T1614: System Location Discovery

Adversaries may gather information in an attempt to calculate the geographical location of a victim host. Adversaries may use the information from System Location Discovery during automated discovery to shape follow-on behaviors, including whether or not the adversary fully infects the target and/or attempts specific actions.

Adversaries may attempt to infer the location of a system using various system checks, such as time zone, keyboard layout, and/or language settings. Windows API functions such as GetLocaleInfoW can also be used to determine the locale of the host. In cloud environments, an instance's availability zone may also be discovered by accessing the instance metadata service from the instance.

Adversaries may also attempt to infer the location of a victim host using IP addressing, such as via online geolocation IP-lookup services.

Detection

IDDS0009Data source and componentProcess: Process CreationDescription

Monitor newly executed processes that may gather information in an attempt to calculate the geographical location of a victim host.

IDDS0009Data source and componentProcess: OS API ExecutionDescription

Remote access tools with built-in features may interact directly with the Windows API, such as calling GetLocaleInfoW to gather information.

IDDS0017Data source and componentCommand: Command ExecutionDescription

Monitor executed commands and arguments that may gather information in an attempt to calculate the geographical location of a victim host.