MITRE ATT&CK Technique
Description
Adversaries may modify Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to subvert the intended discretionary access controls for a domain, usually with the intention of escalating privileges on the domain. Group policy allows for centralized management of user and computer settings in Active Directory (AD). GPOs are containers for group policy settings made up of files stored within a predictable network path `\<DOMAIN>\SYSVOL\<DOMAIN>\Policies\`.(Citation: TechNet Group Policy Basics)(Citation: ADSecurity GPO Persistence 2016) Like other objects in AD, GPOs have access controls associated with them. By default all user accounts in the domain have permission to read GPOs. It is possible to delegate GPO access control permissions, e.g. write access, to specific users or groups in the domain. Malicious GPO modifications can be used to implement many other malicious behaviors such as [Scheduled Task/Job](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053), [Disable or Modify Tools](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/001), [Ingress Tool Transfer](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1105), [Create Account](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1136), [Service Execution](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1569/002), and more.(Citation: ADSecurity GPO Persistence 2016)(Citation: Wald0 Guide to GPOs)(Citation: Harmj0y Abusing GPO Permissions)(Citation: Mandiant M Trends 2016)(Citation: Microsoft Hacking Team Breach) Since GPOs can control so many user and machine settings in the AD environment, there are a great number of potential attacks that can stem from this GPO abuse.(Citation: Wald0 Guide to GPOs) For example, publicly available scripts such as <code>New-GPOImmediateTask</code> can be leveraged to automate the creation of a malicious [Scheduled Task/Job](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053) by modifying GPO settings, in this case modifying <code><GPO_PATH>\Machine\Preferences\ScheduledTasks\ScheduledTasks.xml</code>.(Citation: Wald0 Guide to GPOs)(Citation: Harmj0y Abusing GPO Permissions) In some cases an adversary might modify specific user rights like SeEnableDelegationPrivilege, set in <code><GPO_PATH>\MACHINE\Microsoft\Windows NT\SecEdit\GptTmpl.inf</code>, to achieve a subtle AD backdoor with complete control of the domain because the user account under the adversary's control would then be able to modify GPOs.(Citation: Harmj0y SeEnableDelegationPrivilege Right)
Supported Platforms
Created
April 29, 2026
Last Updated
April 29, 2026
STIX Data
{'created': '2020-12-28T21:50:59.844Z',
'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'description': 'Adversaries may modify Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to subvert '
'the intended discretionary access controls for a domain, '
'usually with the intention of escalating privileges on the '
'domain. Group policy allows for centralized management of '
'user and computer settings in Active Directory (AD). GPOs are '
'containers for group policy settings made up of files stored '
'within a predictable network path '
'`\\<DOMAIN>\\SYSVOL\\<DOMAIN>\\Policies\\`.(Citation: TechNet '
'Group Policy Basics)(Citation: ADSecurity GPO Persistence '
'2016) \n'
'\n'
'Like other objects in AD, GPOs have access controls '
'associated with them. By default all user accounts in the '
'domain have permission to read GPOs. It is possible to '
'delegate GPO access control permissions, e.g. write access, '
'to specific users or groups in the domain.\n'
'\n'
'Malicious GPO modifications can be used to implement many '
'other malicious behaviors such as [Scheduled '
'Task/Job](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053), '
'[Disable or Modify '
'Tools](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/001), '
'[Ingress Tool '
'Transfer](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1105), [Create '
'Account](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1136), [Service '
'Execution](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1569/002), '
'and more.(Citation: ADSecurity GPO Persistence '
'2016)(Citation: Wald0 Guide to GPOs)(Citation: Harmj0y '
'Abusing GPO Permissions)(Citation: Mandiant M Trends '
'2016)(Citation: Microsoft Hacking Team Breach) Since GPOs can '
'control so many user and machine settings in the AD '
'environment, there are a great number of potential attacks '
'that can stem from this GPO abuse.(Citation: Wald0 Guide to '
'GPOs)\n'
'\n'
'For example, publicly available scripts such as '
'<code>New-GPOImmediateTask</code> can be leveraged to '
'automate the creation of a malicious [Scheduled '
'Task/Job](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1053) by '
'modifying GPO settings, in this case modifying '
'<code><GPO_PATH>\\Machine\\Preferences\\ScheduledTasks\\ScheduledTasks.xml</code>.(Citation: '
'Wald0 Guide to GPOs)(Citation: Harmj0y Abusing GPO '
'Permissions) In some cases an adversary might modify specific '
'user rights like SeEnableDelegationPrivilege, set in '
'<code><GPO_PATH>\\MACHINE\\Microsoft\\Windows '
'NT\\SecEdit\\GptTmpl.inf</code>, to achieve a subtle AD '
'backdoor with complete control of the domain because the user '
"account under the adversary's control would then be able to "
'modify GPOs.(Citation: Harmj0y SeEnableDelegationPrivilege '
'Right)',
'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1484.001',
'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1484/001'},
{'description': 'Mandiant. (2016, February 25). '
'Mandiant M-Trends 2016. Retrieved '
'November 17, 2024.',
'source_name': 'Mandiant M Trends 2016',
'url': 'https://web.archive.org/web/20211024160454/https://www.fireeye.com/content/dam/fireeye-www/current-threats/pdfs/rpt-mtrends-2016.pdf'},
{'description': 'Metcalf, S. (2016, March 14). Sneaky '
'Active Directory Persistence #17: '
'Group Policy. Retrieved March 5, '
'2019.',
'source_name': 'ADSecurity GPO Persistence 2016',
'url': 'https://adsecurity.org/?p=2716'},
{'description': 'Microsoft Secure Team. (2016, June '
'1). Hacking Team Breach: A Cyber '
'Jurassic Park. Retrieved March 5, '
'2019.',
'source_name': 'Microsoft Hacking Team Breach',
'url': 'https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2016/06/01/hacking-team-breach-a-cyber-jurassic-park/'},
{'description': 'Robbins, A. (2018, April 2). A Red '
'Teamer’s Guide to GPOs and OUs. '
'Retrieved March 5, 2019.',
'source_name': 'Wald0 Guide to GPOs',
'url': 'https://wald0.com/?p=179'},
{'description': 'Schroeder, W. (2016, March 17). '
'Abusing GPO Permissions. Retrieved '
'September 23, 2024.',
'source_name': 'Harmj0y Abusing GPO Permissions',
'url': 'https://blog.harmj0y.net/redteaming/abusing-gpo-permissions/'},
{'description': 'Schroeder, W. (2017, January 10). '
'The Most Dangerous User Right You '
'(Probably) Have Never Heard Of. '
'Retrieved September 23, 2024.',
'source_name': 'Harmj0y SeEnableDelegationPrivilege '
'Right',
'url': 'https://blog.harmj0y.net/activedirectory/the-most-dangerous-user-right-you-probably-have-never-heard-of/'},
{'description': 'srachui. (2012, February 13). Group '
'Policy Basics – Part 1: '
'Understanding the Structure of a '
'Group Policy Object. Retrieved March '
'5, 2019.',
'source_name': 'TechNet Group Policy Basics',
'url': 'https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/musings_of_a_technical_tam/2012/02/13/group-policy-basics-part-1-understanding-the-structure-of-a-group-policy-object/'}],
'id': 'attack-pattern--5d2be8b9-d24c-4e98-83bf-2f5f79477163',
'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
'phase_name': 'defense-evasion'},
{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
'phase_name': 'privilege-escalation'}],
'modified': '2025-10-24T17:48:50.475Z',
'name': 'Group Policy Modification',
'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': ['Itamar Mizrahi, Cymptom',
'Tristan Bennett, Seamless Intelligence'],
'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': '1.1'}