MITRE ATT&CK Technique
Description
Adversaries may modify file or directory permissions/attributes to evade access control lists (ACLs) and access protected files.(Citation: Hybrid Analysis Icacls1 June 2018)(Citation: Hybrid Analysis Icacls2 May 2018) File and directory permissions are commonly managed by ACLs configured by the file or directory owner, or users with the appropriate permissions. File and directory ACL implementations vary by platform, but generally explicitly designate which users or groups can perform which actions (read, write, execute, etc.). Modifications may include changing specific access rights, which may require taking ownership of a file or directory and/or elevated permissions depending on the file or directory’s existing permissions. This may enable malicious activity such as modifying, replacing, or deleting specific files or directories. Specific file and directory modifications may be a required step for many techniques, such as establishing Persistence via [Accessibility Features](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/008), [Boot or Logon Initialization Scripts](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1037), [Unix Shell Configuration Modification](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/004), or tainting/hijacking other instrumental binary/configuration files via [Hijack Execution Flow](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1574). Adversaries may also change permissions of symbolic links. For example, malware (particularly ransomware) may modify symbolic links and associated settings to enable access to files from local shortcuts with remote paths.(Citation: new_rust_based_ransomware)(Citation: bad_luck_blackcat)(Citation: falconoverwatch_blackcat_attack)(Citation: blackmatter_blackcat)(Citation: fsutil_behavior)
Supported Platforms
Created
April 29, 2026
Last Updated
April 29, 2026
STIX Data
{'created': '2018-10-17T00:14:20.652Z',
'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'description': 'Adversaries may modify file or directory '
'permissions/attributes to evade access control lists (ACLs) '
'and access protected files.(Citation: Hybrid Analysis Icacls1 '
'June 2018)(Citation: Hybrid Analysis Icacls2 May 2018) File '
'and directory permissions are commonly managed by ACLs '
'configured by the file or directory owner, or users with the '
'appropriate permissions. File and directory ACL '
'implementations vary by platform, but generally explicitly '
'designate which users or groups can perform which actions '
'(read, write, execute, etc.).\n'
'\n'
'Modifications may include changing specific access rights, '
'which may require taking ownership of a file or directory '
'and/or elevated permissions depending on the file or '
'directory’s existing permissions. This may enable malicious '
'activity such as modifying, replacing, or deleting specific '
'files or directories. Specific file and directory '
'modifications may be a required step for many techniques, '
'such as establishing Persistence via [Accessibility '
'Features](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/008), '
'[Boot or Logon Initialization '
'Scripts](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1037), [Unix '
'Shell Configuration '
'Modification](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1546/004), '
'or tainting/hijacking other instrumental binary/configuration '
'files via [Hijack Execution '
'Flow](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1574).\n'
'\n'
'Adversaries may also change permissions of symbolic links. '
'For example, malware (particularly ransomware) may modify '
'symbolic links and associated settings to enable access to '
'files from local shortcuts with remote paths.(Citation: '
'new_rust_based_ransomware)(Citation: '
'bad_luck_blackcat)(Citation: '
'falconoverwatch_blackcat_attack)(Citation: '
'blackmatter_blackcat)(Citation: fsutil_behavior) ',
'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1222',
'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1222'},
{'description': 'Falcon OverWatch Team. (2022, March '
'23). Falcon OverWatch Threat Hunting '
'Contributes to Seamless Protection '
'Against Novel BlackCat Attack. '
'Retrieved May 5, 2022.',
'source_name': 'falconoverwatch_blackcat_attack',
'url': 'https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/falcon-overwatch-contributes-to-blackcat-protection/'},
{'description': 'Hybrid Analysis. (2018, June 12). '
'c9b65b764985dfd7a11d3faf599c56b8.exe. '
'Retrieved August 19, 2018.',
'source_name': 'Hybrid Analysis Icacls1 June 2018',
'url': 'https://www.hybrid-analysis.com/sample/ef0d2628823e8e0a0de3b08b8eacaf41cf284c086a948bdfd67f4e4373c14e4d?environmentId=100'},
{'description': 'Hybrid Analysis. (2018, May 30). '
'2a8efbfadd798f6111340f7c1c956bee.dll. '
'Retrieved August 19, 2018.',
'source_name': 'Hybrid Analysis Icacls2 May 2018',
'url': 'https://www.hybrid-analysis.com/sample/22dab012c3e20e3d9291bce14a2bfc448036d3b966c6e78167f4626f5f9e38d6?environmentId=110'},
{'description': 'Kaspersky Global Research & Analysis '
'Team (GReAT). (2022). A Bad Luck '
'BlackCat. Retrieved May 5, 2022.',
'source_name': 'bad_luck_blackcat',
'url': 'https://go.kaspersky.com/rs/802-IJN-240/images/TR_BlackCat_Report.pdf'},
{'description': 'Microsoft. (2021, September 27). '
'fsutil behavior. Retrieved January '
'14, 2022.',
'source_name': 'fsutil_behavior',
'url': 'https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/fsutil-behavior'},
{'description': 'Netsurion. (2014, February 19). '
'Monitoring File Permission Changes '
'with the Windows Security Log. '
'Retrieved August 19, 2018.',
'source_name': 'EventTracker File Permissions Feb '
'2014',
'url': 'https://www.eventtracker.com/tech-articles/monitoring-file-permission-changes-windows-security-log/'},
{'description': 'Pereira, T. Huey, C. (2022, March '
'17). From BlackMatter to BlackCat: '
'Analyzing two attacks from one '
'affiliate. Retrieved May 5, 2022.',
'source_name': 'blackmatter_blackcat',
'url': 'https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2022/03/from-blackmatter-to-blackcat-analyzing.html'},
{'description': 'Symantec Threat Hunter Team. (2021, '
'December 16). Noberus: Technical '
'Analysis Shows Sophistication of New '
'Rust-based Ransomware. Retrieved '
'January 14, 2022.',
'source_name': 'new_rust_based_ransomware',
'url': 'https://symantec-enterprise-blogs.security.com/blogs/threat-intelligence/noberus-blackcat-alphv-rust-ransomware'}],
'id': 'attack-pattern--65917ae0-b854-4139-83fe-bf2441cf0196',
'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
'phase_name': 'defense-evasion'}],
'modified': '2025-10-24T17:48:52.570Z',
'name': 'File and Directory Permissions 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': ['CrowdStrike Falcon OverWatch',
'Jan Miller, CrowdStrike'],
'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': ['ESXi', 'Linux', 'macOS', 'Windows'],
'x_mitre_version': '2.3'}