Application Shimming and Data from Local System

Application Shimming is a Windows process used mostly for allowing developers to apply fixes to applications in support of backward compatibility. It also creates a buffer between the application and the OS level.

Backward compatibility across different operating system versions has enabled the market to get necessary upgrades accomplished without sacrificing functionality. It’s not difficult to imagine how many more endpoints could be running Windows XP if this feature didn’t exist. However, any feature that is present on massive numbers of endpoints at the core of the operating system is likely to be a strong target for adversary actions. This is exactly where we find Application Shimming today. In addition, adversaries who gain access can search local file systems and databases for files of interest that they want to obtain in exfiltration (i.e, Data from Local System).

In this course, you will learn how to detect the abuse of application shimming with the sub-technique: Application Shimming (T1546.001) and also detect if Data from the Local System (T1005) was stolen. This interactive course will help you better understand how application shimming can be abused, as well as help you detect its operations in a SIEM solution.

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Describe how an adversary could abuse application shimming to gain persistence or steal data.
• Recommend detection measures related to application shimming and data stolen from local system
• Recommend mitigation measures to protect against future application shimming attacks

Get the hands-on skills you need to detect and mitigate this attack in Cybrary's MITRE ATT&CK Framework courses aligned to the tactics and techniques used by financially motivated threat group FIN7. Prevent adversaries from accomplishing the tactics of Privilege Escalation, Persistence, and Collection in your environment now.