MITRE ATT&CK Technique
Description
Adversaries may attempt to make an executable or file difficult to discover or analyze by encrypting, encoding, or otherwise obfuscating its contents on the system or in transit. This is common behavior that can be used across different platforms and the network to evade defenses. Payloads may be compressed, archived, or encrypted in order to avoid detection. These payloads may be used during Initial Access or later to mitigate detection. Sometimes a user's action may be required to open and [Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1140) for [User Execution](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1204). The user may also be required to input a password to open a password protected compressed/encrypted file that was provided by the adversary. (Citation: Volexity PowerDuke November 2016) Adversaries may also use compressed or archived scripts, such as JavaScript. Portions of files can also be encoded to hide the plain-text strings that would otherwise help defenders with discovery. (Citation: Linux/Cdorked.A We Live Security Analysis) Payloads may also be split into separate, seemingly benign files that only reveal malicious functionality when reassembled. (Citation: Carbon Black Obfuscation Sept 2016) Adversaries may also abuse [Command Obfuscation](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027/010) to obscure commands executed from payloads or directly via [Command and Scripting Interpreter](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059). Environment variables, aliases, characters, and other platform/language specific semantics can be used to evade signature based detections and application control mechanisms. (Citation: FireEye Obfuscation June 2017) (Citation: FireEye Revoke-Obfuscation July 2017)(Citation: PaloAlto EncodedCommand March 2017)
Supported Platforms
Created
April 29, 2026
Last Updated
April 29, 2026
STIX Data
{'created': '2017-05-31T21:30:32.662Z',
'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'description': 'Adversaries may attempt to make an executable or file '
'difficult to discover or analyze by encrypting, encoding, or '
'otherwise obfuscating its contents on the system or in '
'transit. This is common behavior that can be used across '
'different platforms and the network to evade defenses. \n'
'\n'
'Payloads may be compressed, archived, or encrypted in order '
'to avoid detection. These payloads may be used during Initial '
"Access or later to mitigate detection. Sometimes a user's "
'action may be required to open and [Deobfuscate/Decode Files '
'or Information](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1140) '
'for [User '
'Execution](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1204). The '
'user may also be required to input a password to open a '
'password protected compressed/encrypted file that was '
'provided by the adversary. (Citation: Volexity PowerDuke '
'November 2016) Adversaries may also use compressed or '
'archived scripts, such as JavaScript. \n'
'\n'
'Portions of files can also be encoded to hide the plain-text '
'strings that would otherwise help defenders with discovery. '
'(Citation: Linux/Cdorked.A We Live Security Analysis) '
'Payloads may also be split into separate, seemingly benign '
'files that only reveal malicious functionality when '
'reassembled. (Citation: Carbon Black Obfuscation Sept 2016)\n'
'\n'
'Adversaries may also abuse [Command '
'Obfuscation](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027/010) '
'to obscure commands executed from payloads or directly via '
'[Command and Scripting '
'Interpreter](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059). '
'Environment variables, aliases, characters, and other '
'platform/language specific semantics can be used to evade '
'signature based detections and application control '
'mechanisms. (Citation: FireEye Obfuscation June 2017) '
'(Citation: FireEye Revoke-Obfuscation July 2017)(Citation: '
'PaloAlto EncodedCommand March 2017) ',
'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1027',
'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027'},
{'description': 'Adair, S.. (2016, November 9). '
'PowerDuke: Widespread Post-Election '
'Spear Phishing Campaigns Targeting '
'Think Tanks and NGOs. Retrieved '
'January 11, 2017.',
'source_name': 'Volexity PowerDuke November 2016',
'url': 'https://www.volexity.com/blog/2016/11/09/powerduke-post-election-spear-phishing-campaigns-targeting-think-tanks-and-ngos/'},
{'description': 'Bohannon, D. (2017, July 27). '
'Revoke-Obfuscation. Retrieved '
'February 12, 2018.',
'source_name': 'GitHub Revoke-Obfuscation',
'url': 'https://github.com/danielbohannon/Revoke-Obfuscation'},
{'description': 'Bohannon, D. & Carr N. (2017, June '
'30). Obfuscation in the Wild: '
'Targeted Attackers Lead the Way in '
'Evasion Techniques. Retrieved '
'February 12, 2018.',
'source_name': 'FireEye Obfuscation June 2017',
'url': 'https://web.archive.org/web/20170923102302/https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2017/06/obfuscation-in-the-wild.html'},
{'description': 'Bohannon, D. & Holmes, L. (2017, '
'July 27). Revoke-Obfuscation: '
'PowerShell Obfuscation Detection '
'Using Science. Retrieved November '
'17, 2024.',
'source_name': 'FireEye Revoke-Obfuscation July 2017',
'url': 'https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-17/thursday/us-17-Bohannon-Revoke-Obfuscation-PowerShell-Obfuscation-Detection-And%20Evasion-Using-Science-wp.pdf'},
{'description': 'Carr, N. (2016, August 14). '
'OfficeCrackros. Retrieved February '
'12, 2018.',
'source_name': 'GitHub Office-Crackros Aug 2016',
'url': 'https://github.com/itsreallynick/office-crackros'},
{'description': 'Pierre-Marc Bureau. (2013, April '
'26). Linux/Cdorked.A: New Apache '
'backdoor being used in the wild to '
'serve Blackhole. Retrieved September '
'10, 2017.',
'source_name': 'Linux/Cdorked.A We Live Security '
'Analysis',
'url': 'https://www.welivesecurity.com/2013/04/26/linuxcdorked-new-apache-backdoor-in-the-wild-serves-blackhole/'},
{'description': 'Tedesco, B. (2016, September 23). '
'Security Alert Summary. Retrieved '
'February 12, 2018.',
'source_name': 'Carbon Black Obfuscation Sept 2016',
'url': 'https://www.carbonblack.com/2016/09/23/security-advisory-variants-well-known-adware-families-discovered-include-sophisticated-obfuscation-techniques-previously-associated-nation-state-attacks/'},
{'description': 'White, J. (2017, March 10). Pulling '
'Back the Curtains on EncodedCommand '
'PowerShell Attacks. Retrieved '
'February 12, 2018.',
'source_name': 'PaloAlto EncodedCommand March 2017',
'url': 'https://researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/2017/03/unit42-pulling-back-the-curtains-on-encodedcommand-powershell-attacks/'}],
'id': 'attack-pattern--b3d682b6-98f2-4fb0-aa3b-b4df007ca70a',
'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
'phase_name': 'defense-evasion'}],
'modified': '2025-10-24T17:49:15.265Z',
'name': 'Obfuscated Files or Information',
'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': ['Red Canary', 'Christiaan Beek, @ChristiaanBeek'],
'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', 'Network Devices', 'Windows'],
'x_mitre_version': '1.7'}