T1636.004 SMS Messages
Adversaries may utilize standard operating system APIs to gather SMS messages. On Android, this can be accomplished using the SMS Content Provider. iOS provides no standard API to access SMS messages.
If the device has been jailbroken or rooted, an adversary may be able to access SMS Messages without the user’s knowledge or approval.
Item | Value |
---|---|
ID | T1636.004 |
Sub-techniques | T1636.001, T1636.002, T1636.003, T1636.004 |
Tactics | TA0035 |
Platforms | Android, iOS |
Version | 1.1 |
Created | 01 April 2022 |
Last Modified | 20 March 2023 |
Procedure Examples
ID | Name | Description |
---|---|---|
S1061 | AbstractEmu | AbstractEmu can intercept SMS messages containing two factor authentication codes.46 |
S0309 | Adups | Adups transmitted the full contents of text messages.21 |
S0304 | Android/Chuli.A | Android/Chuli.A stole SMS message content.20 |
S0292 | AndroRAT | AndroRAT captures SMS messages.5 |
S0540 | Asacub | Asacub can collect SMS messages as they are received.7 |
S0432 | Bread | Bread can access SMS messages in order to complete carrier billing fraud.16 |
S0655 | BusyGasper | BusyGasper can collect SMS messages.27 |
S0529 | CarbonSteal | CarbonSteal can access the device’s SMS and MMS messages.12 |
S0480 | Cerberus | Cerberus can collect SMS messages from a device.25 |
S0425 | Corona Updates | Corona Updates can collect SMS messages.10 |
S0301 | Dendroid | Dendroid can intercept SMS messages.29 |
S0505 | Desert Scorpion | Desert Scorpion can retrieve SMS messages.37 |
S0550 | DoubleAgent | DoubleAgent has captured SMS and MMS messages.12 |
S1054 | Drinik | Drinik can collect user SMS messages.36 |
S0320 | DroidJack | DroidJack captures SMS data.23 |
S0478 | EventBot | EventBot can intercept SMS messages.42 |
S0522 | Exobot | Exobot can intercept SMS messages.30 |
S0405 | Exodus | Exodus Two can capture SMS messages.34 |
S0509 | FakeSpy | FakeSpy can collect SMS messages.4 |
S0182 | FinFisher | FinFisher captures and exfiltrates SMS messages.14 |
S0408 | FlexiSpy | FlexiSpy can intercept SMS and MMS messages as well as monitor messages for keywords.12 |
S1067 | FluBot | FluBot can intercept SMS messages and USSD messages from Telcom operators.43 |
S0577 | FrozenCell | FrozenCell has read SMS messages for exfiltration.41 |
S0423 | Ginp | Ginp can collect SMS messages.49 |
S0535 | Golden Cup | Golden Cup can collect sent and received SMS messages.11 |
S0551 | GoldenEagle | GoldenEagle has collected SMS messages.12 |
S0421 | GolfSpy | GolfSpy can collect SMS messages.26 |
S0536 | GPlayed | GPlayed can read SMS messages.24 |
S0406 | Gustuff | Gustuff can intercept two-factor authentication codes transmitted via SMS.17 |
S0544 | HenBox | HenBox can intercept SMS messages.15 |
S0463 | INSOMNIA | INSOMNIA can retrieve SMS messages and iMessages.13 |
S0485 | Mandrake | Mandrake can access SMS messages.35 |
S0303 | MazarBOT | MazarBOT can intercept two-factor authentication codes sent by online banking apps.47 |
C0016 | Operation Dust Storm | During Operation Dust Storm, the threat actors used Android backdoors to continually forward all SMS messages and call information back to their C2 servers.54 |
S0399 | Pallas | Pallas captures and exfiltrates all SMS messages, including future messages as they are received.14 |
S0289 | Pegasus for iOS | Pegasus for iOS captures SMS messages that the victim sends or receives.19 |
S0295 | RCSAndroid | RCSAndroid can collect SMS, MMS, and Gmail messages.28 |
S0539 | Red Alert 2.0 | Red Alert 2.0 can collect SMS messages.39 |
S0403 | Riltok | Riltok can intercept incoming SMS messages.45 |
S0411 | Rotexy | Rotexy processes incoming SMS messages by filtering based on phone numbers, keywords, and regular expressions, focusing primarily on banks, payment systems, and mobile network operators. Rotexy can also send a list of all SMS messages on the device to the command and control server.9 |
S0313 | RuMMS | RuMMS uploads incoming SMS messages to a remote command and control server.22 |
S1062 | S.O.V.A. | S.O.V.A. can intercept and read SMS messages.18 |
S1055 | SharkBot | SharkBot can intercept SMS messages.8 |
S0549 | SilkBean | SilkBean can access SMS messages.12 |
S0324 | SpyDealer | SpyDealer harvests SMS and MMS messages from victims.44 |
S0305 | SpyNote RAT | SpyNote RAT can read SMS messages.38 |
S0328 | Stealth Mango | Stealth Mango uploads SMS messages.6 |
S0329 | Tangelo | Tangelo contains functionality to gather SMS messages.6 |
S1069 | TangleBot | TangleBot can read incoming text messages.52 |
S0558 | Tiktok Pro | Tiktok Pro can collect SMS messages from the device.51 |
S0424 | Triada | Triada variants capture transaction data from SMS-based in-app purchases.48 |
S0427 | TrickMo | TrickMo can intercept SMS messages.31 |
S0418 | ViceLeaker | ViceLeaker can collect SMS messages.33 |
S0506 | ViperRAT | ViperRAT can collect SMS messages.40 |
G0112 | Windshift | Windshift has included SMS message exfiltration in the malicious apps deployed as part of Operation BULL and Operation ROCK.53 |
S0489 | WolfRAT | WolfRAT can collect SMS messages.50 |
S0298 | Xbot | Xbot steals all SMS message and contact information as well as intercepts and parses certain SMS messages.3 |
S0318 | XLoader for Android | XLoader for Android collects SMS messages.32 |
Mitigations
ID | Mitigation | Description |
---|---|---|
M1011 | User Guidance | Access to SMS messages is an uncommonly needed permission, so users should be instructed to use extra scrutiny when granting access to their SMS messages. |
Detection
ID | Data Source | Data Component |
---|---|---|
DS0041 | Application Vetting | Permissions Requests |
DS0042 | User Interface | System Settings |
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