Defacement: External Defacement
- ID
- T1491.002
- Tactics
- TA0040 Impact
- Sub-technique of
- T1491 Defacement
- Platforms
- Windows, IaaS, Linux, macOS
- Data sources
- File Modification, Network Traffic Content, Process Creation, Logon Session Metadata, File Creation, Cloud Storage Enumeration, Cloud Storage Access
- Source
- attack.mitre.org
- MITRE last modified
- 25 Oct 2025
An adversary may deface systems external to an organization in an attempt to deliver messaging, intimidate, or otherwise mislead an organization or users. External Defacement may ultimately cause users to distrust the systems and to question/discredit the system’s integrity. Externally-facing websites are a common victim of defacement; often targeted by adversary and hacktivist groups in order to push a political message or spread propaganda.[2][3][4] External Defacement may be used as a catalyst to trigger events, or as a response to actions taken by an organization or government. Similarly, website defacement may also be used as setup, or a precursor, for future attacks such as Drive-by Compromise.[5]
Detection
- DET0590 Behavioral Detection of External Website Defacement across Platforms
Data components: File Modification, Network Traffic Content, Process Creation, Logon Session Metadata, File Creation, Cloud Storage Enumeration, Cloud Storage Access
Mitigations (1)
- M1053 Data Backup
Consider implementing IT disaster recovery plans that contain procedures for taking regular data backups that can be used to restore organizational data.[1] Ensure backups are stored off system and is protected from common methods adversaries may use to gain access and destroy the backups to prevent recovery.