2026-10-14NOTABLEExchange October updates fix an unauthenticated email-borne RCE; 2016 and 2019 get their last update, and only with ESU
Microsoft Exchange Server
product · product:microsoft-exchange-server single-sourcesingle-source-national-cert
Also known as: Exchange Server
Coverage
7
first 2026-05-17 → last 2026-10-17
Latest activity
2026-10-17
Exchange October updates fix an unauthenticated email-borne RCE; 2016 and 2019 get their last update, and…
Peak priority
high
2 high · 4 notable · 1 routine
Targets
public-sector
sectors: public-sector, technology, healthcare · regions: russia-cis, europe, us
Sources cited
28
20 hosts
Action items (5)
Do-now tasks recorded on the entries about Microsoft Exchange Server, newest first. Check the date before acting on an older one.
- Install the October 2026 Exchange security update on every Exchange server and on every machine that has the Exchange Management Tools; on Exchange 2016 and 2019 servers that are not covered by the Period 2 ESU, decide now between enrolling (it only gets an organisation current through this release) and moving to Exchange Subscription Edition, because after October Microsoft ships updates for Subscription Edition only.2026-10-14CVE-2026-70571 +1
- On every Exchange server that has the October 2026 Windows Server update installed, do not uninstall it; where OWA fails with MapiExceptionMdbOffline, mail queues grow or a DAG member cannot reach quorum, set the registry value EpmapSavedContextCap (REG_DWORD) under HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Rpc to 65536, reboot, and raise the limit if the failure recurs.2026-10-14CVE-2026-70571 +1
- Verify the installed build number on every Exchange server directly against the August 2026 fixed builds (KB5121573/74/75/76); do not rely on patch-cycle records showing the update was scheduled or pushed; German BSI telemetry shows most comparable on-prem Exchange operators have not actually applied it two weeks after release.2026-08-29CVE-2026-62911
- Install the July 2026 Exchange Security Update on every on-premises Exchange 2016/2019/SE server, then explicitly remove the earlier CVE-2026-42897 mitigation, the EEMS M2.1.0 IIS rules or the EOMT script rollback, because the update does not remove either automatically.2026-05-18CVE-2026-42897
- Audit mailbox folder permissions across the estate for Owner-level grants to the Exchange 'Default' alias and revoke them; this is the implant's server-side persistence and it survives password resets and endpoint re-imaging.2026-05-18CVE-2026-42897
Defender insights
What each entry about Microsoft Exchange Server tells a defender to do, newest first.
Exposure · detection
Exposure · triage · detection
Triage
Exposure
1 earlier entry carry guidance too, listed under the story timeline below.
Story timeline
- 2026-10-14CVE-2026-70571, Microsoft Exchange Server: an unauthenticated crafted-email code-execution flaw in the October 2026 security updates, the last Exchange 2016 and 2019 updates under the paid ESU (CVSS 8.1)
- 2026-10-09AA26-281A: China-linked actors enabled by Integrity Technology Group scan with MicroScan, spray Exchange and Microsoft 365 passwords and steal mail, and five old flaws from the scanner's scripts enter CISA KEV
- 2026-09-21NightEagle (APT-Q-95) pivots to Russian targets, tunnels RDP through Microsoft's own legitimate dev-tunnels service, and attempts DCSync against Active Directory
- 2026-09-07Recorded Future's H1 2026 Malware and Vulnerability Trends: two clusters reuse an identical post-exploitation tool stack across thirteen and ten unrelated initial CVEs
- 2026-08-29CVE-2026-62911, Microsoft Exchange Server MRSProxy: a missing channel-binding check lets a relayed Negotiate authentication take over every mailbox, public exploit code now live sixteen days after the patch
- 2026-05-18CVE-2026-42897: Exchange OWA cross-site scripting exploited by TA488 with the OWAReaper implant; fixed since the June 2026 Security Update, which does not remove the mitigation
- 2026-05-17Pwn2Own Berlin 2026: DEVCORE's Orange Tsai chains three Exchange bugs to code execution as SYSTEM, one later fixed as CVE-2026-62911
Hunting pivots
CVEs (exploited first)
Releases covered
Microsoft Exchange Server ×4Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 ×3Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 ×3Microsoft Exchange Server Subscription Edition ×3
ATT&CK techniques (45 across 13 tactics)
45 techniques observed across 7 entries about this entity, derived from entry metadata and body evidence, never asserted without a published entry behind it · pinned to MITRE ATT&CK v20.0 · compare on the matrix · Navigator layer (JSON)
- ReconnaissanceActive Scanning: Vulnerability Scanning
- Initial AccessValid Accounts · External Remote Services · Drive-by Compromise · Exploit Public-Facing Application · Phishing · Phishing: Spearphishing Link
- ExecutionScheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task · Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell · Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell · Command and Scripting Interpreter: Unix Shell · Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python · Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript · Exploitation for Client Execution
- PersistenceScheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task · Valid Accounts · Account Manipulation: Additional Email Delegate Permissions · External Remote Services · Create Account: Local Account · Server Software Component: Web Shell
- Privilege EscalationScheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task · Exploitation for Privilege Escalation · Valid Accounts · Account Manipulation: Additional Email Delegate Permissions
- StealthObfuscated Files or Information · Masquerading: Rename Legitimate Utilities · Masquerading: Match Legitimate Resource Name or Location · Valid Accounts
- Defense ImpairmentDisable or Modify Tools
- Credential AccessOS Credential Dumping: DCSync · Brute Force: Password Guessing · Brute Force: Password Spraying · Forced Authentication · Unsecured Credentials · Adversary-in-the-Middle · Steal or Forge Kerberos Tickets
- DiscoverySystem Information Discovery
- Lateral MovementRemote Services: Remote Desktop Protocol · Exploitation of Remote Services
- CollectionData from Local System · Data Staged: Local Data Staging · Email Collection: Remote Email Collection · Browser Session Hijacking · Adversary-in-the-Middle · Archive Collected Data: Archive via Custom Method
- Command and ControlApplication Layer Protocol: Web Protocols · Application Layer Protocol: DNS · Proxy: Internal Proxy · Web Service: Dead Drop Resolver · Ingress Tool Transfer · Protocol Tunneling
- ExfiltrationAutomated Exfiltration · Exfiltration Over C2 Channel
Reconnaissance TA0043
T1595.002Active Scanning: Vulnerability Scanning×1
Adversaries may scan victims for vulnerabilities that can be used during targeting. Vulnerability scans typically check if the configuration of a target host/application (ex: software and version) potentially aligns with the target of a specific exploit the adversary may seek to use.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
Initial Access TA0001
T1078Valid Accounts×1
Adversaries may obtain and abuse credentials of existing accounts as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion. Compromised credentials may be used to bypass access controls placed on various resources on systems within the network and may even be used for persistent access to remote systems and externally available services, such as VPNs, Outlook Web Access, network devices, and remote desktop. Compromised credentials may also grant an adversary increased privilege to specific systems or access to restricted areas of the network. Adversaries may choose not to use malware or tools in conjunction with the legitimate access those credentials provide to make it harder to detect their presence.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
T1133External Remote Services×1
Adversaries may leverage external-facing remote services to initially access and/or persist within a network. Remote services such as VPNs, Citrix, and other access mechanisms allow users to connect to internal enterprise network resources from external locations. There are often remote service gateways that manage connections and credential authentication for these services. Services such as Windows Remote Management and VNC can also be used externally.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
T1189Drive-by Compromise×1
Adversaries may gain access to a system through a user visiting a website over the normal course of browsing. Multiple ways of delivering exploit code to a browser exist (i.e., Drive-by Target), including:
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application×6
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network. The weakness in the system can be a software bug, a temporary glitch, or a misconfiguration.
Evidence: 2026-10-14/exchange-oct-2026-su-cve-2026-70571-last-2016-2019-update · 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · 2026-09-07/recordedfuture-h1-2026-tool-stack-reuse · 2026-08-29/exchange-mrsproxy-auth-bypass-cve-2026-62911-poc · 2026-05-17/exchange-cve-2026-42897-pwn2own-devcore-three-bug-system-rce · ATT&CK page ↗
T1566Phishing×1
Adversaries may send phishing messages to gain access to victim systems. All forms of phishing are electronically delivered social engineering. Phishing can be targeted, known as spearphishing. In spearphishing, a specific individual, company, or industry will be targeted by the adversary. More generally, adversaries can conduct non-targeted phishing, such as in mass malware spam campaigns.
Evidence: 2026-05-18/cve-2026-42897-exchange-owa-em-service-auto-mitigation-depen · ATT&CK page ↗
T1566.002Phishing: Spearphishing Link×1
Adversaries may send spearphishing emails with a malicious link in an attempt to gain access to victim systems. Spearphishing with a link is a specific variant of spearphishing. It is different from other forms of spearphishing in that it employs the use of links to download malware contained in email, instead of attaching malicious files to the email itself, to avoid defenses that may inspect email attachments. Spearphishing may also involve social engineering techniques, such as posing as a trusted source.
Evidence: 2026-10-14/exchange-oct-2026-su-cve-2026-70571-last-2016-2019-update · ATT&CK page ↗
Execution TA0002
T1053.005Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task×1
Adversaries may abuse the Windows Task Scheduler to perform task scheduling for initial or recurring execution of malicious code. There are multiple ways to access the Task Scheduler in Windows. The schtasks utility can be run directly on the command line, or the Task Scheduler can be opened through the GUI within the Administrator Tools section of the Control Panel. In some cases, adversaries have used a .NET wrapper for the Windows Task Scheduler, and alternatively, adversaries have used the Windows netapi32 library and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to create a scheduled task. Adversaries may also utilize the Powershell Cmdlet `Invoke-CimMethod`, which leverages WMI class `PS_ScheduledTask` to create a scheduled task via an XML path.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
T1059.001Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell×2
Adversaries may abuse PowerShell commands and scripts for execution. PowerShell is a powerful interactive command-line interface and scripting environment included in the Windows operating system. PowerShell can also be installed on Linux and macOS. Adversaries can use PowerShell to perform a number of actions, including discovery of information and execution of code. Examples include the <code>Start-Process</code> cmdlet which can be used to run an executable and the <code>Invoke-Command</code> cmdlet which runs a command locally or on a remote computer (though administrator permissions are required to use PowerShell to connect to remote systems).
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · 2026-09-07/recordedfuture-h1-2026-tool-stack-reuse · ATT&CK page ↗
T1059.003Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell×1
Adversaries may abuse the Windows command shell for execution. The Windows command shell (cmd) is the primary command prompt on Windows systems. The Windows command prompt can be used to control almost any aspect of a system, with various permission levels required for different subsets of commands. The command prompt can be invoked remotely via Remote Services such as SSH.
Evidence: 2026-09-07/recordedfuture-h1-2026-tool-stack-reuse · ATT&CK page ↗
T1059.004Command and Scripting Interpreter: Unix Shell×2
Adversaries may abuse Unix shell commands and scripts for execution. Unix shells are the primary command prompt on Linux, macOS, and ESXi systems, though many variations of the Unix shell exist (e.g. sh, ash, bash, zsh, etc.) depending on the specific OS or distribution. Unix shells can control every aspect of a system, with certain commands requiring elevated privileges.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · 2026-09-07/recordedfuture-h1-2026-tool-stack-reuse · ATT&CK page ↗
T1059.006Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python×1
Adversaries may abuse Python commands and scripts for execution. Python is a very popular scripting/programming language, with capabilities to perform many functions. Python can be executed interactively from the command-line (via the <code>python.exe</code> interpreter) or via scripts (.py) that can be written and distributed to different systems. Python code can also be compiled into binary executables.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
T1059.007Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript×1
Adversaries may abuse various implementations of JavaScript for execution. JavaScript (JS) is a platform-independent scripting language (compiled just-in-time at runtime) commonly associated with scripts in webpages, though JS can be executed in runtime environments outside the browser.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution×1
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code. Vulnerabilities can exist in software due to unsecure coding practices that can lead to unanticipated behavior. Adversaries can take advantage of certain vulnerabilities through targeted exploitation for the purpose of arbitrary code execution. Oftentimes the most valuable exploits to an offensive toolkit are those that can be used to obtain code execution on a remote system because they can be used to gain access to that system. Users will expect to see files related to the applications they commonly used to do work, so they are a useful target for exploit research and development because of their high utility.
Evidence: 2026-05-18/cve-2026-42897-exchange-owa-em-service-auto-mitigation-depen · ATT&CK page ↗
Persistence TA0003
T1053.005Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task×1
Adversaries may abuse the Windows Task Scheduler to perform task scheduling for initial or recurring execution of malicious code. There are multiple ways to access the Task Scheduler in Windows. The schtasks utility can be run directly on the command line, or the Task Scheduler can be opened through the GUI within the Administrator Tools section of the Control Panel. In some cases, adversaries have used a .NET wrapper for the Windows Task Scheduler, and alternatively, adversaries have used the Windows netapi32 library and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to create a scheduled task. Adversaries may also utilize the Powershell Cmdlet `Invoke-CimMethod`, which leverages WMI class `PS_ScheduledTask` to create a scheduled task via an XML path.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
T1078Valid Accounts×1
Adversaries may obtain and abuse credentials of existing accounts as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion. Compromised credentials may be used to bypass access controls placed on various resources on systems within the network and may even be used for persistent access to remote systems and externally available services, such as VPNs, Outlook Web Access, network devices, and remote desktop. Compromised credentials may also grant an adversary increased privilege to specific systems or access to restricted areas of the network. Adversaries may choose not to use malware or tools in conjunction with the legitimate access those credentials provide to make it harder to detect their presence.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
T1098.002Account Manipulation: Additional Email Delegate Permissions×1
Adversaries may grant additional permission levels to maintain persistent access to an adversary-controlled email account.
Evidence: 2026-05-18/cve-2026-42897-exchange-owa-em-service-auto-mitigation-depen · ATT&CK page ↗
T1133External Remote Services×1
Adversaries may leverage external-facing remote services to initially access and/or persist within a network. Remote services such as VPNs, Citrix, and other access mechanisms allow users to connect to internal enterprise network resources from external locations. There are often remote service gateways that manage connections and credential authentication for these services. Services such as Windows Remote Management and VNC can also be used externally.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
T1136.001Create Account: Local Account×1
Adversaries may create a local account to maintain access to victim systems. Local accounts are those configured by an organization for use by users, remote support, services, or for administration on a single system or service.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
T1505.003Server Software Component: Web Shell×2
Adversaries may backdoor web servers with web shells to establish persistent access to systems. A Web shell is a Web script that is placed on an openly accessible Web server to allow an adversary to access the Web server as a gateway into a network. A Web shell may provide a set of functions to execute or a command-line interface on the system that hosts the Web server.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · 2026-09-07/recordedfuture-h1-2026-tool-stack-reuse · ATT&CK page ↗
Privilege Escalation TA0004
T1053.005Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task×1
Adversaries may abuse the Windows Task Scheduler to perform task scheduling for initial or recurring execution of malicious code. There are multiple ways to access the Task Scheduler in Windows. The schtasks utility can be run directly on the command line, or the Task Scheduler can be opened through the GUI within the Administrator Tools section of the Control Panel. In some cases, adversaries have used a .NET wrapper for the Windows Task Scheduler, and alternatively, adversaries have used the Windows netapi32 library and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to create a scheduled task. Adversaries may also utilize the Powershell Cmdlet `Invoke-CimMethod`, which leverages WMI class `PS_ScheduledTask` to create a scheduled task via an XML path.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation×1
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges. Exploitation of a software vulnerability occurs when an adversary takes advantage of a programming error in a program, service, or within the operating system software or kernel itself to execute adversary-controlled code. Security constructs such as permission levels will often hinder access to information and use of certain techniques, so adversaries will likely need to perform privilege escalation to include use of software exploitation to circumvent those restrictions.
Evidence: 2026-08-29/exchange-mrsproxy-auth-bypass-cve-2026-62911-poc · ATT&CK page ↗
T1078Valid Accounts×1
Adversaries may obtain and abuse credentials of existing accounts as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion. Compromised credentials may be used to bypass access controls placed on various resources on systems within the network and may even be used for persistent access to remote systems and externally available services, such as VPNs, Outlook Web Access, network devices, and remote desktop. Compromised credentials may also grant an adversary increased privilege to specific systems or access to restricted areas of the network. Adversaries may choose not to use malware or tools in conjunction with the legitimate access those credentials provide to make it harder to detect their presence.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
T1098.002Account Manipulation: Additional Email Delegate Permissions×1
Adversaries may grant additional permission levels to maintain persistent access to an adversary-controlled email account.
Evidence: 2026-05-18/cve-2026-42897-exchange-owa-em-service-auto-mitigation-depen · ATT&CK page ↗
Stealth TA0005
T1027Obfuscated Files or Information×1
Adversaries may attempt to make an executable or file difficult to discover or analyze by encrypting, encoding, or otherwise obfuscating its contents on the system or in transit. This is common behavior that can be used across different platforms and the network to evade defenses.
Evidence: 2026-05-18/cve-2026-42897-exchange-owa-em-service-auto-mitigation-depen · ATT&CK page ↗
T1036.003Masquerading: Rename Legitimate Utilities×1
Adversaries may rename legitimate / system utilities to try to evade security mechanisms concerning the usage of those utilities. Security monitoring and control mechanisms may be in place for legitimate utilities adversaries are capable of abusing, including both built-in binaries and tools such as PSExec, AutoHotKey, and IronPython. It may be possible to bypass those security mechanisms by renaming the utility prior to utilization (ex: rename <code>rundll32.exe</code>). An alternative case occurs when a legitimate utility is copied or moved to a different directory and renamed to avoid detections based on these utilities executing from non-standard paths.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
T1036.005Masquerading: Match Legitimate Resource Name or Location×1
Adversaries may match or approximate the name or location of legitimate files, Registry keys, or other resources when naming/placing them. This is done for the sake of evading defenses and observation.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
T1078Valid Accounts×1
Adversaries may obtain and abuse credentials of existing accounts as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion. Compromised credentials may be used to bypass access controls placed on various resources on systems within the network and may even be used for persistent access to remote systems and externally available services, such as VPNs, Outlook Web Access, network devices, and remote desktop. Compromised credentials may also grant an adversary increased privilege to specific systems or access to restricted areas of the network. Adversaries may choose not to use malware or tools in conjunction with the legitimate access those credentials provide to make it harder to detect their presence.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
Defense Impairment TA0112
T1685Disable or Modify Tools×1
Adversaries may disable, degrade, or tamper with security tools or applications (e.g., endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools, intrusion detection systems (IDS), antivirus, logging agents, sensors, etc.) to impair or reduce visibility of defensive capabilities. This may include stopping specific services, killing processes, modifying or deleting tool configuration files and Registry keys, or preventing tools from updating. This may also include impairing defenses more broadly by disrupting preventative, detection, and response mechanisms across host, network, and cloud environments.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
Credential Access TA0006
T1003.006OS Credential Dumping: DCSync×2
Adversaries may attempt to access credentials and other sensitive information by abusing a Windows Domain Controller's application programming interface (API) to simulate the replication process from a remote domain controller using a technique called DCSync.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
T1110.001Brute Force: Password Guessing×1
Adversaries with no prior knowledge of legitimate credentials within the system or environment may guess passwords to attempt access to accounts. Without knowledge of the password for an account, an adversary may opt to systematically guess the password using a repetitive or iterative mechanism. An adversary may guess login credentials without prior knowledge of system or environment passwords during an operation by using a list of common passwords. Password guessing may or may not take into account the target's policies on password complexity or use policies that may lock accounts out after a number of failed attempts.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
T1110.003Brute Force: Password Spraying×1
Adversaries may use a single or small list of commonly used passwords against many different accounts to attempt to acquire valid account credentials. Password spraying uses one password (e.g. 'Password01'), or a small list of commonly used passwords, that may match the complexity policy of the domain. Logins are attempted with that password against many different accounts on a network to avoid account lockouts that would normally occur when brute forcing a single account with many passwords.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
T1187Forced Authentication×1
Adversaries may gather credential material by invoking or forcing a user to automatically provide authentication information through a mechanism in which they can intercept.
Evidence: 2026-08-29/exchange-mrsproxy-auth-bypass-cve-2026-62911-poc · ATT&CK page ↗
T1552Unsecured Credentials×1
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials. These credentials can be stored and/or misplaced in many locations on a system, including plaintext files (e.g. Shell History), operating system or application-specific repositories (e.g. Credentials in Registry), or other specialized files/artifacts (e.g. Private Keys).
Evidence: 2026-05-18/cve-2026-42897-exchange-owa-em-service-auto-mitigation-depen · ATT&CK page ↗
T1557Adversary-in-the-Middle×1
Adversaries may attempt to position themselves between two or more networked devices using an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) technique to support follow-on behaviors such as Network Sniffing, Transmitted Data Manipulation, or replay attacks (Exploitation for Credential Access). By abusing features of common networking protocols that can determine the flow of network traffic (e.g. ARP, DNS, LLMNR, etc.), adversaries may force a device to communicate through an adversary controlled system so they can collect information or perform additional actions.
Evidence: 2026-08-29/exchange-mrsproxy-auth-bypass-cve-2026-62911-poc · ATT&CK page ↗
T1558Steal or Forge Kerberos Tickets×1
Adversaries may attempt to subvert Kerberos authentication by stealing or forging Kerberos tickets to enable Pass the Ticket. Kerberos is an authentication protocol widely used in modern Windows domain environments. In Kerberos environments, referred to as “realms”, there are three basic participants: client, service, and Key Distribution Center (KDC). Clients request access to a service and through the exchange of Kerberos tickets, originating from KDC, they are granted access after having successfully authenticated. The KDC is responsible for both authentication and ticket granting. Adversaries may attempt to abuse Kerberos by stealing tickets or forging tickets to enable unauthorized access.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
Discovery TA0007
T1082System Information Discovery×1
An adversary may attempt to get detailed information about the operating system and hardware, including version, patches, hotfixes, service packs, and architecture. Adversaries may use this information to shape follow-on behaviors, including whether or not the adversary fully infects the target and/or attempts specific actions. This behavior is distinct from Local Storage Discovery which is an adversary's discovery of local drive, disks and/or volumes.
Evidence: 2026-09-07/recordedfuture-h1-2026-tool-stack-reuse · ATT&CK page ↗
Lateral Movement TA0008
T1021.001Remote Services: Remote Desktop Protocol×1
Adversaries may use Valid Accounts to log into a computer using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The adversary may then perform actions as the logged-on user.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
T1210Exploitation of Remote Services×1
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network. Exploitation of a software vulnerability occurs when an adversary takes advantage of a programming error in a program, service, or within the operating system software or kernel itself to execute adversary-controlled code. A common goal for post-compromise exploitation of remote services is for lateral movement to enable access to a remote system.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
Collection TA0009
T1005Data from Local System×1
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
Evidence: 2026-09-07/recordedfuture-h1-2026-tool-stack-reuse · ATT&CK page ↗
T1074.001Data Staged: Local Data Staging×1
Adversaries may stage collected data in a central location or directory on the local system prior to Exfiltration. Data may be kept in separate files or combined into one file through techniques such as Archive Collected Data. Interactive command shells may be used, and common functionality within cmd and bash may be used to copy data into a staging location.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
T1114.002Email Collection: Remote Email Collection×1
Adversaries may target an Exchange server, Office 365, or Google Workspace to collect sensitive information. Adversaries may leverage a user's credentials and interact directly with the Exchange server to acquire information from within a network. Adversaries may also access externally facing Exchange services, Office 365, or Google Workspace to access email using credentials or access tokens. Tools such as MailSniper can be used to automate searches for specific keywords.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
T1185Browser Session Hijacking×1
Adversaries may take advantage of security vulnerabilities and inherent functionality in browser software to change content, modify user-behaviors, and intercept information as part of various browser session hijacking techniques.
Evidence: 2026-05-18/cve-2026-42897-exchange-owa-em-service-auto-mitigation-depen · ATT&CK page ↗
T1557Adversary-in-the-Middle×1
Adversaries may attempt to position themselves between two or more networked devices using an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) technique to support follow-on behaviors such as Network Sniffing, Transmitted Data Manipulation, or replay attacks (Exploitation for Credential Access). By abusing features of common networking protocols that can determine the flow of network traffic (e.g. ARP, DNS, LLMNR, etc.), adversaries may force a device to communicate through an adversary controlled system so they can collect information or perform additional actions.
Evidence: 2026-08-29/exchange-mrsproxy-auth-bypass-cve-2026-62911-poc · ATT&CK page ↗
T1560.003Archive Collected Data: Archive via Custom Method×1
An adversary may compress or encrypt data that is collected prior to exfiltration using a custom method. Adversaries may choose to use custom archival methods, such as encryption with XOR or stream ciphers implemented with no external library or utility references. Custom implementations of well-known compression algorithms have also been used.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
Command and Control TA0011
T1071.001Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols×2
Adversaries may communicate using application layer protocols associated with web traffic to avoid detection/network filtering by blending in with existing traffic. Commands to the remote system, and often the results of those commands, will be embedded within the protocol traffic between the client and server.
Evidence: 2026-09-07/recordedfuture-h1-2026-tool-stack-reuse · 2026-05-18/cve-2026-42897-exchange-owa-em-service-auto-mitigation-depen · ATT&CK page ↗
T1071.004Application Layer Protocol: DNS×1
Adversaries may communicate using the Domain Name System (DNS) application layer protocol to avoid detection/network filtering by blending in with existing traffic. Commands to the remote system, and often the results of those commands, will be embedded within the protocol traffic between the client and server.
Evidence: 2026-05-18/cve-2026-42897-exchange-owa-em-service-auto-mitigation-depen · ATT&CK page ↗
T1090.001Proxy: Internal Proxy×1
Adversaries may use an internal proxy to direct command and control traffic between two or more systems in a compromised environment. Many tools exist that enable traffic redirection through proxies or port redirection, including HTRAN, ZXProxy, and ZXPortMap. Adversaries use internal proxies to manage command and control communications inside a compromised environment, to reduce the number of simultaneous outbound network connections, to provide resiliency in the face of connection loss, or to ride over existing trusted communications paths between infected systems to avoid suspicion. Internal proxy connections may use common peer-to-peer (p2p) networking protocols, such as SMB, to better blend in with the environment.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
T1102.001Web Service: Dead Drop Resolver×1
Adversaries may use an existing, legitimate external Web service to host information that points to additional command and control (C2) infrastructure. Adversaries may post content, known as a dead drop resolver, on Web services with embedded (and often obfuscated/encoded) domains or IP addresses. Once infected, victims will reach out to and be redirected by these resolvers.
Evidence: 2026-05-18/cve-2026-42897-exchange-owa-em-service-auto-mitigation-depen · ATT&CK page ↗
T1105Ingress Tool Transfer×1
Adversaries may transfer tools or other files from an external system into a compromised environment. Tools or files may be copied from an external adversary-controlled system to the victim network through the command and control channel or through alternate protocols such as ftp. Once present, adversaries may also transfer/spread tools between victim devices within a compromised environment (i.e. Lateral Tool Transfer).
Evidence: 2026-09-07/recordedfuture-h1-2026-tool-stack-reuse · ATT&CK page ↗
T1572Protocol Tunneling×1
Adversaries may tunnel network communications to and from a victim system within a separate protocol to avoid detection/network filtering and/or enable access to otherwise unreachable systems. Tunneling involves explicitly encapsulating a protocol within another. This behavior may conceal malicious traffic by blending in with existing traffic and/or provide an outer layer of encryption (similar to a VPN). Tunneling could also enable routing of network packets that would otherwise not reach their intended destination, such as SMB, RDP, or other traffic that would be filtered by network appliances or not routed over the Internet.
Evidence: 2026-09-21/nighteagle-apt-q-95-ghostcontainer-devtunnels-rdp2tcp-dcsync · ATT&CK page ↗
Exfiltration TA0010
T1020Automated Exfiltration×1
Adversaries may exfiltrate data, such as sensitive documents, through the use of automated processing after being gathered during Collection.
Evidence: 2026-10-09/aa26-281a-integrity-tech-microscan-exchange-mail-theft · ATT&CK page ↗
T1041Exfiltration Over C2 Channel×1
Adversaries may steal data by exfiltrating it over an existing command and control channel. Stolen data is encoded into the normal communications channel using the same protocol as command and control communications.
Evidence: 2026-09-07/recordedfuture-h1-2026-tool-stack-reuse · ATT&CK page ↗
Entries about Microsoft Exchange Server (7)
Earlier coverage (4)
Recorded Future's H1 2026 Malware and Vulnerability Trends: two clusters reuse an identical post-exploitation tool stack across thirteen and ten unrelated initial CVEsRecorded Future's Insikt Group published its H1 2026 Malware and Vulnerability Trends report on 2026-09-03, tracking 215 actively exploited CVEs. Its most actionable defender-facing finding is that post-exploitation tool-stack reuse persists across otherwise-unrelated initial-access vulnerabilities: a cluster designated StrikeShark applied an identical six-tool stack across thirteen separate CVEs spanning multiple vendors, and Storm-1175 linked the same credential-theft and ransomware tooling across ten different initial CVEs.CVE-2026-62911, Microsoft Exchange Server MRSProxy: a missing channel-binding check lets a relayed Negotiate authentication take over every mailbox, public exploit code now live sixteen days after the patchCVE-2026-62911 (CVSS3.1 8.0), patched in Microsoft's 11 August 2026 Exchange Server security release and originally rated "Exploitation Less Likely," now has working exploit code published on GitHub (around 27 August 2026). The flaw is a missing channel-binding check on the MRSProxy mailbox-move endpoint that lets a relayed Negotiate authentication exchange be treated as the relayed account, giving an attacker who can relay that exchange full mailbox access across the organization. No in-the-wild exploitation is reported.CVE-2026-42897: Exchange OWA cross-site scripting exploited by TA488 with the OWAReaper implant; fixed since the June 2026 Security Update, which does not remove the mitigationCVE-2026-42897, an exploited cross-site scripting flaw in Outlook Web Access on Exchange 2016, 2019 and Subscription Edition, is fixed in the June 2026 Security Update, and Microsoft recommends the July 2026 update. Proofpoint saw TA488 (Void Blizzard, LAUNDRY BEAR) exploit it from 2026-07-22 with OWAReaper, whose Owner grant to the Default alias on every mail folder survives password resets and re-imaging and needs deliberate removal from the server.Pwn2Own Berlin 2026: DEVCORE's Orange Tsai chains three Exchange bugs to code execution as SYSTEM, one later fixed as CVE-2026-62911On Day Two of Pwn2Own Berlin 2026 (2026-05-15), Orange Tsai of DEVCORE chained three bugs to achieve remote code execution as SYSTEM on Microsoft Exchange, earning $200,000. The bugs were unrelated to the exploited OWA flaw CVE-2026-42897 and went to Microsoft through the contest's coordinated disclosure; one of them, CVE-2026-62911, was fixed in the August 2026 Exchange update and has public exploit code.
Co-occurring entities
Derived: referenced by the same focused operational entries (weekly summaries and report roundups don't count); ×N counts the shared entries.
- Pwn2Own Berlin 2026×2
- Apache Struts×1
- Apache Struts 2.3.19 to 2.3.28: command injection with Dynamic Method Invocation enabled, exploited per AA26-281A and added to CISA KEV 2026-10-08×1
- BlueKeep, Windows RDP pre-auth RCE (2019), exploited by NightEagle/APT-Q-95 for local-account creation and by BlueMoon-adjacent chains historically×1
- FishHub×1
- Flax Typhoon×1
- GhostContainer×1
- GitLab×1
Where this entity is cited
Source distribution
- techcommunity.microsoft.com5 (18%)
- msrc.microsoft.com4 (14%)
- securelist.com2 (7%)
- advisories.ncsc.nl1 (4%)
- bleepingcomputer.com1 (4%)
- cisa.gov1 (4%)
- cwiki.apache.org1 (4%)
- frankysweb.de1 (4%)
- other12 (43%)
All cited sources (28)
- advisories.ncsc.nlNCSC-NL advisory NCSC-2026-0289 (rev. 1.0.1)https://advisories.ncsc.nl/advisory?id=NCSC-2026-0289
- bleepingcomputer.comBleepingComputerhttps://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/pwn2own-day-two-hackers-demo-microsoft-exchange-windows-11-red-had-enterprise-linux-zero-days/
- cisa.govCISA KEV cataloghttps://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json
- cwiki.apache.orgApache Struts (S2-032)https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/WW/S2-032
- frankysweb.deFranky's Webhttps://www.frankysweb.de/en/exchange-public-exploit-for-critical-vulnerability-cve-2026-62911/
- heise.deheise Securityhttps://www.heise.de/news/Exchange-Sicherheitsluecke-85-Prozent-der-On-Prem-Server-in-Deutschland-anfaellig-11434785.html
- ic3.govFBI, CISA, NSA, NCSC UK and partners (joint advisory AA26-281A)https://www.ic3.gov/CSA/2026/261008.pdf
- justice.govU.S. Department of Justicehttps://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-and-fbi-seize-vulnerability-scanning-and-spear-phishing-tools-operated
- learn.microsoft.comMicrosoft Learnhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/plan-and-deploy/post-installation-tasks/security-best-practices/exchange-emergency-mitigation-service
- msrc.microsoft.comMicrosoft Security Response Centerhttps://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-42897
- msrc.microsoft.comMicrosoft Security Response Centerhttps://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-62911
- msrc.microsoft.comMicrosoft Security Response Centerhttps://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-70279
- msrc.microsoft.comMicrosoft Security Response Centerhttps://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-70571
- ncsc.gov.ukNCSC UKhttps://www.ncsc.gov.uk/news/china-linked-actors-called-out-by-uk-and-international-partners-for-targeting-sensitive-data
- proofpoint.comProofpointhttps://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/cleaning-out-inboxes-ta488-comes-outlook-another-half-click-exploit
- recordedfuture.comRecorded Future (Insikt Group)https://www.recordedfuture.com/research/h1-2026-malware-vulnerability-trends
- securelist.comKaspersky Securelist (GReAT)https://securelist.com/strikeshark-campaign/120326/
- securelist.comKaspersky Securelist (GERT)https://securelist.com/tr/nighteagle-apt-ghostcontainer-and-tunneling/121323/
- security-hub.ncsc.admin.chNCSC Switzerland (Cyber Security Hub)https://security-hub.ncsc.admin.ch/#/posts/12577
- social.bund.deCERT-Bund (BSI)https://social.bund.de/@certbund/117171896801475447
- strapi.ioStrapihttps://strapi.io/blog/security-disclosure-of-vulnerabilities-cve
- techcommunity.microsoft.comMicrosoft Exchange Team Bloghttps://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/addressing-exchange-server-may-2026-vulnerability-cve-2026-42897/4518498
- techcommunity.microsoft.comMicrosoft Exchange Teamhttps://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/exchange-servers-may-become-unstable-after-installation-of-october-2026-windows-/4565382
- techcommunity.microsoft.comMicrosoft Exchange Team Bloghttps://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/released-july-2026-exchange-server-security-updates/4534146
- techcommunity.microsoft.comMicrosoft Exchange Team Bloghttps://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/released-june-2026-exchange-server-security-updates/4524491
- techcommunity.microsoft.comMicrosoft Exchange Teamhttps://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/released-october-2026-exchange-server-security-updates/4563014
- vred.mbbank.com.vnMB VREDhttps://vred.mbbank.com.vn/p/analysis-of-exchange-server-pre-auth
- zerodayinitiative.comZero Day Initiativehttps://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2026/5/15/pwn2own-berlin-2026-day-two-results