MITRE ATT&CK Technique
Description
Adversaries may acquire domains that can be used during targeting. Domain names are the human readable names used to represent one or more IP addresses. They can be purchased or, in some cases, acquired for free. Adversaries may use acquired domains for a variety of purposes, including for [Phishing](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566), [Drive-by Compromise](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1189), and Command and Control.(Citation: CISA MSS Sep 2020) Adversaries may choose domains that are similar to legitimate domains, including through use of homoglyphs or use of a different top-level domain (TLD).(Citation: FireEye APT28)(Citation: PaypalScam) Typosquatting may be used to aid in delivery of payloads via [Drive-by Compromise](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1189). Adversaries may also use internationalized domain names (IDNs) and different character sets (e.g. Cyrillic, Greek, etc.) to execute "IDN homograph attacks," creating visually similar lookalike domains used to deliver malware to victim machines.(Citation: CISA IDN ST05-016)(Citation: tt_httrack_fake_domains)(Citation: tt_obliqueRAT)(Citation: httrack_unhcr)(Citation: lazgroup_idn_phishing) Different URIs/URLs may also be dynamically generated to uniquely serve malicious content to victims (including one-time, single use domain names).(Citation: iOS URL Scheme)(Citation: URI)(Citation: URI Use)(Citation: URI Unique) Adversaries may also acquire and repurpose expired domains, which may be potentially already allowlisted/trusted by defenders based on an existing reputation/history.(Citation: Categorisation_not_boundary)(Citation: Domain_Steal_CC)(Citation: Redirectors_Domain_Fronting)(Citation: bypass_webproxy_filtering) Domain registrars each maintain a publicly viewable database that displays contact information for every registered domain. Private WHOIS services display alternative information, such as their own company data, rather than the owner of the domain. Adversaries may use such private WHOIS services to obscure information about who owns a purchased domain. Adversaries may further interrupt efforts to track their infrastructure by using varied registration information and purchasing domains with different domain registrars.(Citation: Mandiant APT1) In addition to legitimately purchasing a domain, an adversary may register a new domain in a compromised environment. For example, in AWS environments, adversaries may leverage the Route53 domain service to register a domain and create hosted zones pointing to resources of the threat actor’s choosing.(Citation: Invictus IR DangerDev 2024)
Supported Platforms
Created
April 29, 2026
Last Updated
April 29, 2026
STIX Data
{'created': '2020-09-30T17:09:31.878Z',
'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'description': 'Adversaries may acquire domains that can be used during '
'targeting. Domain names are the human readable names used to '
'represent one or more IP addresses. They can be purchased or, '
'in some cases, acquired for free.\n'
'\n'
'Adversaries may use acquired domains for a variety of '
'purposes, including for '
'[Phishing](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566), '
'[Drive-by '
'Compromise](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1189), and '
'Command and Control.(Citation: CISA MSS Sep 2020) Adversaries '
'may choose domains that are similar to legitimate domains, '
'including through use of homoglyphs or use of a different '
'top-level domain (TLD).(Citation: FireEye APT28)(Citation: '
'PaypalScam) Typosquatting may be used to aid in delivery of '
'payloads via [Drive-by '
'Compromise](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1189). '
'Adversaries may also use internationalized domain names '
'(IDNs) and different character sets (e.g. Cyrillic, Greek, '
'etc.) to execute "IDN homograph attacks," creating visually '
'similar lookalike domains used to deliver malware to victim '
'machines.(Citation: CISA IDN ST05-016)(Citation: '
'tt_httrack_fake_domains)(Citation: tt_obliqueRAT)(Citation: '
'httrack_unhcr)(Citation: lazgroup_idn_phishing)\n'
'\n'
'Different URIs/URLs may also be dynamically generated to '
'uniquely serve malicious content to victims (including '
'one-time, single use domain names).(Citation: iOS URL '
'Scheme)(Citation: URI)(Citation: URI Use)(Citation: URI '
'Unique)\n'
'\n'
'Adversaries may also acquire and repurpose expired domains, '
'which may be potentially already allowlisted/trusted by '
'defenders based on an existing reputation/history.(Citation: '
'Categorisation_not_boundary)(Citation: '
'Domain_Steal_CC)(Citation: '
'Redirectors_Domain_Fronting)(Citation: '
'bypass_webproxy_filtering)\n'
'\n'
'Domain registrars each maintain a publicly viewable database '
'that displays contact information for every registered '
'domain. Private WHOIS services display alternative '
'information, such as their own company data, rather than the '
'owner of the domain. Adversaries may use such private WHOIS '
'services to obscure information about who owns a purchased '
'domain. Adversaries may further interrupt efforts to track '
'their infrastructure by using varied registration information '
'and purchasing domains with different domain '
'registrars.(Citation: Mandiant APT1)\n'
'\n'
'In addition to legitimately purchasing a domain, an adversary '
'may register a new domain in a compromised environment. For '
'example, in AWS environments, adversaries may leverage the '
'Route53 domain service to register a domain and create hosted '
'zones pointing to resources of the threat actor’s '
'choosing.(Citation: Invictus IR DangerDev 2024)',
'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1583.001',
'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1583/001'},
{'description': 'Australian Cyber Security Centre. '
'National Security Agency. (2020, '
'April 21). Detect and Prevent Web '
'Shell Malware. Retrieved February 9, '
'2024.',
'source_name': 'URI Unique',
'url': 'https://media.defense.gov/2020/Jun/09/2002313081/-1/-1/0/CSI-DETECT-AND-PREVENT-WEB-SHELL-MALWARE-20200422.PDF'},
{'description': 'Bob Sullivan. (2000, July 24). '
"PayPal alert! Beware the 'PaypaI' "
'scam. Retrieved March 2, 2017.',
'source_name': 'PaypalScam',
'url': 'https://www.zdnet.com/article/paypal-alert-beware-the-paypai-scam-5000109103/'},
{'description': 'CISA. (2019, September 27). Security '
'Tip (ST05-016): Understanding '
'Internationalized Domain Names. '
'Retrieved October 20, 2020.',
'source_name': 'CISA IDN ST05-016',
'url': 'https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/tips/ST05-016'},
{'description': 'CISA. (2020, September 14). Alert '
'(AA20-258A): Chinese Ministry of '
'State Security-Affiliated Cyber '
'Threat Actor Activity. Retrieved '
'October 1, 2020.',
'source_name': 'CISA MSS Sep 2020',
'url': 'https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/alerts/aa20-258a'},
{'description': 'Fehrman, B. (2017, April 13). How to '
'Bypass Web-Proxy Filtering. '
'Retrieved September 20, 2019.',
'source_name': 'bypass_webproxy_filtering',
'url': 'https://www.blackhillsinfosec.com/bypass-web-proxy-filtering/'},
{'description': 'FireEye. (2015). APT28: A WINDOW '
'INTO RUSSIA’S CYBER ESPIONAGE '
'OPERATIONS?. Retrieved August 19, '
'2015.',
'source_name': 'FireEye APT28',
'url': 'https://web.archive.org/web/20151022204649/https://www.fireeye.com/content/dam/fireeye-www/global/en/current-threats/pdfs/rpt-apt28.pdf'},
{'description': 'Invictus Incident Response. (2024, '
'January 31). The curious case of '
'DangerDev@protonmail.me. Retrieved '
'March 19, 2024.',
'source_name': 'Invictus IR DangerDev 2024',
'url': 'https://www.invictus-ir.com/news/the-curious-case-of-dangerdev-protonmail-me'},
{'description': 'Krebs, B. (2018, November 13). That '
'Domain You Forgot to Renew? Yeah, '
'it’s Now Stealing Credit Cards. '
'Retrieved September 20, 2019.',
'source_name': 'Domain_Steal_CC',
'url': 'https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/11/that-domain-you-forgot-to-renew-yeah-its-now-stealing-credit-cards/'},
{'description': 'Malhotra, A., McKay, K. et al. '
'(2021, May 13). Transparent Tribe '
'APT expands its Windows malware '
'arsenal . Retrieved July 29, 2022.',
'source_name': 'tt_obliqueRAT',
'url': 'https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2021/05/transparent-tribe-infra-and-targeting.html'},
{'description': 'Malhotra, A., Thattil, J. et al. '
'(2022, March 29). Transparent Tribe '
'campaign uses new bespoke malware to '
'target Indian government officials . '
'Retrieved September 6, 2022.',
'source_name': 'tt_httrack_fake_domains',
'url': 'https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2022/03/transparent-tribe-new-campaign.html'},
{'description': 'Mandiant. (n.d.). APT1 Exposing One '
'of China’s Cyber Espionage Units. '
'Retrieved July 18, 2016.',
'source_name': 'Mandiant APT1',
'url': 'https://www.fireeye.com/content/dam/fireeye-www/services/pdfs/mandiant-apt1-report.pdf'},
{'description': 'MDSec Research. (2017, July). '
'Categorisation is not a Security '
'Boundary. Retrieved September 20, '
'2019.',
'source_name': 'Categorisation_not_boundary',
'url': 'https://www.mdsec.co.uk/2017/07/categorisation-is-not-a-security-boundary/'},
{'description': 'Michael Cobb. (2007, October 11). '
'Preparing for uniform resource '
'identifier (URI) exploits. Retrieved '
'February 9, 2024.',
'source_name': 'URI',
'url': 'https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Preparing-for-uniform-resource-identifier-URI-exploits'},
{'description': 'Mudge, R. (2017, February 6). '
'High-reputation Redirectors and '
'Domain Fronting. Retrieved July 11, '
'2022.',
'source_name': 'Redirectors_Domain_Fronting',
'url': 'https://www.cobaltstrike.com/blog/high-reputation-redirectors-and-domain-fronting/'},
{'description': 'Nathan McFeters. Billy Kim Rios. Rob '
'Carter.. (2008). URI Use and Abuse. '
'Retrieved February 9, 2024.',
'source_name': 'URI Use',
'url': 'https://www.blackhat.com/presentations/bh-dc-08/McFeters-Rios-Carter/Presentation/bh-dc-08-mcfeters-rios-carter.pdf'},
{'description': 'Ostorlab. (n.d.). iOS URL Scheme '
'Hijacking. Retrieved February 9, '
'2024.',
'source_name': 'iOS URL Scheme',
'url': 'https://docs.ostorlab.co/kb/IPA_URL_SCHEME_HIJACKING/index.html'},
{'description': 'RISKIQ. (2017, December 20). Mining '
'Insights: Infrastructure Analysis of '
'Lazarus Group Cyber Attacks on the '
'Cryptocurrency Industry. Retrieved '
'July 29, 2022.',
'source_name': 'lazgroup_idn_phishing',
'url': 'https://web.archive.org/web/20171223000420/https://www.riskiq.com/blog/labs/lazarus-group-cryptocurrency/'},
{'description': 'RISKIQ. (2022, March 15). RiskIQ '
'Threat Intelligence Roundup: '
'Campaigns Targeting Ukraine and '
'Global Malware Infrastructure. '
'Retrieved July 29, 2022.',
'source_name': 'httrack_unhcr',
'url': 'https://web.archive.org/web/20220527112908/https://www.riskiq.com/blog/labs/ukraine-malware-infrastructure/'},
{'description': 'ThreatConnect. (2020, December 15). '
'Infrastructure Research and Hunting: '
'Boiling the Domain Ocean. Retrieved '
'October 12, 2021.',
'source_name': 'ThreatConnect Infrastructure Dec '
'2020',
'url': 'https://threatconnect.com/blog/infrastructure-research-hunting/'}],
'id': 'attack-pattern--40f5caa0-4cb7-4117-89fc-d421bb493df3',
'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
'phase_name': 'resource-development'}],
'modified': '2025-10-24T17:48:42.246Z',
'name': 'Domains',
'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': ['Wes Hurd',
'Vinayak Wadhwa, Lucideus',
'Deloitte Threat Library Team',
'Oleg Kolesnikov, Securonix',
'Menachem Goldstein',
'Nikola Kovac'],
'x_mitre_deprecated': False,
'x_mitre_detection': '',
'x_mitre_domains': ['enterprise-attack'],
'x_mitre_is_subtechnique': True,
'x_mitre_modified_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'x_mitre_platforms': ['PRE'],
'x_mitre_version': '1.4'}