t1529-system-shutdownreboot

name	T1529_system-shutdownreboot
description	Adversaries may shutdown/reboot systems to interrupt access to, or aid in the destruction of, those systems.
category	business-logic
version	18.1
author	cyberstrike-official
tags	["mitre-attack","enterprise","t1529","impact","esxi","linux","macos","network-devices","windows"]
technique_id	T1529
tactic	impact
all_tactics	["impact"]
platforms	["ESXi","Linux","macOS","Network Devices","Windows"]
mitre_url	https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1529
tech_stack	["esxi","linux","macos","network devices","windows"]
cwe_ids	["CWE-400"]
chains_with	[]
prerequisites	[]
severity_boost	{}

T1529 System Shutdown/Reboot

High-Level Description

Adversaries may shutdown/reboot systems to interrupt access to, or aid in the destruction of, those systems. Operating systems may contain commands to initiate a shutdown/reboot of a machine or network device. In some cases, these commands may also be used to initiate a shutdown/reboot of a remote computer or network device via Network Device CLI (e.g. reload). They may also include shutdown/reboot of a virtual machine via hypervisor / cloud consoles or command line tools.

Shutting down or rebooting systems may disrupt access to computer resources for legitimate users while also impeding incident response/recovery.

Adversaries may also use Windows API functions, such as InitializeSystemShutdownExW or ExitWindowsEx, to force a system to shut down or reboot. Alternatively, the NtRaiseHardErroror ZwRaiseHardError Windows API functions with the ResponseOption parameter set to OptionShutdownSystem may deliver a “blue screen of death” (BSOD) to a system. In order to leverage these API functions, an adversary may need to acquire SeShutdownPrivilege (e.g., via Access Token Manipulation). In some cases, the system may not be able to boot again.

Adversaries may attempt to shutdown/reboot a system after impacting it in other ways, such as Disk Structure Wipe or Inhibit System Recovery, to hasten the intended effects on system availability.

Kill Chain Phase

• Impact (TA0040)

Platforms: ESXi, Linux, macOS, Network Devices, Windows

What to Check

• Identify if System Shutdown/Reboot technique is applicable to target environment
• Check ESXi systems for indicators of System Shutdown/Reboot
• Check Linux systems for indicators of System Shutdown/Reboot
• Check macOS systems for indicators of System Shutdown/Reboot
• Assess detection coverage (1 detection strategies)

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: Shutdown System - Windows

This test shuts down a Windows system.

windows Yes