T1404 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

High-Level Description

Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in order to elevate privileges. Exploitation of a software vulnerability occurs when an adversary takes advantage of a programming error in an application, service, within the operating system software, or kernel itself to execute adversary-controlled code. Security constructions, such as permission levels, will often hinder access to information and use of certain techniques. Adversaries will likely need to perform privilege escalation to include use of software exploitation to circumvent those restrictions.

When initially gaining access to a device, an adversary may be operating within a lower privileged process which will prevent them from accessing certain resources on the system. Vulnerabilities may exist, usually in operating system components and applications running at higher permissions, that can be exploited to gain higher levels of access on the system. This could enable someone to move from unprivileged or user- level permission to root permissions depending on the component that is vulnerable.

Kill Chain Phase

• Privilege Escalation (TA0029)

Platforms: Android, iOS

What to Check

• ] Identify if Exploitation for Privilege Escalation technique is applicable to target mobile environment
• ] Check Android devices for indicators of Exploitation for Privilege Escalation
• ] Check iOS devices for indicators of Exploitation for Privilege Escalation
• ] Verify mitigations are bypassed or absent (3 known mitigations)
• ] Assess detection coverage (1 detection strategies)

How to Test

Identify Attack Surface

Determine if the target mobile environment is susceptible to Exploitation for Privilege Escalation by examining the target platforms (Android, iOS).

Assess Existing Defenses

Review whether mitigations for T1404 are in place. If defenses are absent or misconfigured, this technique may be exploitable.

Remediation Guide

M1001 Security Updates

Security updates often contain patches for vulnerabilities.

M1002 Attestation

Device attestation can often detect jailbroken or rooted devices.

M1010 Deploy Compromised Device Detection Method

Mobile security products can potentially detect jailbroken or rooted devices.

Detection

Detection of Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Risk Assessment

| Finding | Severity | Impact | | ---------------------------------------------------------- | -------- | -------------------- | | Exploitation for Privilege Escalation technique applicable | High | Privilege Escalation |

CWE Categories

| CWE ID | Title | | ------- | ----------------------------- | | CWE-269 | Improper Privilege Management |

References

• NIST Mobile Threat Catalogue
• MITRE ATT&CK Mobile - T1404