MITRE ATT&CK Technique
Impact T1488
Description

Adversaries may erase the contents of storage devices on specific systems as well as large numbers of systems in a network to interrupt availability to system and network resources. Adversaries may partially or completely overwrite the contents of a storage device rendering the data irrecoverable through the storage interface.(Citation: Novetta Blockbuster)(Citation: Novetta Blockbuster Destructive Malware)(Citation: DOJ Lazarus Sony 2018) Instead of wiping specific disk structures or files, adversaries with destructive intent may wipe arbitrary portions of disk content. To wipe disk content, adversaries may acquire direct access to the hard drive in order to overwrite arbitrarily sized portions of disk with random data.(Citation: Novetta Blockbuster Destructive Malware) Adversaries have been observed leveraging third-party drivers like [RawDisk](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0364) to directly access disk content.(Citation: Novetta Blockbuster)(Citation: Novetta Blockbuster Destructive Malware) This behavior is distinct from [Data Destruction](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1485) because sections of the disk erased instead of individual files. To maximize impact on the target organization in operations where network-wide availability interruption is the goal, malware used for wiping disk content may have worm-like features to propagate across a network by leveraging additional techniques like [Valid Accounts](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078), [OS Credential Dumping](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1003), and [Windows Admin Shares](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1077).(Citation: Novetta Blockbuster Destructive Malware)

Supported Platforms
Linux macOS Windows
Created

April 29, 2026

Last Updated

April 29, 2026

STIX Data
{'created': '2019-03-29T14:59:50.763Z',
 'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
 'description': 'Adversaries may erase the contents of storage devices on '
                'specific systems as well as large numbers of systems in a '
                'network to interrupt availability to system and network '
                'resources.\n'
                '\n'
                'Adversaries may partially or completely overwrite the '
                'contents of a storage device rendering the data irrecoverable '
                'through the storage interface.(Citation: Novetta '
                'Blockbuster)(Citation: Novetta Blockbuster Destructive '
                'Malware)(Citation: DOJ Lazarus Sony 2018) Instead of wiping '
                'specific disk structures or files, adversaries with '
                'destructive intent may wipe arbitrary portions of disk '
                'content. To wipe disk content, adversaries may acquire direct '
                'access to the hard drive in order to overwrite arbitrarily '
                'sized portions of disk with random data.(Citation: Novetta '
                'Blockbuster Destructive Malware) Adversaries have been '
                'observed leveraging third-party drivers like '
                '[RawDisk](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0364) to '
                'directly access disk content.(Citation: Novetta '
                'Blockbuster)(Citation: Novetta Blockbuster Destructive '
                'Malware) This behavior is distinct from [Data '
                'Destruction](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1485) '
                'because sections of the disk erased instead of individual '
                'files.\n'
                '\n'
                'To maximize impact on the target organization in operations '
                'where network-wide availability interruption is the goal, '
                'malware used for wiping disk content may have worm-like '
                'features to propagate across a network by leveraging '
                'additional techniques like [Valid '
                'Accounts](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078), [OS '
                'Credential '
                'Dumping](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1003), and '
                '[Windows Admin '
                'Shares](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1077).(Citation: '
                'Novetta Blockbuster Destructive Malware)',
 'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1488',
                          'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
                          'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1488'},
                         {'description': 'Novetta Threat Research Group. '
                                         '(2016, February 24). Operation '
                                         'Blockbuster: Unraveling the Long '
                                         'Thread of the Sony Attack. Retrieved '
                                         'February 25, 2016.',
                          'source_name': 'Novetta Blockbuster',
                          'url': 'https://www.operationblockbuster.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Operation-Blockbuster-Report.pdf'},
                         {'description': 'Novetta Threat Research Group. '
                                         '(2016, February 24). Operation '
                                         'Blockbuster: Destructive Malware '
                                         'Report. Retrieved March 2, 2016.',
                          'source_name': 'Novetta Blockbuster Destructive '
                                         'Malware',
                          'url': 'https://operationblockbuster.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Operation-Blockbuster-Destructive-Malware-Report.pdf'},
                         {'description': 'Department of Justice. (2018, '
                                         'September 6). Criminal Complaint - '
                                         'United States of America v. PARK JIN '
                                         'HYOK. Retrieved March 29, 2019.',
                          'source_name': 'DOJ Lazarus Sony 2018',
                          'url': 'https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1092091/download'}],
 'id': 'attack-pattern--b82f7d37-b826-4ec9-9391-8e121c78aed7',
 'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
                        'phase_name': 'impact'}],
 'modified': '2025-10-24T17:49:16.677Z',
 'name': 'Disk Content Wipe',
 'object_marking_refs': ['marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168'],
 'revoked': True,
 '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_impact_type': ['Availability'],
 'x_mitre_is_subtechnique': False,
 'x_mitre_modified_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
 'x_mitre_platforms': ['Linux', 'macOS', 'Windows'],
 'x_mitre_version': '1.1'}
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