Adversaries may disable or modify system firewalls in order to bypass controls limiting network usage. Changes could be disabling the entire mechanism as well as adding, deleting, or modifying particular rules. This can be done numerous ways depending on the operating system, including via command-line, editing Windows Registry keys, and Windows Control Panel.

Modifying or disabling a system firewall may enable adversary C2 communications, lateral movement, and/or data exfiltration that would otherwise not be allowed. For example, adversaries may add a new firewall rule for a well-known protocol (such as RDP) using a non-traditional and potentially less securitized port (i.e. [Non-Standard Port](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1571)).(Citation: change_rdp_port_conti)

Adversaries may also modify host networking settings that indirectly manipulate system firewalls, such as interface bandwidth or network connection request thresholds.(Citation: Huntress BlackCat) Settings related to enabling abuse of various [Remote Services](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1021) may also indirectly modify firewall rules.
Disable or Modify System Firewall
source_name: mitre-attack  url: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1562/004  external_id: T1562.004     source_name: Huntress BlackCat  description: Carvey, H. (2024, February 28). BlackCat Ransomware Affiliate TTPs. Retrieved March 27, 2024.  url: https://www.huntress.com/blog/blackcat-ransomware-affiliate-ttps     source_name: change_rdp_port_conti  description: The DFIR Report. (2022, March 1). "Change RDP port" #ContiLeaks. Retrieved March 1, 2022.  url: https://twitter.com/TheDFIRReport/status/1498657772254240768     