t1480-002-mutual-exclusion

name	T1480.002_mutual-exclusion
description	Adversaries may constrain execution or actions based on the presence of a mutex associated with malware.
category	configuration
version	18.1
author	cyberstrike-official
tags	["mitre-attack","enterprise","t1480.002","defense-evasion","linux","macos","windows","sub-technique"]
technique_id	T1480.002
tactic	defense-evasion
all_tactics	["defense-evasion"]
platforms	["Linux","macOS","Windows"]
mitre_url	https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1480/002
tech_stack	["linux","macos","windows"]
cwe_ids	["CWE-693"]
chains_with	["T1480","T1480.001"]
prerequisites	["T1480"]
severity_boost	{"T1480":"Chain with T1480 for deeper attack path","T1480.001":"Chain with T1480.001 for deeper attack path"}

T1480.002 Mutual Exclusion

Sub-technique of: T1480

High-Level Description

Adversaries may constrain execution or actions based on the presence of a mutex associated with malware. A mutex is a locking mechanism used to synchronize access to a resource. Only one thread or process can acquire a mutex at a given time.

While local mutexes only exist within a given process, allowing multiple threads to synchronize access to a resource, system mutexes can be used to synchronize the activities of multiple processes. By creating a unique system mutex associated with a particular malware, adversaries can verify whether or not a system has already been compromised.

In Linux environments, malware may instead attempt to acquire a lock on a mutex file. If the malware is able to acquire the lock, it continues to execute; if it fails, it exits to avoid creating a second instance of itself.

Mutex names may be hard-coded or dynamically generated using a predictable algorithm.

Kill Chain Phase

• Defense Evasion (TA0005)

Platforms: Linux, macOS, Windows

What to Check

• Identify if Mutual Exclusion technique is applicable to target environment
• Check Linux systems for indicators of Mutual Exclusion
• Check macOS systems for indicators of Mutual Exclusion
• Check Windows systems for indicators of Mutual Exclusion
• Verify mitigations are bypassed or absent (1 known mitigations)
• Assess detection coverage (1 detection strategies)

How to Test

Manual Testing

1. Identify Attack Surface: Determine if the target environment is susceptible to Mutual Exclusion by examining the target platforms (Linux, macOS, Windows).

2. Assess Existing Defenses: Review whether mitigations for T1480.002 are in place. If defenses are absent or misconfigured, this technique may be exploitable.

3. Execute Test: Use tools and methods described in the MITRE ATT&CK page and external references below.

Note: No Atomic Red Team tests available for this technique. See Atomic Red Team GitHub for updates.