ATT&CK technique · T1204.002
User Execution: Malicious File
Execution· seen in 33 CISA KEV exploits
Full description, procedures and detections on attack.mitre.org
Who uses it
ATT&CK groups and malware with this technique. Highlighted: in SecurityTabs news this month.
Weaknesses that lead here
Classes of exploited vulnerability that CTID maps to this technique.
- CWE-4167 KEV CVEsUse After FreeThe program keeps using memory after releasing it, so an attacker who controls what lands there next can hijack execution.
- CWE-1195 KEV CVEsImproper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory BufferCode reads or writes past the end of a buffer, the root of most classic memory-corruption exploits.
- CWE-1205 KEV CVEsBuffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')Input is copied into a fixed-size buffer without checking its length, overwriting whatever follows.
- CWE-1215 KEV CVEsStack-based Buffer OverflowAn overflow on the stack can overwrite the return address and redirect the program to attacker code.
- CWE-1225 KEV CVEsHeap-based Buffer OverflowAn overflow on the heap corrupts neighbouring objects, often turned into code execution.
- CWE-1252 KEV CVEsOut-of-bounds ReadCode reads beyond a buffer, leaking secrets such as keys or memory addresses that defeat other defences.
- CWE-7872 KEV CVEsOut-of-bounds WriteData is written outside the memory it belongs to; the most common root cause of exploited memory bugs.
- CWE-201 KEV CVEImproper Input ValidationInput isn't checked against what the program expects; the umbrella cause behind many specific flaws.
Controls that mitigate it (12)
NIST SP 800-53 rev5, grouped by family (CTID mapping).
AC · Access Control
CA · Security Assessment and Authorization
CM · Configuration Management
SC · System and Communications Protection
Weaknesses from each CVE's CVE Record (CWE, © MITRE). Techniques: MITRE ATT&CK®. Technique ↔ control and CVE ↔ technique links: Center for Threat-Informed Defense Mappings Explorer (NIST SP 800-53 rev5; CISA KEV). Plain-language explainers are SecurityTabs editorial.