H3XAOperational intelligence
Live analytical pictureEvidence before assessment
TypeTechnique
External ID—
First seen2026-08-14
Last seen2026-08-14

Confidence

—

Adversaries may clear or remove evidence of malicious network connections in order to clean up traces of their operations. Configuration settings as well as various artifacts that highlight connection history may be created on a system and/or in application logs from behaviors that require network connections, such as [Remote Services](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1021) or [External Remote Services](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1133). Defenders may use these artifacts to monitor or otherwise analyze network connections created by adversaries. Network connection history may be stored in various locations. For example, RDP connection history may be stored in Windows Registry values under (Citation: Microsoft RDP Removal): * HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Default * HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Servers Windows may also store information about recent RDP connections in files such as C:\Users\\%username%\Documents\Default.rdp and `C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Cache\`.(Citation: Moran RDPieces) Similarly, macOS and Linux hosts may store information highlighting connection history in system logs (such as those stored in `/Library/Logs` and/or `/var/log/`).(Citation: Apple Culprit Access)(Citation: FreeDesktop Journal)(Citation: Apple Unified Log Analysis Remote Login and Screen Sharing) Malicious network connections may also require changes to third-party applications or network configuration settings, such as [Disable or Modify System Firewall](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1686) or tampering to enable [Proxy](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1090). Adversaries may delete or modify this data to conceal indicators and/or impede defensive analysis.

7 recorded

Relationships

mitigatesMitigation
mitigatesMitigation
subtechnique-ofTechnique
usesCampaign
usesMalware
uses
from UNC3886
Group
usesGroup
6 external

References

mitre-attack
T1070.007
open
FreeDesktop Journal
https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/systemd-journald.service.html
open
Microsoft RDP Removal
https://docs.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/windows-server/remote/remove-entries-from-remote-desktop-connection-computer
open
Moran RDPieces
https://www.osdfcon.org/presentations/2020/Brian-Moran_Putting-Together-the-RDPieces.pdf
open
Apple Culprit Access
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3991574
open
Apple Unified Log Analysis Remote Login and Screen Sharing
https://sarah-edwards-xzkc.squarespace.com/blog/2020/4/30/analysis-of-apple-unified-logs-quarantine-edition-entry-6-working-from-home-remote-logins
open