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T1021.004: T1021.004

View on MITRE ATT&CK The MITRE Corporation · Published 11/02/2020 19:27 · Modified 27/03/2026 01:09

Essential information

MITRE technique ID
T1021.004
Confidence
100/100
Revoked
No
Published
11/02/2020 19:27
Modified
27/03/2026 01:09
Author / Source
The MITRE Corporation

Aliases

SSH

Platforms

macos linux ESXi

Description

Adversaries may use [Valid Accounts](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078) to log into remote machines using Secure Shell (SSH). The adversary may then perform actions as the logged-on user. SSH is a protocol that allows authorized users to open remote shells on other computers. Many Linux and macOS versions come with SSH installed by default, although typically disabled until the user enables it. On ESXi, SSH can be enabled either directly on the host (e.g., via `vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh`) or via vCenter.(Citation: Sygnia ESXi Ransomware 2025)(Citation: TrendMicro ESXI Ransomware)(Citation: Sygnia Abyss Locker 2025) The SSH server can be configured to use standard password authentication or public-private keypairs in lieu of or in addition to a password. In this authentication scenario, the user’s public key must be in a special file on the computer running the server that lists which keypairs are allowed to login as that user (i.e., [SSH Authorized Keys](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1098/004)).

Kill chain phases

Kill chainPhase
mitre-attack lateral-movement

Marking (TLP)

TLP:GREEN Copyright 2015-2025, The MITRE Corporation. MITRE ATT&CK and ATT&CK are registered trademarks of The MITRE Corporation.

External references

Related entities

Intrusion sets, malware, reports, vulnerabilities, indicators and other entities linked to this technique.