Applied Cybernetics Group
T1046 Network Service Discovery
- Technique
T1046- Tactics
- Discovery
- Research, 90 days
- 5
- KEV CVEs mapped
- 7
- SigmaHQ rules
- 20
- Elastic, Splunk
- 31
- thrunt rules
- 0
- Upstream
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1046
MITRE description
Adversaries may attempt to get a listing of services running on remote hosts and local network infrastructure devices, including those that may be vulnerable to remote software exploitation. Common methods to acquire this information include port, vulnerability, and/or wordlist scans using tools that are brought onto a system.(Citation: CISA AR21-126A FIVEHANDS May 2021) Within cloud environments, adversaries may attempt to discover services running on other cloud hosts. Additionally, if the cloud environment is connected to an on-premises environment, adversaries may be able to identify services running on non-cloud systems as well. Within macOS environments, adversaries may use the native Bonjour application to discover services running on other macOS hosts within a network. The Bonjour mDNSResponder daemon automatically registers and advertises a host’s registered services on the network. For example, adversaries can use a mDNS query (such as <code>dns-sd -B _ssh._tcp .</code>) to find other systems broadcasting the ssh service.(Citation: apple doco bonjour description)(Citation: macOS APT Activity Bradley)
KEV CVEs mapped to this technique
MITRE CTID maps these KEV CVEs to this technique by hand. They are the actively exploited vulnerabilities behind this technique's KEV signal.
Research citing this technique
Reports and advisories from the last 90 days that cite this technique.
-
2026-10-29Cisco Talos: IR trends Q3 2026: Actors impersonate IT help desks in vishing attacks as ransomware activity increases -
2026-10-21Group-IB: Stray Cat, Open Doors: How k0t Wanders Through the Network Edge -
2026-10-19Rapid7: Rapid7 Analysis: NetScaler intrusions chaining CVE-2026-88771 and CVE-2026-88779 -
2026-10-02Group-IB: Anatomía de BraZetsu: Cómo los cibercriminales abastecen el ecosistema clandestino -
2026-08-31Group-IB: Anatomy of BraZetsu: How Cybercriminals Fuel the Underground Ecosystem
Detection coverage
SigmaHQ community rules
- Grixba Malware Reconnaissance Activity (emerging-threats)
- OpenCanary - NMAP FIN Scan (core)
- OpenCanary - NMAP NULL Scan (core)
- OpenCanary - NMAP OS Scan (core)
- OpenCanary - NMAP XMAS Scan (core)
- OpenCanary - Host Port Scan (SYN Scan) (core)
- Linux Network Service Scanning - Auditd (core)
- Pnscan Binary Data Transmission Activity (core)
- Linux Network Service Scanning Tools Execution (core)
- MacOS Network Service Scanning (core)
- Advanced IP Scanner - File Event (core)
- Python Initiated Connection (core)
- HackTool - WinPwn Execution - ScriptBlock (core)
- HackTool - winPEAS Execution (core)
- HackTool - WinPwn Execution (core)
- PUA - Advanced IP Scanner Execution (core)
- PUA - Advanced Port Scanner Execution (core)
- PUA - SoftPerfect Netscan Execution (core)
- PUA - NimScan Execution (core)
- PUA - Nmap/Zenmap Execution (core)
Elastic and Splunk rules
- Suricata and Elastic Defend Network Correlation (elastic)
- DNS Enumeration Detected via Defend for Containers (elastic)
- Suspicious Network Tool Launch Detected via Defend for Containers (elastic)
- Potentially Suspicious Process Started via tmux or screen (elastic)
- Hping Process Activity (elastic)
- Nping Process Activity (elastic)
- Potential Network Scan Executed From Host (elastic)
- Potential Port Scanning Activity from Compromised Host (elastic)
- Potential Subnet Scanning Activity from Compromised Host (elastic)
- Suspicious Network Tool Launched Inside A Container (elastic)
- Potential Linux Hack Tool Launched (elastic)
- Spike in host-based traffic (elastic)
- Spike in Firewall Denies (elastic)
- Spike in Network Traffic (elastic)
- Spike in Network Traffic To a Country (elastic)
- Potential Network Sweep Detected (elastic)
- Potential Network Scan Detected (elastic)
- Potential SIP Extension Enumeration (elastic)
- Potential Low-Packet Port Scan Detected (elastic)
- Newly Seen Commonly Abused Network Scanner (elastic)
- Potential PowerShell HackTool Script by Function Names (elastic)
- Cisco IOS XE Remote Access Probe Burst (splunk)
- Kubernetes Access Scanning (splunk)
- Kubernetes Scanning by Unauthenticated IP Address (splunk)
- Advanced IP or Port Scanner Execution (splunk)
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