MITRE ATT&CK Technique
Description
Adversaries may abuse Lua commands and scripts for execution. Lua is a cross-platform scripting and programming language primarily designed for embedded use in applications. Lua can be executed on the command-line (through the stand-alone lua interpreter), via scripts (<code>.lua</code>), or from Lua-embedded programs (through the <code>struct lua_State</code>).(Citation: Lua main page)(Citation: Lua state) Lua scripts may be executed by adversaries for malicious purposes. Adversaries may incorporate, abuse, or replace existing Lua interpreters to allow for malicious Lua command execution at runtime.(Citation: PoetRat Lua)(Citation: Lua Proofpoint Sunseed)(Citation: Cyphort EvilBunny)(Citation: Kaspersky Lua)
Supported Platforms
Created
April 29, 2026
Last Updated
April 29, 2026
STIX Data
{'created': '2024-08-05T18:19:42.201Z',
'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'description': 'Adversaries may abuse Lua commands and scripts for execution. '
'Lua is a cross-platform scripting and programming language '
'primarily designed for embedded use in applications. Lua can '
'be executed on the command-line (through the stand-alone lua '
'interpreter), via scripts (<code>.lua</code>), or from '
'Lua-embedded programs (through the <code>struct '
'lua_State</code>).(Citation: Lua main page)(Citation: Lua '
'state)\n'
'\n'
'Lua scripts may be executed by adversaries for malicious '
'purposes. Adversaries may incorporate, abuse, or replace '
'existing Lua interpreters to allow for malicious Lua command '
'execution at runtime.(Citation: PoetRat Lua)(Citation: Lua '
'Proofpoint Sunseed)(Citation: Cyphort EvilBunny)(Citation: '
'Kaspersky Lua)',
'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1059.011',
'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/011'},
{'description': 'Global Research and Analysis Team. '
'(2016, August 9). The ProjectSauron '
'APT. Retrieved August 5, 2024.',
'source_name': 'Kaspersky Lua',
'url': 'https://media.kasperskycontenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2018/03/07190154/The-ProjectSauron-APT_research_KL.pdf'},
{'description': 'Lua. (2024, June 25). Getting '
'started. Retrieved August 5, 2024.',
'source_name': 'Lua main page',
'url': 'https://www.lua.org/start.html'},
{'description': 'Lua. (n.d.). lua_State. Retrieved '
'August 5, 2024.',
'source_name': 'Lua state',
'url': 'https://pgl.yoyo.org/luai/i/lua_State'},
{'description': 'Marschalek, Marion. (2014, December '
'16). EvilBunny: Malware Instrumented '
'By Lua. Retrieved August 5, 2024.',
'source_name': 'Cyphort EvilBunny',
'url': 'https://web.archive.org/web/20150311013500/http:/www.cyphort.com/evilbunny-malware-instrumented-lua/'},
{'description': 'Mercer, Warren. (2020, October 6). '
'PoetRAT: Malware targeting public '
'and private sector in Azerbaijan '
'evolves. Retrieved August 5, 2024.',
'source_name': 'PoetRat Lua',
'url': 'https://blog.talosintelligence.com/poetrat-update/'},
{'description': 'Raggi, Michael. Cass, Zydeca. The '
'Proofpoint Threat Research Team.. '
'(2022, March 1). Asylum Ambuscade: '
'State Actor Uses Lua-based Sunseed '
'Malware to Target European '
'Governments and Refugee Movement. '
'Retrieved August 5, 2024.',
'source_name': 'Lua Proofpoint Sunseed',
'url': 'https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/asylum-ambuscade-state-actor-uses-compromised-private-ukrainian-military-emails'}],
'id': 'attack-pattern--afddee82-3385-4682-ad90-eeced33f2d07',
'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
'phase_name': 'execution'}],
'modified': '2025-04-15T19:58:57.854Z',
'name': 'Lua',
'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_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': ['Linux', 'Network Devices', 'Windows', 'macOS'],
'x_mitre_remote_support': False,
'x_mitre_version': '1.1'}