T1496: Resource Hijacking

Adversaries may leverage the resources of co-opted systems to complete resource-intensive tasks, which may impact system and/or hosted service availability.

One common purpose for Resource Hijacking is to validate transactions of cryptocurrency networks and earn virtual currency. Adversaries may consume enough system resources to negatively impact and/or cause affected machines to become unresponsive. Servers and cloud-based systems are common targets because of the high potential for available resources, but user endpoint systems may also be compromised and used for Resource Hijacking and cryptocurrency mining. Containerized environments may also be targeted due to the ease of deployment via exposed APIs and the potential for scaling mining activities by deploying or compromising multiple containers within an environment or cluster.

Additionally, some cryptocurrency mining malware identify then kill off processes for competing malware to ensure it’s not competing for resources.

Adversaries may also use malware that leverages a system's network bandwidth as part of a botnet in order to facilitate Network Denial of Service campaigns and/or to seed malicious torrents. Alternatively, they may engage in proxyjacking by selling use of the victims' network bandwidth and IP address to proxyware services.

Positive Technologies products that cover the technique

MaxPatrol SIEM knowledge base

dnsmasq: PT-CR-2233: Dnsmasq_New_Kind_Of_Network_Detection: DNS requests to the New Kind of Network service that can be used as a C2 channel dnsmasq: PT-CR-2230: Dnsmasq_Monero_Crypto_Coin_Mining_Domain_Detection: Suspicious DNS requests to Monero mining pools bind: PT-CR-2190: BIND_New_Kind_Of_Network_Detection: A request for DNS parameters for a resource that can be used as a C2 server channel. C2 servers usually host control software that allows attackers to remotely control victims' computers, gain access to sensitive information, and carry out attacks. bind: PT-CR-2188: BIND_Monero_Crypto_Coin_Mining_Domain_Detection: A request for DNS parameters to Monero mining pools

Detection

IDDS0013Data source and componentSensor Health: Host StatusDescription

Consider monitoring process resource usage to determine anomalous activity associated with malicious hijacking of computer resources such as CPU, memory, and graphics processing resources.

IDDS0029Data source and componentNetwork Traffic: Network Traffic ContentDescription

Monitor network traffic content for resources of co-opted systems to complete resource-intensive tasks, which may impact system and/or hosted service availability.

Note: Destination Host Name is not a comprehensive list of potential cryptocurrency URLs. This analytic has a hardcoded domain name which may change.

IDDS0029Data source and componentNetwork Traffic: Network Traffic FlowDescription

Monitor network data for uncommon data flows. Processes utilizing the network that do not normally have network communication or have never been seen before are suspicious.

IDDS0022Data source and componentFile: File CreationDescription

Monitor for common cryptomining or proxyware files on local systems that may indicate compromise and resource usage.

IDDS0009Data source and componentProcess: Process CreationDescription

Monitor for common cryptomining or proxyware software process names that may indicate compromise and resource usage.

IDDS0017Data source and componentCommand: Command ExecutionDescription

Monitor executed commands and arguments that may indicate common cryptomining or proxyware functionality.

IDDS0029Data source and componentNetwork Traffic: Network Connection CreationDescription

Monitor for newly constructed network connections that are sent or received by untrusted hosts, look for connections to/from strange ports, as well as reputation of IPs and URLs related cryptocurrency hosts.