title: Web Protocols (T1071.001)
id: df00tech-t1071-001
status: experimental
description: "Adversaries may communicate using application layer protocols associated with web traffic to avoid detection/network filtering by blending in with existing traffic. Commands to the remote system, and often the results of those commands, will be embedded within the protocol traffic between the client and server. Protocols such as HTTP/S and WebSocket that carry web traffic may be very common in environments. HTTP/S packets have many fields and headers in which data can be concealed. An adversary may abuse these protocols to communicate with systems under their control within a victim network while also mimicking normal, expected traffic."
references:
  - https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1071/001/
  - https://df00tech.com/detections/T1071.001
author: df00tech
date: 2026/04/13
tags:
  - attack.t1071.001
# NOTE: logsource is auto-derived and may need adjustment for your environment
logsource:
  category: network_connection
  product: windows
detection:
  # This detection logic could not be auto-translated; see the KQL/SPL query on df00tech.
  selection:
    EventID: '*'
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - "Browser tabs with auto-refresh or long-polling (e.g., dashboards, social media feeds, stock tickers)"
  - "Cloud sync clients (OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive) that poll for changes at regular intervals"
  - "Software update mechanisms (WSUS, SCCM, apt-get) performing periodic HTTP checks"
  - Monitoring agents and health-check probes sending heartbeats to SaaS management consoles
level: high