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MITRE ATT&CK · T1185

Browser Session Hijacking

MITRE · cited in 8 of our lessons

Explanation

What attackers do. Attackers take over a user's browser session, for example by injecting into the browser process or abusing browser features, to view or change web content and act within sessions the user has already authenticated. This serves the Collection tactic and is used in banking trojans.

How to defend. Protect endpoints with detection that watches for injection into browser processes and for unexpected remote debugging use. Manage browser settings and extensions centrally, keep browsers patched, and require re-authentication for sensitive actions in web applications.

Signs to look for. Look for processes injecting into browsers, browsers started with remote debugging flags, unexpected proxy settings and transactions the user did not intend. A common gap is that the activity happens inside a legitimate session, so server logs look normal.

Open the technique on MITRE ATT&CK
The official text
Adversaries may take advantage of security vulnerabilities and inherent functionality in browser software to change content, modify user-behaviors, and intercept information as part of various browser session hijacking techniques. A specific example is when an adversary injects software into a browser that allows them to inherit cookies, HTTP sessions, and SSL client certificates of a user then use the browser as a way to pivot into an authenticated intranet. Executing browser-based behaviors such as pivoting may require specific process permissions, such as `SeDebugPrivilege` and/or high-integrity/administrator rights. Another example involves pivoting browser traffic from the adversary's browser through the user's browser by setting up a proxy which will redirect web traffic. This does not alter the user's traffic in any way, and the proxy connection can be severed as soon as the browser is closed. The adversary assumes the security context of whichever browser process the proxy is injected into. Browsers typically create a new process for each tab that is opened and permissions and certificates are separated accordingly. With these permissions, an adversary could potentially browse to any resource on an intranet, such as Sharepoint or webmail, that is accessible through the browser and which the browser has sufficient permissions. Browser pivoting may also bypass security provided by 2-factor authentication.

© The MITRE Corporation. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of The MITRE Corporation (MITRE ATT&CK®).

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