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TA0004 · PRIVILEGE ESCALATION

Escape to Host

T1611Windows · Linux · Containers · ESXiattack.mitre.org

Adversaries may break out of a container or virtualized environment to gain access to the underlying host. This can allow an adversary access to other containerized or virtualized resources from the host level or to the host itself.

Detect it with

Monitor for the deployment of suspicious or unknown container images and pods in your environment, particularly containers running as root.

Why it matters on shift

Escape to Host is one of the concrete ways adversaries achieve privilege escalation. Recognising it in telemetry lets you name the technique in your ticket and pivot to what came before and after.

What to look for next

After privilege escalation, the next tactic is usually Defense Evasion. Search your telemetry for the transition before closing the ticket.

Kill-chain context

← beforePersistencePrivilege Escalationafter →Defense Evasion