ATT&CK technique · T1552.001
Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files
Credential Access· seen in 3 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-221 KEV CVEImproper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')Sequences like ../ in a file path escape the intended folder, exposing or overwriting other files.
- CWE-231 KEV CVERelative Path TraversalRelative ../ segments in input climb out of the allowed directory.
- CWE-2841 KEV CVEImproper Access ControlRestrictions on who can access a resource are missing or wrong.
- CWE-2851 KEV CVEImproper AuthorizationThe system checks who you are but not whether you're allowed to do what you're asking.
- CWE-361 KEV CVEAbsolute Path TraversalAn absolute path in input points straight at a file outside the allowed directory.
- CWE-6391 KEV CVEAuthorization Bypass Through User-Controlled KeyChanging an id in a request (an IDOR) returns another user's data.
- CWE-7981 KEV CVEUse of Hard-coded CredentialsA password or key is baked into the product, identical on every install and easy to find.
- CWE-8621 KEV CVEMissing AuthorizationNo permission check is made before the action, so any logged-in user can perform it.
Controls that mitigate it (17)
NIST SP 800-53 rev5, grouped by family (CTID mapping).
AC · Access Control
CA · Security Assessment and Authorization
CM · Configuration Management
IA · Identification and Authentication
RA · Risk Assessment
SA · System and Services Acquisition
SC · System and Communications Protection
SI · System and Information Integrity
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.