T1589.001 Credentials

Technique: T1589.001
Tactics: Reconnaissance
Research, 90 days: 1
KEV CVEs mapped: 0
SigmaHQ rules: 0
Elastic, Splunk: 2
thrunt rules: 0
Upstream: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1589/001

MITRE description

Adversaries may gather credentials that can be used during targeting. Account credentials gathered by adversaries may be those directly associated with the target victim organization or attempt to take advantage of the tendency for users to use the same passwords across personal and business accounts. Adversaries may gather credentials from potential victims in various ways, such as direct elicitation via [Phishing for Information](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1598). Adversaries may also compromise sites then add malicious content designed to collect website authentication cookies from visitors.(Citation: ATT ScanBox)(Citation: Register Deloitte)(Citation: Register Uber)(Citation: Detectify Slack Tokens)(Citation: Forbes GitHub Creds)(Citation: GitHub truffleHog)(Citation: GitHub Gitrob)(Citation: CNET Leaks) Where multi-factor authentication (MFA) based on out-of-band communications is in use, adversaries may compromise a service provider to gain access to MFA codes and one-time passwords (OTP).(Citation: Okta Scatter Swine 2022) Credential information may also be exposed to adversaries via leaks to online or other accessible data sets (ex: [Search Engines](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1593/002), breach dumps, code repositories, etc.). Adversaries may purchase credentials from dark web markets, such as Russian Market and 2easy, or through access to Telegram channels that distribute logs from infostealer malware.(Citation: Bleeping Computer 2easy 2021)(Citation: SecureWorks Infostealers 2023)(Citation: Bleeping Computer Stealer Logs 2023) Gathering this information may reveal opportunities for other forms of reconnaissance (ex: [Search Open Websites/Domains](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1593) or [Phishing for Information](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1598)), establishing operational resources (ex: [Compromise Accounts](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1586)), and/or initial access (ex: [External Remote Services](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1133) or [Valid Accounts](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078)).

Research citing this technique

Reports and advisories from the last 90 days that cite this technique.

2026-10-29 Cisco Talos: IR trends Q3 2026: Actors impersonate IT help desks in vishing attacks as ransomware activity increases

Detection coverage

Elastic and Splunk rules

Linux Medusa Rootkit (splunk)
Windows Gather Victim Identity SAM Info (splunk)

Signal counts reflect the current corpus snapshot. Research citations are the technique IDs named in vendor reports and government advisories from the last 90 days; KEV mappings come from MITRE CTID. Coverage is the SigmaHQ rule inventory (core, emerging-threats, threat-hunting) plus Elastic and Splunk production rules. Rule bodies are not mirrored; links go upstream.