{'created': '2020-01-23T19:59:52.630Z',
 'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
 'description': 'Adversaries may abuse control.exe to proxy execution of '
                'malicious payloads. The Windows Control Panel process binary '
                '(control.exe) handles execution of Control Panel items, which '
                'are utilities that allow users to view and adjust computer '
                'settings.\n'
                '\n'
                'Control Panel items are registered executable (.exe) or '
                'Control Panel (.cpl) files, the latter are actually renamed '
                'dynamic-link library (.dll) files that export a '
                '<code>CPlApplet</code> function.(Citation: Microsoft '
                'Implementing CPL)(Citation: TrendMicro CPL Malware Jan 2014) '
                'For ease of use, Control Panel items typically include '
                'graphical menus available to users after being registered and '
                'loaded into the Control Panel.(Citation: Microsoft '
                'Implementing CPL) Control Panel items can be executed '
                'directly from the command line, programmatically via an '
                'application programming interface (API) call, or by simply '
                'double-clicking the file.(Citation: Microsoft Implementing '
                'CPL) (Citation: TrendMicro CPL Malware Jan 2014)(Citation: '
                'TrendMicro CPL Malware Dec 2013)\n'
                '\n'
                'Malicious Control Panel items can be delivered via '
                '[Phishing](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566) '
                'campaigns(Citation: TrendMicro CPL Malware Jan '
                '2014)(Citation: TrendMicro CPL Malware Dec 2013) or executed '
                'as part of multi-stage malware.(Citation: Palo Alto Reaver '
                'Nov 2017) Control Panel items, specifically CPL files, may '
                'also bypass application and/or file extension allow lists.\n'
                '\n'
                'Adversaries may also rename malicious DLL files (.dll) with '
                'Control Panel file extensions (.cpl) and register them to '
                '<code>HKCU\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Control '
                'Panel\\Cpls</code>. Even when these registered DLLs do not '
                'comply with the CPL file specification and do not export '
                '<code>CPlApplet</code> functions, they are loaded and '
                'executed through its <code>DllEntryPoint</code> when Control '
                'Panel is executed. CPL files not exporting '
                '<code>CPlApplet</code> are not directly executable.(Citation: '
                'ESET InvisiMole June 2020)',
 'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1218.002',
                          'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
                          'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1218/002'},
                         {'description': 'M. (n.d.). Implementing Control '
                                         'Panel Items. Retrieved January 18, '
                                         '2018.',
                          'source_name': 'Microsoft Implementing CPL',
                          'url': 'https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/desktop/cc144185.aspx'},
                         {'description': 'Mercês, F. (2014, January 27). CPL '
                                         'Malware - Malicious Control Panel '
                                         'Items. Retrieved January 18, 2018.',
                          'source_name': 'TrendMicro CPL Malware Jan 2014',
                          'url': 'https://www.trendmicro.de/cloud-content/us/pdfs/security-intelligence/white-papers/wp-cpl-malware.pdf'},
                         {'description': 'Bernardino, J. (2013, December 17). '
                                         'Control Panel Files Used As '
                                         'Malicious Attachments. Retrieved '
                                         'January 18, 2018.',
                          'source_name': 'TrendMicro CPL Malware Dec 2013',
                          'url': 'https://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/control-panel-files-used-as-malicious-attachments/'},
                         {'description': 'Grunzweig, J. and Miller-Osborn, J. '
                                         '(2017, November 10). New Malware '
                                         'with Ties to SunOrcal Discovered. '
                                         'Retrieved November 16, 2017.',
                          'source_name': 'Palo Alto Reaver Nov 2017',
                          'url': 'https://researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/2017/11/unit42-new-malware-with-ties-to-sunorcal-discovered/'},
                         {'description': 'Hromcova, Z. and Cherpanov, A. '
                                         '(2020, June). INVISIMOLE: THE HIDDEN '
                                         'PART OF THE STORY. Retrieved July '
                                         '16, 2020.',
                          'source_name': 'ESET InvisiMole June 2020',
                          'url': 'https://www.welivesecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ESET_InvisiMole.pdf'}],
 'id': 'attack-pattern--4ff5d6a8-c062-4c68-a778-36fc5edd564f',
 'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
                        'phase_name': 'defense-evasion'}],
 'modified': '2025-10-24T17:48:45.979Z',
 'name': 'Control Panel',
 'object_marking_refs': ['marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168'],
 'spec_version': '2.1',
 'type': 'attack-pattern',
 'x_mitre_attack_spec_version': '3.2.0',
 'x_mitre_contributors': ['ESET'],
 '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': ['Windows'],
 'x_mitre_version': '2.1'}