Source assertions are not new attribution claims. No sole inventor or transitive actor-CVE inference.
{
  "record": {
    "id": "ATTACK:enterprise:T1021.003",
    "title": "Distributed Component Object Model",
    "type": "Subtechnique",
    "source_url": "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1021/003",
    "snapshot": "enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
    "status": "active",
    "rights": "Source metadata only; source notices retained; no operational prose or payloads",
    "review_status": "machine-extracted; source-specific checks passed, editorial review pending",
    "stix_id": "attack-pattern--68a0c5ed-bee2-4513-830d-5b0d650139bd",
    "external_id": "T1021.003",
    "domain": "enterprise",
    "created": "2020-02-11T18:26:36.444Z",
    "modified": "2025-10-24T17:48:53.724Z",
    "version": "1.3",
    "aliases": [

    ],
    "tactics": [
      "lateral-movement"
    ],
    "source_references": [
      {
        "source_name": "Fireeye Hunting COM June 2019",
        "url": "https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2019/06/hunting-com-objects.html"
      },
      {
        "source_name": "Microsoft COM",
        "url": "https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/desktop/ms680573.aspx"
      },
      {
        "source_name": "Microsoft COM ACL",
        "url": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/com/dcom-security-enhancements-in-windows-xp-service-pack-2-and-windows-server-2003-service-pack-1"
      },
      {
        "source_name": "Microsoft Process Wide Com Keys",
        "url": "https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms687317(v=vs.85).aspx"
      },
      {
        "source_name": "MSDN WMI",
        "url": "https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa394582.aspx"
      },
      {
        "source_name": "Enigma DCOM Lateral Movement Jan 2017",
        "url": "https://enigma0x3.net/2017/01/23/lateral-movement-via-dcom-round-2/"
      },
      {
        "source_name": "Enigma MMC20 COM Jan 2017",
        "url": "https://enigma0x3.net/2017/01/05/lateral-movement-using-the-mmc20-application-com-object/"
      },
      {
        "source_name": "Enigma Outlook DCOM Lateral Movement Nov 2017",
        "url": "https://enigma0x3.net/2017/11/16/lateral-movement-using-outlooks-createobject-method-and-dotnettojscript/"
      },
      {
        "source_name": "Enigma Excel DCOM Sept 2017",
        "url": "https://enigma0x3.net/2017/09/11/lateral-movement-using-excel-application-and-dcom/"
      },
      {
        "source_name": "Cyberreason DCOM DDE Lateral Movement Nov 2017",
        "url": "https://www.cybereason.com/blog/leveraging-excel-dde-for-lateral-movement-via-dcom"
      }
    ]
  },
  "assertions": [
    {
      "id": "enterprise:relationship--04878c23-0ba8-4893-acd7-f0594241b66f",
      "subject": "ATTACK:enterprise:S0363",
      "predicate": "uses",
      "object": "ATTACK:enterprise:T1021.003",
      "asserted_by": "MITRE ATT&CK",
      "source_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mitre-attack/attack-stix-data/c2494b29dd268c46a5d0ea0990553e4327cd2253/enterprise-attack/enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "snapshot": "enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "evidence_locator": "relationship--04878c23-0ba8-4893-acd7-f0594241b66f",
      "modified": "2026-04-29T14:23:05.909Z",
      "references": [
        {
          "source_name": "Github PowerShell Empire",
          "url": "https://github.com/PowerShellEmpire/Empire"
        }
      ],
      "qualification": "Source assertion; no new actor identity, alias equivalence, CVE exploitation or causal inference. Procedure prose omitted.",
      "source_occurrences": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "enterprise:relationship--6fa7ec61-ea14-40d1-b023-d8fd18738da9",
      "subject": "ATTACK:enterprise:M1042",
      "predicate": "mitigates",
      "object": "ATTACK:enterprise:T1021.003",
      "asserted_by": "MITRE ATT&CK",
      "source_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mitre-attack/attack-stix-data/c2494b29dd268c46a5d0ea0990553e4327cd2253/enterprise-attack/enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "snapshot": "enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "evidence_locator": "relationship--6fa7ec61-ea14-40d1-b023-d8fd18738da9",
      "modified": "2026-04-29T14:23:06.078Z",
      "references": [
        {
          "source_name": "Microsoft Disable DCOM",
          "url": "https://technet.microsoft.com/library/cc771387.aspx"
        }
      ],
      "qualification": "Source assertion; no new actor identity, alias equivalence, CVE exploitation or causal inference. Procedure prose omitted.",
      "source_occurrences": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "enterprise:relationship--7566cba1-7be8-4647-b0ab-2991fcde2abf",
      "subject": "ATTACK:enterprise:M1048",
      "predicate": "mitigates",
      "object": "ATTACK:enterprise:T1021.003",
      "asserted_by": "MITRE ATT&CK",
      "source_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mitre-attack/attack-stix-data/c2494b29dd268c46a5d0ea0990553e4327cd2253/enterprise-attack/enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "snapshot": "enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "evidence_locator": "relationship--7566cba1-7be8-4647-b0ab-2991fcde2abf",
      "modified": "2026-04-29T14:23:06.086Z",
      "references": [
        {
          "source_name": "Microsoft Protected View",
          "url": "https://support.office.com/en-us/article/What-is-Protected-View-d6f09ac7-e6b9-4495-8e43-2bbcdbcb6653"
        }
      ],
      "qualification": "Source assertion; no new actor identity, alias equivalence, CVE exploitation or causal inference. Procedure prose omitted.",
      "source_occurrences": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "enterprise:relationship--950c7be9-c84d-4543-9f3b-71eae9019fe4",
      "subject": "ATTACK:enterprise:T1021.003",
      "predicate": "subtechnique-of",
      "object": "ATTACK:enterprise:T1021",
      "asserted_by": "MITRE ATT&CK",
      "source_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mitre-attack/attack-stix-data/c2494b29dd268c46a5d0ea0990553e4327cd2253/enterprise-attack/enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "snapshot": "enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "evidence_locator": "relationship--950c7be9-c84d-4543-9f3b-71eae9019fe4",
      "modified": "2026-04-29T14:23:06.128Z",
      "references": [

      ],
      "qualification": "Source assertion; no new actor identity, alias equivalence, CVE exploitation or causal inference. Procedure prose omitted.",
      "source_occurrences": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "enterprise:relationship--99651be9-3231-4d78-b36d-5330a3b418fc",
      "subject": "ATTACK:enterprise:M1030",
      "predicate": "mitigates",
      "object": "ATTACK:enterprise:T1021.003",
      "asserted_by": "MITRE ATT&CK",
      "source_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mitre-attack/attack-stix-data/c2494b29dd268c46a5d0ea0990553e4327cd2253/enterprise-attack/enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "snapshot": "enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "evidence_locator": "relationship--99651be9-3231-4d78-b36d-5330a3b418fc",
      "modified": "2026-04-29T14:23:06.134Z",
      "references": [

      ],
      "qualification": "Source assertion; no new actor identity, alias equivalence, CVE exploitation or causal inference. Procedure prose omitted.",
      "source_occurrences": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "enterprise:relationship--bcef3835-1388-4bb7-850b-d248f4c1810f",
      "subject": "ATTACK:enterprise:S0692",
      "predicate": "uses",
      "object": "ATTACK:enterprise:T1021.003",
      "asserted_by": "MITRE ATT&CK",
      "source_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mitre-attack/attack-stix-data/c2494b29dd268c46a5d0ea0990553e4327cd2253/enterprise-attack/enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "snapshot": "enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "evidence_locator": "relationship--bcef3835-1388-4bb7-850b-d248f4c1810f",
      "modified": "2026-04-29T14:23:06.183Z",
      "references": [
        {
          "source_name": "GitHub SILENTTRINITY Modules July 2019",
          "url": "https://github.com/byt3bl33d3r/SILENTTRINITY/tree/master/silenttrinity/core/teamserver/modules/boo"
        }
      ],
      "qualification": "Source assertion; no new actor identity, alias equivalence, CVE exploitation or causal inference. Procedure prose omitted.",
      "source_occurrences": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "enterprise:relationship--e1a8fd78-3712-4951-8ebc-af5fe271295d",
      "subject": "ATTACK:enterprise:S0154",
      "predicate": "uses",
      "object": "ATTACK:enterprise:T1021.003",
      "asserted_by": "MITRE ATT&CK",
      "source_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mitre-attack/attack-stix-data/c2494b29dd268c46a5d0ea0990553e4327cd2253/enterprise-attack/enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "snapshot": "enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "evidence_locator": "relationship--e1a8fd78-3712-4951-8ebc-af5fe271295d",
      "modified": "2026-04-29T14:23:06.233Z",
      "references": [
        {
          "source_name": "Cobalt Strike DCOM Jan 2017",
          "url": "https://blog.cobaltstrike.com/2017/01/24/scripting-matt-nelsons-mmc20-application-lateral-movement-technique/"
        }
      ],
      "qualification": "Source assertion; no new actor identity, alias equivalence, CVE exploitation or causal inference. Procedure prose omitted.",
      "source_occurrences": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "enterprise:relationship--eb21bd35-77bb-4bc4-868d-b6e0940375ca",
      "subject": "ATTACK:enterprise:M1026",
      "predicate": "mitigates",
      "object": "ATTACK:enterprise:T1021.003",
      "asserted_by": "MITRE ATT&CK",
      "source_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mitre-attack/attack-stix-data/c2494b29dd268c46a5d0ea0990553e4327cd2253/enterprise-attack/enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "snapshot": "enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
      "evidence_locator": "relationship--eb21bd35-77bb-4bc4-868d-b6e0940375ca",
      "modified": "2026-04-29T14:23:06.245Z",
      "references": [
        {
          "source_name": "Microsoft Process Wide Com Keys",
          "url": "https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms687317(v=vs.85).aspx"
        },
        {
          "source_name": "Microsoft System Wide Com Keys",
          "url": "https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms694331(v=vs.85).aspx"
        },
        {
          "source_name": "Microsoft COM ACL",
          "url": "https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/com/dcom-security-enhancements-in-windows-xp-service-pack-2-and-windows-server-2003-service-pack-1"
        }
      ],
      "qualification": "Source assertion; no new actor identity, alias equivalence, CVE exploitation or causal inference. Procedure prose omitted.",
      "source_occurrences": 1
    }
  ],
  "source_snapshot": {
    "file": "enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
    "url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mitre-attack/attack-stix-data/c2494b29dd268c46a5d0ea0990553e4327cd2253/enterprise-attack/enterprise-attack-20.0.json",
    "sha256": "81113ba98afa2928f3dcff62022539f7ce30c315c32e14422f11ff95ce534352",
    "bytes": 55271014,
    "checked_at": "2026-10-16T03:31:39Z"
  },
  "notices_url": "https://aol.pm/source-notices.txt",
  "notices": "License\n-------\nThe MITRE Corporation (MITRE) hereby grants you a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use ATT&CK® for research,\ndevelopment, and commercial purposes. Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you reproduce\nMITRE's copyright designation and this license in any such copy.\n\n\"© 2026 The MITRE Corporation. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of The MITRE Corporation.\"\n\nDisclaimers\n-----------\nMITRE does not claim ATT&CK enumerates all possibilities for the types of actions and behaviors documented as part\nof its adversary model and framework of techniques. Using the information contained within ATT&CK to address or cover\nfull categories of techniques will not guarantee full defensive coverage as there may be undisclosed techniques or\nvariations on existing techniques not documented by ATT&CK.\n\nALL DOCUMENTS AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED THEREIN ARE PROVIDED ON AN \"AS IS\" BASIS AND THE CONTRIBUTOR, THE\nORGANIZATION HE/SHE REPRESENTS OR IS SPONSORED BY (IF ANY), THE MITRE CORPORATION, ITS BOARD OF TRUSTEES, OFFICERS,\nAGENTS, AND EMPLOYEES, DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT\nTHE USE OF THE INFORMATION THEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR\nFITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.\n"
}

License
-------
The MITRE Corporation (MITRE) hereby grants you a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use ATT&CK® for research,
development, and commercial purposes. Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you reproduce
MITRE's copyright designation and this license in any such copy.

"© 2026 The MITRE Corporation. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of The MITRE Corporation."

Disclaimers
-----------
MITRE does not claim ATT&CK enumerates all possibilities for the types of actions and behaviors documented as part
of its adversary model and framework of techniques. Using the information contained within ATT&CK to address or cover
full categories of techniques will not guarantee full defensive coverage as there may be undisclosed techniques or
variations on existing techniques not documented by ATT&CK.

ALL DOCUMENTS AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED THEREIN ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS AND THE CONTRIBUTOR, THE
ORGANIZATION HE/SHE REPRESENTS OR IS SPONSORED BY (IF ANY), THE MITRE CORPORATION, ITS BOARD OF TRUSTEES, OFFICERS,
AGENTS, AND EMPLOYEES, DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT
THE USE OF THE INFORMATION THEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.