supported notification monitoring; collect metadata rather than notification contents unless explicitly approved.
Providers and collection configuration
- Android logcat: Permitted logs from a consented test device/emulator; output depends on build, permissions and instrumentation.
- Android dumpsys: Point-in-time service/package state on an authorized development device.
- Instrumented test application: Own-app permission, API and state callbacks; not universal visibility into other apps.
- Use a disposable emulator or owned development device with approved debugging. Record OS/API level, app version and instrumentation privileges.
- Collect only relevant logcat buffers/tags and service snapshots; add explicit own-app instrumentation for events absent from OS logs.
- Forward sanitized logs and compare before/after state. Remove test data and revoke debugging access after the lab session.
Required normalized fields: device_id, notification_type, source, content_collected.
Illustrative collection event
Project-normalized synthetic JSON, not a native provider log, captured event, attack verdict or validated detection. A parser/adapter is required for a real SIEM. Example names, IPs and values are fictional.
{
"schema": "1200km.telemetry.example.v1",
"synthetic": true,
"timestamp": "2026-09-27T12:00:00Z",
"telemetry_id": "DC0117",
"collector": "illustrative-lab-collector",
"observation": {
"device_id": "android-lab-1",
"notification_type": "usb_connection",
"source": "system",
"content_collected": false
}
}
Visibility limits: Android tooling does not imply iOS coverage. Standard mobile apps cannot observe all other apps or protected OS internals; MDM status is not full API, filesystem or content telemetry.