T1572

Official Description

Adversaries may tunnel network communications to and from a victim system within a separate protocol to avoid detection/network filtering and/or enable access to otherwise unreachable systems. Tunneling involves explicitly encapsulating a protocol within another. This behavior may conceal malicious traffic by blending in with existing traffic and/or provide an outer layer of encryption (similar to a VPN). Tunneling could also enable routing of network packets that would otherwise not reach their intended destination, such as SMB, RDP, or other traffic that would be filtered by network appliances or not routed over the Internet.

There are various means to encapsulate a protocol within another protocol. For example, adversaries may perform SSH tunneling (also known as SSH port forwarding), which involves forwarding arbitrary data over an encrypted SSH tunnel.(Citation: SSH Tunneling)(Citation: Sygnia Abyss Locker 2025)

[Protocol Tunneling](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1572) may also be abused by adversaries during [Dynamic Resolution](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1568). Known as DNS over HTTPS (DoH), queries to resolve C2 infrastructure may be encapsulated within encrypted HTTPS packets.(Citation: BleepingComp Godlua JUL19)

Adversaries may also leverage [Protocol Tunneling](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1572) in conjunction with [Proxy](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1090) and/or [Protocol or Service Impersonation](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1001/003) to further conceal C2 communications and infrastructure.

Tactics: Command And Control
Platforms: ESXi, Linux, macOS, Windows
MITRE Version: 1.1
Last Modified: May 12, 2026

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Reported Context (10)

Blackwood loaded Chisel to establish encrypted TCP tunnels over HTTP with reverse SOCKS proxy support. Iranian-Aligned Blinder Tunnel Campaign Targets Iraqi Critical Infrastructure
The actor deployed a GOST tunnel; the article's IOC table identifies a GOST tunnel C2 address. Huntress Reconstructs an Akira Ransomware Attack from Forensic Artifacts
The Python implant established an encrypted WebSocket tunnel to attacker-controlled servers, enabling traffic relay through the compromised host. TerminalFix Lures and Lorem Ipsum Loader Deploy a Covert Tunneling Implant
Salt Typhoon configured GRE tunnels to pull data through compromised routers. How SS7, BGP, and Router Weaknesses Expose Telecom Networks to Intrusions
The second operator's scripts attempted to establish chisel reverse tunnels from compromised edge devices to the operator's server. Research details toolkits targeting Ukrainian IP cameras and routers

CVE (18)

Malware (19)

People (9)

Threat Actors (15)

MITRE ATT&CK (84)

Vendors (27)

Products (49)

Tools (53)

Industries (12)

Countries (27)

Note: Related entities, including threat actors, malware, CVEs, MITRE ATT&CK techniques, vendors, products, tools, countries, and industries, are shown when they appear in the same reporting. Their presence does not necessarily mean they were targeted, compromised, vulnerable, responsible for the activity, or directly involved in the incident.