| name | T1571_non-standard-port |
| description | Adversaries may communicate using a protocol and port pairing that are typically not associated. |
| category | configuration |
| version | 18.1 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["mitre-attack","enterprise","t1571","command-and-control","esxi","linux","macos","windows"] |
| technique_id | T1571 |
| tactic | command-and-control |
| all_tactics | ["command-and-control"] |
| platforms | ["ESXi","Linux","macOS","Windows"] |
| mitre_url | https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1571 |
| tech_stack | ["esxi","linux","macos","windows"] |
| cwe_ids | ["CWE-300"] |
| chains_with | [] |
| prerequisites | [] |
| severity_boost | {} |
T1571 Non-Standard Port
High-Level Description
Adversaries may communicate using a protocol and port pairing that are typically not associated. For example, HTTPS over port 8088 or port 587 as opposed to the traditional port 443. Adversaries may make changes to the standard port used by a protocol to bypass filtering or muddle analysis/parsing of network data.
Adversaries may also make changes to victim systems to abuse non-standard ports. For example, Registry keys and other configuration settings can be used to modify protocol and port pairings.
Kill Chain Phase
- Command and Control (TA0011)
Platforms: ESXi, Linux, macOS, Windows
What to Check
How to Test
Atomic Red Team Tests
The following tests are from Atomic Red Team and provide actionable ways to test this technique:
Atomic Test 1: Testing usage of uncommonly used port with PowerShell
Testing uncommonly used port utilizing PowerShell. APT33 has been known to attempt telnet over port 8081. Upon execution, details about the successful
port check will be displayed.
Supported Platforms: windows
Test-NetConnection -ComputerName #{domain} -port #{port}
Atomic Test 2: Testing usage of uncommonly used port
Testing uncommonly used port utilizing telnet.
Supported Platforms: linux, macos
echo quit | telnet
exit 0
Dependencies:
Manual Testing
If Atomic Red Team tests are not applicable, manually verify the technique by: