Adversaries may attempt to leverage Application Program Interfaces (APIs) used for communication between control software and the hardware. Specific functionality is often coded into APIs which can be called by software to engage specific functions on a device or other software.
Block execution of code on a system through application control, and/or script blocking.
M0800Authorization EnforcementThe device or system should restrict read, manipulate, or execute privileges to only authenticated users who require access based on approved security policies. Role-based Access Control (RBAC) schemes can help reduce the overhead of assigning permissions to the large number of devices within an ICS. For example, IEC 62351 provides examples of roles used to support common system operations within the electric power sector (Citation: International Electrotechnical Commission July 2020), while IEEE 1686 defines standard permissions for users of IEDs. (Citation: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers January 2014)
M0804Human User AuthenticationRequire user authentication before allowing access to data or accepting commands to a device. While strong multi-factor authentication is preferable, it is not always feasible within ICS environments. Performing strong user authentication also requires additional security controls and processes which are often the target of related adversarial techniques (e.g., Valid Accounts, Default Credentials). Therefore, associated ATT&CK mitigations should be considered in addition to this, including [Multi-factor Authentication](https://attack.mitre.org/mitigations/M0932), [Account Use Policies](https://attack.mitre.org/mitigations/M0936), [Password Policies](https://attack.mitre.org/mitigations/M0927), [User Account Management](https://attack.mitre.org/mitigations/M0918), [Privileged Account Management](https://attack.mitre.org/mitigations/M0926), and [User Account Control](https://attack.mitre.org/mitigations/M1052).
M0801Access ManagementAccess Management technologies can be used to enforce authorization polices and decisions, especially when existing field devices do not provide sufficient capabilities to support user identification and authentication. (Citation: McCarthy, J et al. July 2018) These technologies typically utilize an in-line network device or gateway system to prevent access to unauthenticated users, while also integrating with an authentication service to first verify user credentials. (Citation: Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure November 2010)
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