T1204 User Execution
EnterpriseAn adversary may rely upon specific actions by a user in order to gain execution. Users may be subjected to social engineering to get them to execute malicious code by, for example, opening a malicious document file or link. These user actions will typically be observed as follow-on behavior from forms of Phishing. While User Execution frequently occurs shortly after Initial Access it may occur at other phases of an intrusion, such as when an adversary places a file in a shared directory or on a user's desktop hoping that a user will click on it. This activity may also be seen shortly after Internal Spearphishing. Adversaries may also deceive users into performing actions such as: * Enabling Remote Access Tools, allowing direct control of the system to the adversary * Running malicious JavaScript in their browser, allowing adversaries to Steal Web Session Cookies * Downloading and executing malware for User Execution * Coerceing users to copy, paste, and execute malicious code manually For example, tech support scams can be facilitated through Phishing, vishing, or various forms of user interaction. Adversaries can use a combination of these methods, such as spoofing and promoting toll-free numbers or call centers that are used to direct victims to malicious websites, to deliver and execute payloads containing malware or Remote Access Tools.
platforms
Platforms this applies to.
tactics
ATT&CK tactics this technique serves.
sub-techniques (5)
More specific entries beneath this one.
mitigations
ATT&CK mitigations that reduce this.
detected by (11)
Data components that detect this.
NIST CSF 2.0 — areas of relevance (Protect / Detect)
NIST CSF 2.0 areas this most relates to (evidence-ranked).
- DE.CMContinuous Monitoringmoderate · backed by 6 of 13 mapped controls
- PR.DSData Securitymoderate · backed by 6 of 13 mapped controls
- PR.PSPlatform Securitymoderate · backed by 5 of 13 mapped controls
Derived from MITRE CTID (Apache-2.0) and the NIST 800-53 ↔ CSF crosswalk (public domain). Indicative relevance along the Protect/Detect axis — not a compliance assessment or coverage claim.
mitigating controls (13)
Security controls that mitigate this.
known-exploited CVEs (2)
Related CVEs.
| ID | severity | exploitable | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2025-24993US | —OT critical | KEV | ||
Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows NTFS allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally. | ||||
| CVE-2023-38831US | high7.8OT critical | KEV | ||
RARLAB WinRAR before 6.23 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code when a user attempts to view a benign file within a ZIP archive. The issue occurs because a ZIP archive may inc… | ||||
groups (2)
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software (2)
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campaigns (1)
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Detected by (Sigma) (10)
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source
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