COMMON ATTACK PATTERN ENUMERATION AND CLASSIFICATIONLive MITRE record

CAPEC-669

Alteration of a Software Update

An adversary with access to an organization’s software update infrastructure inserts malware into the content of an outgoing update to fielded systems where a wide range of malicious effects are possible. With the same level of access, the adversary can alter a software update to perform specific malicious acts including granting the adversary control over the software’s normal functionality.

Abstraction

Standard

Typical severity

High

Likelihood of attack

Medium

Understand the attack

What is this attack pattern?

An adversary with access to an organization’s software update infrastructure inserts malware into the content of an outgoing update to fielded systems where a wide range of malicious effects are possible. With the same level of access, the adversary can alter a software update to perform specific malicious acts including granting the adversary control over the software’s normal functionality.

Execution flow

How does the attack proceed, step by step?

1

Explore

Identify software with frequent updates

The adversary must first identify a target software that has updates at least with some frequency, enough that there is am update infrastructure.
2

Experiment

Gain access to udpate infrastructure

The adversary must then gain access to the organization's software update infrastructure. This can either be done by gaining remote access from outside the organization, or by having a malicious actor inside the organization gain access. It is often easier if someone within the organization gains access.
3

Exploit

Alter the software update

Through access to the software update infrastructure, an adversary will alter the software update by injecting malware into the content of an outgoing update.

Requirements

What does the attack require?

Prerequisites

  • An adversary would need to have penetrated an organization’s software update infrastructure including gaining access to components supporting the configuration management of software versions and updates related to the software maintenance of customer systems.

Skills required

  • High: Skills required include the ability to infiltrate the organization’s software update infrastructure either from the Internet or from within the organization, including subcontractors, and be able to change software being delivered to customer/user systems in an undetected manner.

Resources required

Not stated in the MITRE record.

Impact

What does a successful attack lead to?

Gain Privileges

Affected scopes: Access Control

Execute Unauthorized Commands

Affected scopes: Authorization

Modify Data

Affected scopes: Integrity

Read Data

Affected scopes: Confidentiality

Defence

How is it prevented and mitigated?

1
Have a Software Assurance Plan that includes maintaining strict configuration management control of source code, object code and software development, build and distribution tools; manual code reviews and static code analysis for developmental software; and tracking of all storage and movement of code.
2
Require elevated privileges for distribution of software and software updates.

Real world

MITRE example instances

Example instance 1Detail
A subcontractor to a software developer injects maliciously altered software updates into an automated update process that distributes to government and commercial customers software containing a hidden backdoor.