Syntax

MITRE ATT&CK does not currently catalogue Syntax, 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 v20.0. Confidence: low. Treat it as orientation, not attribution.

1. T1059.001 PowerShell Execution

   What they do: Syntax executes malicious PowerShell scripts to stage ransomware payloads and disable security tools on compromised systems.

   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: Syntax persists via Registry Run Keys to ensure ransomware reactivation after system 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: Syntax disables antivirus and monitoring tools by terminating security processes and modifying system configurations.

   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. T1027 Obfuscated Files or Information Stealth

   What they do: Syntax obfuscates its malware binaries and command strings to evade signature-based detection systems.

   What that means: Adversaries may attempt to make an executable or file difficult to discover or analyze by encrypting, encoding, or otherwise obfuscating its contents on the system or in transit.

5. T1070.004 File Deletion Stealth

   What they do: Syntax deletes Volume Shadow Copies and backup directories via vssadmin and file deletion commands to prevent recovery.

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

6. T1083 File and Directory Discovery Discovery

   What they do: Syntax uses file and directory discovery via PowerShell to locate documents and backups for targeted encryption.

   What that means: Adversaries may enumerate files and directories or may search in specific locations of a host or network share for certain information within a file system.

7. T1486 Data Encrypted for Impact Impact

   What they do: Syntax encrypts victim files using its ransomware payload, applying strong encryption to disrupt business operations.

   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: Syntax prevents system recovery by stopping backup services and disabling restore mechanisms post-encryption.

   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.