Indicator Removal on Host

Adversaries may delete, alter, or hide generated artifacts on a device, including files, jailbreak status, or the malicious application itself. These actions may interfere with event collection, reporting, or other notifications used to detect intrusion activity. This may compromise the integrity of mobile security solutions by causing notable events or information to go unreported.

ID: T1630
Sub-techniques:  T1630.001, T1630.002, T1630.003
Tactic Type: Post-Adversary Device Access
Tactic: Defense Evasion
Platforms: Android, iOS
MTC ID: APP-43
Version: 1.1
Created: 30 March 2022
Last Modified: 24 October 2025

Procedure Examples

ID Name Description
S1083 Chameleon

Chameleon has removed artifacts of its presence and has the ability to uninstall itself.[1]

S1231 GodFather

GodFather has requested for the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission to delete files in the device’s external storage.[2]

C0054 Operation Triangulation

During Operation Triangulation, the threat actors deleted the initial exploitation message and exploit attachment.[3]

Mitigations

ID Mitigation Description
M1002 Attestation

Attestation can detect unauthorized modifications to devices. Mobile security software can then use this information and take appropriate mitigation action.

M1001 Security Updates

Security updates typically provide patches for vulnerabilities that could be abused by malicious applications.

M1011 User Guidance

Inform users that device rooting or granting unnecessary access to the accessibility service presents security risks that could be taken advantage of without their knowledge.

Detection Strategy

ID Name Analytic ID Analytic Description
DET0651 Detection of Indicator Removal on Host AN1733

Detects indirect evidence of host-side indicator removal by correlating (1) local artifact creation or compromise-state-relevant activity, (2) later disappearance, alteration, or reporting loss for those artifacts or state indicators, and (3) continued application or device activity under reduced visibility. Because iOS provides weaker direct visibility into some Android-style artifact and jailbreak-indicator manipulation patterns, the defender relies more on app-private artifact lifecycle changes, managed posture shifts, and continued runtime or network activity after expected evidence disappears.

AN1734

Correlates (1) application activity that creates, modifies, or accesses local artifacts relevant to detection or device compromise state, (2) subsequent deletion, alteration, renaming, relocation, or visibility suppression of those artifacts, including files, application presence, media, or root-compromise indicators, and (3) continued application execution, reduced telemetry quality, or outbound activity after the artifact state changes. The defender observes a causal chain where host-side evidence is first manipulated and expected visibility or reporting degrades while the initiating application remains active.

References