T1020.001sub-technique of T1020 Automated Exfiltration
Traffic Duplication
Network Devices · IaaSnothing on this site yetT1020.001 on attack.mitre.org
Adversaries may leverage traffic mirroring in order to automate data exfiltration over compromised infrastructure. Traffic mirroring is a native feature for some devices, often used for network analysis. For example, devices may be configured to forward network traffic to one or more destinations for analysis by a network analyzer or other monitoring device.
If this is happening now
Checklists and playbooks to open while the alert is still live.
Playbook for this stage
Suspected data theft by an insider
A resignation with unusual file access, a DLP alert, or an unexplained large transfer.
how MITRE says to see it
Detection Strategy for Traffic Duplication via Mirroring in IaaS and Network Devices
- Configuration changes to virtual TAP/mirror policies that forward traffic to unapproved destinations. Detection correlates management plane API calls with mirrored traffic observation.
- Unauthorized mirroring sessions initiated on routers/switches (e.g., via `monitor session`, `mirror port`) coupled with outbound traffic from mirrored interface to unexpected destinations.
what reduces it
- M1057 Data Loss Prevention. Implement Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solutions to monitor, detect, and control the flow of sensitive information. DLP tools can be configured to block unauthorized attempts to exfiltrate data, such as preventing emails from being forwarded to external recipients or monitoring for suspicious data transfers.
- M1018 User Account Management. In cloud environments, ensure that users are not granted permissions to create or modify traffic mirrors unless this is explicitly required.
- M1041 Encrypt Sensitive Information. Ensure that all wired and/or wireless traffic is encrypted appropriately. Use best practices for authentication protocols, such as Kerberos, and ensure web traffic that may contain credentials is protected by SSL/TLS.