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T1491.001 Internal Defacement

An adversary may deface systems internal to an organization in an attempt to intimidate or mislead users, thus discrediting the integrity of the systems. This may take the form of modifications to internal websites or server login messages, or directly to user systems with the replacement of the desktop wallpaper.31 Disturbing or offensive images may be used as a part of Internal Defacement in order to cause user discomfort, or to pressure compliance with accompanying messages. Since internally defacing systems exposes an adversary’s presence, it often takes place after other intrusion goals have been accomplished.2

Item Value
ID T1491.001
Sub-techniques T1491.001, T1491.002
Tactics TA0040
Platforms ESXi, Linux, Windows, macOS
Version 1.2
Created 20 February 2020
Last Modified 24 October 2025

Procedure Examples

ID Name Description
S1070 Black Basta Black Basta has set the desktop wallpaper on victims’ machines to display a ransom note.158101271314119
G1043 BlackByte BlackByte left ransom notes in all directories where encryption takes place.26
S1068 BlackCat BlackCat can change the desktop wallpaper on compromised hosts.2120
S0659 Diavol After encryption, Diavol will capture the desktop background window, set the background color to black, and change the desktop wallpaper to a newly created bitmap image with the text “All your files are encrypted! For more information see “README-FOR-DECRYPT.txt”.16
G0047 Gamaredon Group Gamaredon Group has left taunting images and messages on the victims’ desktops as proof of system access.25
S1139 INC Ransomware INC Ransomware has the ability to change the background wallpaper image to display the ransom note.2423
G0032 Lazarus Group Lazarus Group replaced the background wallpaper of systems with a threatening image after rendering the system unbootable with a Disk Structure Wipe.2
S0688 Meteor Meteor can change both the desktop wallpaper and the lock screen image to a custom image.18
S1242 Qilin Qilin can set the wallpaper on compromised hosts to display a ransom message.22
S1212 RansomHub RansomHub has placed a ransom note on comrpomised systems to warn victims and provide directions for how to retrieve data.19
S1150 ROADSWEEP ROADSWEEP has dropped ransom notes in targeted folders prior to encrypting the files.17
S1178 ShrinkLocker ShrinkLocker renames disk labels on victim hosts to the threat actor’s email address to enable the victim to contact the threat actor for ransom negotiation.56

Mitigations

ID Mitigation Description
M1053 Data Backup Consider implementing IT disaster recovery plans that contain procedures for taking regular data backups that can be used to restore organizational data.4 Ensure backups are stored off system and is protected from common methods adversaries may use to gain access and destroy the backups to prevent recovery.

References

  1. Jason Hill. (2023, February 8). VMware ESXi in the Line of Ransomware Fire. Retrieved March 26, 2025. ↩

  2. Novetta Threat Research Group. (2016, February 24). Operation Blockbuster: Destructive Malware Report. Retrieved November 17, 2024. ↩↩

  3. Novetta Threat Research Group. (2016, February 24). Operation Blockbuster: Unraveling the Long Thread of the Sony Attack. Retrieved February 25, 2016. ↩

  4. Ready.gov. (n.d.). IT Disaster Recovery Plan. Retrieved March 15, 2019. ↩

  5. Cristian Souza, Eduardo Ovalle, Ashley Muñoz, & Christopher Zachor. (2024, May 23). ShrinkLocker: Turning BitLocker into ransomware. Retrieved December 7, 2024. ↩

  6. Splunk Threat Research Team , Teoderick Contreras. (2024, September 5). ShrinkLocker Malware: Abusing BitLocker to Lock Your Data. Retrieved December 7, 2024. ↩

  7. Avertium. (2022, June 1). AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT BLACK BASTA RANSOMWARE. Retrieved March 7, 2023. ↩

  8. Ballmer, D. (2022, May 6). Black Basta: Rebrand of Conti or Something New?. Retrieved March 7, 2023. ↩

  9. Check Point. (2022, October 20). BLACK BASTA AND THE UNNOTICED DELIVERY. Retrieved March 8, 2023. ↩

  10. Cyble. (2022, May 6). New ransomware variant targeting high-value organizations. Retrieved November 17, 2024. ↩

  11. Elsad, A. (2022, August 25). Threat Assessment: Black Basta Ransomware. Retrieved March 8, 2023. ↩

  12. Gonzalez, I., Chavez I., et al. (2022, May 9). Examining the Black Basta Ransomware’s Infection Routine. Retrieved March 7, 2023. ↩

  13. Inman, R. and Gurney, P. (2022, June 6). Shining the Light on Black Basta. Retrieved March 8, 2023. ↩

  14. Vilkomir-Preisman, S. (2022, August 18). Beating Black Basta Ransomware. Retrieved March 8, 2023. ↩

  15. Zargarov, N. (2022, May 2). New Black Basta Ransomware Hijacks Windows Fax Service. Retrieved March 7, 2023. ↩

  16. Neeamni, D., Rubinfeld, A.. (2021, July 1). Diavol - A New Ransomware Used By Wizard Spider?. Retrieved November 12, 2021. ↩

  17. MSTIC. (2022, September 8). Microsoft investigates Iranian attacks against the Albanian government. Retrieved August 6, 2024. ↩

  18. Check Point Research Team. (2021, August 14). Indra - Hackers Behind Recent Attacks on Iran. Retrieved February 17, 2022. ↩

  19. CISA et al. (2024, August 29). #StopRansomware: RansomHub Ransomware. Retrieved March 17, 2025. ↩

  20. Brandt, Andrew. (2022, July 14). BlackCat ransomware attacks not merely a byproduct of bad luck. Retrieved December 20, 2022. ↩

  21. Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence. (2022, June 13). The many lives of BlackCat ransomware. Retrieved December 20, 2022. ↩

  22. Bradshaw, A. et al. (2025, April 1). Qilin affiliates spear-phish MSP ScreenConnect admin, targeting customers downstream. Retrieved September 26, 2025. ↩

  23. Counter Threat Unit Research Team. (2024, April 15). GOLD IONIC DEPLOYS INC RANSOMWARE. Retrieved June 5, 2024. ↩

  24. Cybereason Security Research Team. (2023, November 20). Threat Alert: INC Ransomware. Retrieved June 5, 2024. ↩

  25. CERT-EE. (2021, January 27). Gamaredon Infection: From Dropper to Entry. Retrieved February 17, 2022. ↩

  26. US Federal Bureau of Investigation & US Secret Service. (2022, February 11). Indicators of Compromise Associated with BlackByte Ransomware. Retrieved December 16, 2024. ↩