MITRE ATT&CK Technique
Credential Access T1139
Description

Bash keeps track of the commands users type on the command-line with the "history" utility. Once a user logs out, the history is flushed to the user’s <code>.bash_history</code> file. For each user, this file resides at the same location: <code>~/.bash_history</code>. Typically, this file keeps track of the user’s last 500 commands. Users often type usernames and passwords on the command-line as parameters to programs, which then get saved to this file when they log out. Attackers can abuse this by looking through the file for potential credentials. (Citation: External to DA, the OS X Way)

Supported Platforms
Linux macOS
Created

April 29, 2026

Last Updated

April 29, 2026

STIX Data
{'created': '2017-12-14T16:46:06.044Z',
 'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
 'description': 'Bash keeps track of the commands users type on the '
                'command-line with the "history" utility. Once a user logs '
                'out, the history is flushed to the user’s '
                '<code>.bash_history</code> file. For each user, this file '
                'resides at the same location: <code>~/.bash_history</code>. '
                'Typically, this file keeps track of the user’s last 500 '
                'commands. Users often type usernames and passwords on the '
                'command-line as parameters to programs, which then get saved '
                'to this file when they log out. Attackers can abuse this by '
                'looking through the file for potential credentials. '
                '(Citation: External to DA, the OS X Way)',
 'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1139',
                          'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
                          'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1139'},
                         {'description': 'Alex Rymdeko-Harvey, Steve Borosh. '
                                         '(2016, May 14). External to DA, the '
                                         'OS X Way. Retrieved July 3, 2017.',
                          'source_name': 'External to DA, the OS X Way',
                          'url': 'http://www.slideshare.net/StephanBorosh/external-to-da-the-os-x-way'}],
 'id': 'attack-pattern--44dca04b-808d-46ca-b25f-d85236d4b9f8',
 'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
                        'phase_name': 'credential-access'}],
 'modified': '2025-10-24T17:48:43.139Z',
 'name': 'Bash History',
 'object_marking_refs': ['marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168'],
 'revoked': True,
 'spec_version': '2.1',
 'type': 'attack-pattern',
 'x_mitre_attack_spec_version': '3.2.0',
 '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'],
 'x_mitre_version': '1.1'}
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