User Execution: Malicious Image
- ID
- T1204.003
- Tactics
- TA0002 Execution
- Sub-technique of
- T1204 User Execution
- Platforms
- IaaS, Containers
- Data sources
- Image Creation, Container Creation, Container Start, Command Execution, Network Traffic Content, Instance Start, Instance Creation, Process Creation
- Source
- attack.mitre.org
- MITRE last modified
- 8 Oct 2026
Adversaries may rely on a user running a malicious image to facilitate execution. Amazon Web Services (AWS) Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Images, and Azure Images as well as popular container runtimes such as Docker can be backdoored. Backdoored images may be uploaded to a public repository via Upload Malware, and users may then download and deploy an instance or container from the image without realizing the image is malicious, thus bypassing techniques that specifically achieve Initial Access. This can lead to the execution of malicious code, such as code that executes cryptocurrency mining, in the instance or container.[3]
Adversaries may also name images a certain way to increase the chance of users mistakenly deploying an instance or container from the image (ex: Match Legitimate Resource Name or Location).[4]
Detection
- DET0248 User Execution – Malicious Image (containers & IaaS) – pull/run → start → anomalous behavior (T1204.003)
Data components: Image Creation, Container Creation, Container Start, Command Execution, Network Traffic Content, Instance Start, Instance Creation, Process Creation
Mitigations (4)
- M1017 User Training
Train users to be aware of the existence of malicious images and how to avoid deploying instances and containers from them.
- M1031 Network Intrusion Prevention
Network prevention intrusion systems and systems designed to scan and remove malicious downloads can be used to block activity.
- M1045 Code Signing
Utilize a trust model such as Docker Content Trust with digital signatures to ensure runtime verification of the integrity and publisher of specific image tags.[1][2]
- M1047 Audit
Audit images deployed within the environment to ensure they do not contain any malicious components.
Groups (1)
References
- Content trust in Docker
- Content trust in Azure Container Registry
- Summit Route Malicious AMIs
- Aqua Security Cloud Native Threat Report June 2021