Applied Cybernetics Group
T1070.006 Timestomp
- Technique
T1070.006- Tactics
- Defense Evasion
- Research, 90 days
- 1
- KEV CVEs mapped
- 0
- SigmaHQ rules
- 6
- Elastic, Splunk
- 4
- thrunt rules
- 0
- Upstream
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1070/006
MITRE description
Adversaries may modify file time attributes to hide new files or changes to existing files. Timestomping is a technique that modifies the timestamps of a file (the modify, access, create, and change times), often to mimic files that are in the same folder and blend malicious files with legitimate files. In Windows systems, both the `$STANDARD_INFORMATION` (`$SI`) and `$FILE_NAME` (`$FN`) attributes record times in a Master File Table (MFT) file.(Citation: Inversecos Timestomping 2022) `$SI` (dates/time stamps) is displayed to the end user, including in the File System view, while `$FN` is dealt with by the kernel.(Citation: Magnet Forensics) Modifying the `$SI` attribute is the most common method of timestomping because it can be modified at the user level using API calls. `$FN` timestomping, however, typically requires interacting with the system kernel or moving or renaming a file.(Citation: Inversecos Timestomping 2022) Adversaries modify timestamps on files so that they do not appear conspicuous to forensic investigators or file analysis tools. In order to evade detections that rely on identifying discrepancies between the `$SI` and `$FN` attributes, adversaries may also engage in “double timestomping” by modifying times on both attributes simultaneously.(Citation: Double Timestomping) In Linux systems and on ESXi servers, threat actors may attempt to perform timestomping using commands such as `touch -a -m -t <timestamp> <filename>` (which sets access and modification times to a specific value) or `touch -r <filename> <filename>` (which sets access and modification times to match those of another file).(Citation: Inversecos Linux Timestomping)(Citation: Juniper Networks ESXi Backdoor 2022) Timestomping may be used along with file name [Masquerading](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1036) to hide malware and tools.(Citation: WindowsIR Anti-Forensic Techniques)
Research citing this technique
Reports and advisories from the last 90 days that cite this technique.
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2026-10-28Cisco Talos: Inside KeyDrift: Analyzing historical UAT-11473 activity on Cisco SD-WAN
Detection coverage
SigmaHQ community rules
- File Creation Date Changed to Another Year (threat-hunting)
- File Time Attribute Change - Linux (core)
- Touch Suspicious Service File (core)
- File Time Attribute Change (core)
- Unauthorized System Time Modification (core)
- Powershell Timestomp (core)
Elastic and Splunk rules
- Timestomping using Touch Command (elastic)
- ESXI Timestomping using Touch Command (elastic)
- Potential Timestomp in Executable Files (elastic)
- ESXi System Clock Manipulation (splunk)