{'created': '2018-01-16T16:13:52.465Z',
 'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
 'description': 'Adversaries may abuse software extensions to establish '
                'persistent access to victim systems. Software extensions are '
                'modular components that enhance or customize the '
                'functionality of software applications, including web '
                'browsers, Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), and '
                'other platforms.(Citation: Chrome Extension C2 '
                'Malware)(Citation: Abramovsky VSCode Security) Extensions are '
                'typically installed via official marketplaces, app stores, or '
                'manually loaded by users, and they often inherit the '
                'permissions and access levels of the host application. \n'
                '\n'
                '  \n'
                'Malicious extensions can be introduced through various '
                'methods, including social engineering, compromised '
                'marketplaces, or direct installation by users or by '
                'adversaries who have already gained access to a system. '
                'Malicious extensions can be named similarly or identically to '
                'benign extensions in marketplaces. Security mechanisms in '
                'extension marketplaces may be insufficient to detect '
                'malicious components, allowing adversaries to bypass '
                'automated scanners or exploit trust established during the '
                'installation process. Adversaries may also abuse benign '
                'extensions to achieve their objectives, such as using '
                'legitimate functionality to tunnel data or bypass security '
                'controls. \n'
                '\n'
                'The modular nature of extensions and their integration with '
                'host applications make them an attractive target for '
                'adversaries seeking to exploit trusted software ecosystems. '
                'Detection can be challenging due to the inherent trust placed '
                'in extensions during installation and their ability to blend '
                'into normal application workflows. ',
 'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1176',
                          'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
                          'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1176'},
                         {'description': 'Abramovsky, O. (2023, May 16). '
                                         'VSCode Security: Malicious '
                                         'Extensions Detected- More Than '
                                         '45,000 Downloads- PII Exposed, and '
                                         'Backdoors Enabled. Retrieved March '
                                         '30, 2025.',
                          'source_name': 'Abramovsky VSCode Security',
                          'url': 'https://blog.checkpoint.com/securing-the-cloud/malicious-vscode-extensions-with-more-than-45k-downloads-steal-pii-and-enable-backdoors/'},
                         {'description': 'Chris Ross. (2019, February 8). No '
                                         'Place Like Chrome. Retrieved April '
                                         '27, 2021.',
                          'source_name': 'xorrior chrome extensions macOS',
                          'url': 'https://www.xorrior.com/No-Place-Like-Chrome/'},
                         {'description': 'Kjaer, M. (2016, July 18). Malware '
                                         'in the browser: how you might get '
                                         'hacked by a Chrome extension. '
                                         'Retrieved September 12, 2024.',
                          'source_name': 'Chrome Extension C2 Malware',
                          'url': 'https://web.archive.org/web/20240608001937/https://kjaer.io/extension-malware/'}],
 'id': 'attack-pattern--389735f1-f21c-4208-b8f0-f8031e7169b8',
 'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
                        'phase_name': 'persistence'}],
 'modified': '2025-10-24T17:48:39.525Z',
 'name': 'Software Extensions',
 'object_marking_refs': ['marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168'],
 'revoked': False,
 'spec_version': '2.1',
 'type': 'attack-pattern',
 'x_mitre_attack_spec_version': '3.2.0',
 'x_mitre_contributors': ['Chris Ross @xorrior',
                          'Justin Warner, ICEBRG',
                          'Manikantan Srinivasan, NEC Corporation India'],
 'x_mitre_deprecated': False,
 'x_mitre_detection': '',
 'x_mitre_domains': ['enterprise-attack'],
 'x_mitre_is_subtechnique': False,
 'x_mitre_modified_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
 'x_mitre_platforms': ['Linux', 'macOS', 'Windows'],
 'x_mitre_version': '2.0'}