Bitlocker

MITRE ATT&CK does not currently catalogue Bitlocker, so this is our assessment of the techniques it uses, drawn from public reporting. The techniques themselves, and every "what that means" definition below, come from MITRE ATT&CK v19.2. Confidence: low. Treat it as orientation, not attribution.

1. T1059.001 PowerShell Execution

   What they do: bitlocker executes PowerShell scripts to stage ransomware payloads and manipulate system processes.

   What that means: Adversaries may abuse PowerShell commands and scripts for execution.

2. T1547.001 Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder PersistencePrivilege Escalation

   What they do: bitlocker persists via registry run keys to ensure recurring execution after reboots.

   What that means: Adversaries may achieve persistence by adding a program to a startup folder or referencing it with a Registry run key.

3. T1685 Disable or Modify Tools Defense Impairment

   What they do: bitlocker disables antivirus tools and security software to prevent detection and recovery.

   What that means: 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.

4. T1070.004 File Deletion Stealth

   What they do: bitlocker deletes Volume Shadow Copies and backup files to eliminate recovery options.

   What that means: Adversaries may delete files left behind by the actions of their intrusion activity.

5. T1135 Network Share Discovery Discovery

   What they do: bitlocker scans network shares to identify victim file directories for encryption.

   What that means: Adversaries may look for folders and drives shared on remote systems as a means of identifying sources of information to gather as a precursor for Collection and to identify potential systems of interest for Lateral Movement.

6. T1021.002 SMB/Windows Admin Shares Lateral Movement

   What they do: bitlocker moves laterally through SMB/Windows Admin Shares to encrypt additional systems.

   What that means: Adversaries may use Valid Accounts to interact with a remote network share using Server Message Block (SMB).

7. T1486 Data Encrypted for Impact Impact

   What they do: bitlocker encrypts victim files using strong symmetric cryptography to maximize impact.

   What that means: Adversaries may encrypt data on target systems or on large numbers of systems in a network to interrupt availability to system and network resources.

8. T1490 Inhibit System Recovery Impact

   What they do: bitlocker inhibits system recovery by corrupting restore points and disabling backup mechanisms.

   What that means: Adversaries may delete or remove built-in data and turn off services designed to aid in the recovery of a corrupted system to prevent recovery.