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Inhibit System Recovery

Adversaries may delete or remove built-in operating system data and turn off services designed to aid in the recovery of a corrupted system to prevent recovery.[1][2] This may deny access to available backups and recovery options.

Operating systems may contain features that can help fix corrupted systems, such as a backup catalog, volume shadow copies, and automatic repair features. Adversaries may disable or delete system recovery features to augment the effects of Data Destruction and Data Encrypted for Impact.[1][2]

A number of native Windows utilities have been used by adversaries to disable or delete system recovery features:

  • vssadmin.exe can be used to delete all volume shadow copies on a system - vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /quiet
  • Windows Management Instrumentation can be used to delete volume shadow copies - wmic shadowcopy delete
  • wbadmin.exe can be used to delete the Windows Backup Catalog - wbadmin.exe delete catalog -quiet
  • bcdedit.exe can be used to disable automatic Windows recovery features by modifying boot configuration data - bcdedit.exe /set {{default}} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures & bcdedit /set {{default}} recoveryenabled no
ID: T1490
Sub-techniques:  No sub-techniques
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Tactic: Impact
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Platforms: Linux, Windows, macOS
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Impact Type: Availability
Contributors: Yonatan Gotlib, Deep Instinct
Version: 1.1
Created: 02 April 2019
Last Modified: 19 April 2022

Procedure Examples

ID Name Description
S0640 Avaddon

Avaddon deletes backups and shadow copies using native system tools.[3][4]
S0638 Babuk

Babuk has the ability to delete shadow volumes using vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /quiet.[5][6]
S0570 BitPaymer

BitPaymer attempts to remove the backup shadow files from the host using vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /All /Quiet.[7]
S0611 Clop

Clop can delete the shadow volumes with vssadmin Delete Shadows /all /quiet and can use bcdedit to disable recovery options.[8]
S0608 Conficker

Conficker resets system restore points and deletes backup files.[9]
S0575 Conti

Conti can delete Windows Volume Shadow Copies using vssadmin.[10]
S0673 DarkWatchman

DarkWatchman can delete shadow volumes using vssadmin.exe.[11]
S0616 DEATHRANSOM

DEATHRANSOM can delete volume shadow copies on compromised hosts.[12]
S0659 Diavol

Diavol can delete shadow copies using the IVssBackupComponents COM object to call the DeleteSnapshots method.[13]
S0605 EKANS

EKANS removes backups of Volume Shadow Copies to disable any restoration capabilities.[14][15]
S0618 FIVEHANDS

FIVEHANDS has the ability to delete volume shadow copies on compromised hosts.[12][16]
S0132 H1N1

H1N1 disable recovery options and deletes shadow copies from the victim.[17]
S0617 HELLOKITTY

HELLOKITTY can delete volume shadow copies on compromised hosts.[12]
S0697 HermeticWiper

HermeticWiper can disable the VSS service on a compromised host using the service control manager.[18][19][20]
S0260 InvisiMole

InvisiMole can can remove all system restore points.[21]
S0389 JCry

JCry has been observed deleting shadow copies to ensure that data cannot be restored easily.[22]

S0449 Maze

Maze has attempted to delete the shadow volumes of infected machines, once before and once after the encryption process.[23][24]
S0576 MegaCortex

MegaCortex has deleted volume shadow copies using vssadmin.exe.[25]
S0688 Meteor

Meteor can use bcdedit to delete different boot identifiers on a compromised host; it can also use vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /quiet and C:\\Windows\\system32\\wbem\\wmic.exe shadowcopy delete.[26]
S0457 Netwalker

Netwalker can delete the infected system's Shadow Volumes to prevent recovery.[27][28]
S0365 Olympic Destroyer

Olympic Destroyer uses the native Windows utilities vssadmin, wbadmin, and bcdedit to delete and disable operating system recovery features such as the Windows backup catalog and Windows Automatic Repair.[1]
S0654 ProLock

ProLock can use vssadmin.exe to remove volume shadow copies.[29]
S0583 Pysa

Pysa has the functionality to delete shadow copies.[30]

S0481 Ragnar Locker

Ragnar Locker can delete volume shadow copies using vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet.[31]
S0496 REvil

REvil can use vssadmin to delete volume shadow copies and bcdedit to disable recovery features.[32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40]
S0400 RobbinHood

RobbinHood deletes shadow copies to ensure that all the data cannot be restored easily.[41]

S0446 Ryuk

Ryuk has used vssadmin Delete Shadows /all /quiet to to delete volume shadow copies and vssadmin resize shadowstorage to force deletion of shadow copies created by third-party applications.[42]
S0366 WannaCry

WannaCry uses vssadmin, wbadmin, bcdedit, and wmic to delete and disable operating system recovery features.[43][2][44]
S0612 WastedLocker

WastedLocker can delete shadow volumes.[45][46][47]

Mitigations

ID Mitigation Description
M1053 Data Backup

Consider implementing IT disaster recovery plans that contain procedures for taking regular data backups that can be used to restore organizational data.[48] Ensure backups are stored off system and is protected from common methods adversaries may use to gain access and destroy the backups to prevent recovery.
M1028 Operating System Configuration

Consider technical controls to prevent the disabling of services or deletion of files involved in system recovery.

Detection

ID Data Source Data Component
DS0017 Command Command Execution
DS0022 File File Deletion
DS0009 Process Process Creation
DS0019 Service Service Metadata
DS0024 Windows Registry Windows Registry Key Modification

Use process monitoring to monitor the execution and command line parameters of binaries involved in inhibiting system recovery, such as vssadmin, wbadmin, and bcdedit. The Windows event logs, ex. Event ID 524 indicating a system catalog was deleted, may contain entries associated with suspicious activity.

Monitor the status of services involved in system recovery. Monitor the registry for changes associated with system recovery features (ex: the creation of HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PreviousVersions\DisableLocalPage).

References

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  2. Berry, A., Homan, J., and Eitzman, R. (2017, May 23). WannaCry Malware Profile. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  3. Security Lab. (2020, June 5). Avaddon: From seeking affiliates to in-the-wild in 2 days. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  4. Yuste, J. Pastrana, S. (2021, February 9). Avaddon ransomware: an in-depth analysis and decryption of infected systems. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  5. Sogeti. (2021, March). Babuk Ransomware. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  6. Mundo, A. et al. (2021, February). Technical Analysis of Babuk Ransomware. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  7. Frankoff, S., Hartley, B. (2018, November 14). Big Game Hunting: The Evolution of INDRIK SPIDER From Dridex Wire Fraud to BitPaymer Targeted Ransomware. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
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  9. Burton, K. (n.d.). The Conficker Worm. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  10. Baskin, B. (2020, July 8). TAU Threat Discovery: Conti Ransomware. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
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  12. McLellan, T. and Moore, J. et al. (2021, April 29). UNC2447 SOMBRAT and FIVEHANDS Ransomware: A Sophisticated Financial Threat. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  13. Neeamni, D., Rubinfeld, A.. (2021, July 1). Diavol - A New Ransomware Used By Wizard Spider?. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  14. Dragos. (2020, February 3). EKANS Ransomware and ICS Operations. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  15. Hinchliffe, A. Santos, D.. (2020, June 26). Threat Assessment: EKANS Ransomware. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  16. CISA. (2021, May 6). Analysis Report (AR21-126A) FiveHands Ransomware. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  17. Reynolds, J.. (2016, September 14). H1N1: Technical analysis reveals new capabilities – part 2. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  18. Thomas, W. et al. (2022, February 25). CrowdStrike Falcon Protects from New Wiper Malware Used in Ukraine Cyberattacks. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  19. ESET. (2022, March 1). IsaacWiper and HermeticWizard: New wiper and worm targetingUkraine. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  20. Dani, M. (2022, March 1). Ukrainian Targets Hit by HermeticWiper, New Datawiper Malware. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
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  23. Mundo, A. (2020, March 26). Ransomware Maze. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  24. Brandt, A., Mackenzie, P.. (2020, September 17). Maze Attackers Adopt Ragnar Locker Virtual Machine Technique. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  1. Del Fierro, C. Kessem, L.. (2020, January 8). From Mega to Giga: Cross-Version Comparison of Top MegaCortex Modifications. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  2. Check Point Research Team. (2021, August 14). Indra - Hackers Behind Recent Attacks on Iran. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  3. Victor, K.. (2020, May 18). Netwalker Fileless Ransomware Injected via Reflective Loading . Retrieved May 26, 2020.
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  5. Group IB. (2020, September). LOCK LIKE A PRO. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
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  10. Secureworks . (2019, September 24). REvil: The GandCrab Connection. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
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