MITRE ATT&CK / Techniques / T1016.002

System Network Configuration Discovery: Wi-Fi Discovery

ID
T1016.002
Tactics
TA0007 Discovery
Sub-technique of
T1016 System Network Configuration Discovery
Platforms
Linux, Windows, macOS
Data sources
Process Creation, Command Execution, File Access
Source
attack.mitre.org
MITRE last modified
25 Oct 2025

Adversaries may search for information about Wi-Fi networks, such as network names and passwords, on compromised systems. Adversaries may use Wi-Fi information as part of Account Discovery, Remote System Discovery, and other discovery or Credential Access activity to support both ongoing and future campaigns.

Adversaries may collect various types of information about Wi-Fi networks from hosts. For example, on Windows names and passwords of all Wi-Fi networks a device has previously connected to may be available through netsh wlan show profiles to enumerate Wi-Fi names and then netsh wlan show profile “Wi-Fi name” key=clear to show a Wi-Fi network’s corresponding password.[1][2][3] Additionally, names and other details of locally reachable Wi-Fi networks can be discovered using calls to wlanAPI.dll Native API functions.[4]

On Linux, names and passwords of all Wi-Fi-networks a device has previously connected to may be available in files under /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/.[5] On macOS, the password of a known Wi-Fi may be identified with security find-generic-password -wa wifiname (requires admin username/password).[6]

Detection

Groups (1)

Software (5)

References

  1. BleepingComputer Agent Tesla steal wifi passwords
  2. Malware Bytes New AgentTesla variant steals WiFi credentials
  3. Check Point APT35 CharmPower January 2022
  4. Binary Defense Emotes Wi-Fi Spreader
  5. Wi-Fi Password of All Connected Networks in Windows/Linux
  6. Find Wi-Fi Password on Mac