MITRE ATT&CK Technique
Discovery T1046
Description

Adversaries may attempt to get a listing of services running on remote hosts and local network infrastructure devices, including those that may be vulnerable to remote software exploitation. Common methods to acquire this information include port, vulnerability, and/or wordlist scans using tools that are brought onto a system.(Citation: CISA AR21-126A FIVEHANDS May 2021) Within cloud environments, adversaries may attempt to discover services running on other cloud hosts. Additionally, if the cloud environment is connected to a on-premises environment, adversaries may be able to identify services running on non-cloud systems as well. Within macOS environments, adversaries may use the native Bonjour application to discover services running on other macOS hosts within a network. The Bonjour mDNSResponder daemon automatically registers and advertises a host’s registered services on the network. For example, adversaries can use a mDNS query (such as <code>dns-sd -B _ssh._tcp .</code>) to find other systems broadcasting the ssh service.(Citation: apple doco bonjour description)(Citation: macOS APT Activity Bradley)

Supported Platforms
Containers IaaS Linux macOS Network Devices Windows
Created

April 29, 2026

Last Updated

April 29, 2026

STIX Data
{'created': '2017-05-31T21:30:43.915Z',
 'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
 'description': 'Adversaries may attempt to get a listing of services running '
                'on remote hosts and local network infrastructure devices, '
                'including those that may be vulnerable to remote software '
                'exploitation. Common methods to acquire this information '
                'include port, vulnerability, and/or wordlist scans using '
                'tools that are brought onto a system.(Citation: CISA '
                'AR21-126A FIVEHANDS May 2021)   \n'
                '\n'
                'Within cloud environments, adversaries may attempt to '
                'discover services running on other cloud hosts. Additionally, '
                'if the cloud environment is connected to a on-premises '
                'environment, adversaries may be able to identify services '
                'running on non-cloud systems as well.\n'
                '\n'
                'Within macOS environments, adversaries may use the native '
                'Bonjour application to discover services running on other '
                'macOS hosts within a network. The Bonjour mDNSResponder '
                'daemon automatically registers and advertises a host’s '
                'registered services on the network. For example, adversaries '
                'can use a mDNS query (such as <code>dns-sd -B _ssh._tcp '
                '.</code>) to find other systems broadcasting the ssh '
                'service.(Citation: apple doco bonjour description)(Citation: '
                'macOS APT Activity Bradley)',
 'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1046',
                          'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
                          'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1046'},
                         {'description': 'Apple Inc. (2013, April 23). Bonjour '
                                         'Overview. Retrieved October 11, '
                                         '2021.',
                          'source_name': 'apple doco bonjour description',
                          'url': 'https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/NetServices/Introduction.html'},
                         {'description': 'CISA. (2021, May 6). Analysis Report '
                                         '(AR21-126A) FiveHands Ransomware. '
                                         'Retrieved June 7, 2021.',
                          'source_name': 'CISA AR21-126A FIVEHANDS May 2021',
                          'url': 'https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/analysis-reports/ar21-126a'},
                         {'description': 'Jaron Bradley. (2021, November 14). '
                                         'What does APT Activity Look Like on '
                                         'macOS?. Retrieved January 19, 2022.',
                          'source_name': 'macOS APT Activity Bradley',
                          'url': 'https://themittenmac.com/what-does-apt-activity-look-like-on-macos/'}],
 'id': 'attack-pattern--e3a12395-188d-4051-9a16-ea8e14d07b88',
 'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
                        'phase_name': 'discovery'}],
 'modified': '2025-10-24T17:49:31.494Z',
 'name': 'Network Service Discovery',
 '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': ['Praetorian', 'Aaron Sullivan aka ZerkerEOD'],
 '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': ['Containers',
                       'IaaS',
                       'Linux',
                       'macOS',
                       'Network Devices',
                       'Windows'],
 'x_mitre_version': '3.2'}
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