T1027.004 - Compile After Delivery

Sub-technique
Tactics:
Defense Evasion
Platforms:
Linux macOS Windows
Detection:
Not specified
Description:
Adversaries may attempt to make payloads difficult to discover and analyze by delivering files to victims as uncompiled code. Text-based source code files may subvert analysis and scrutiny from protections targeting executables/binaries. These payloads will need to be compiled before execution; typically via native utilities such as ilasm.exe(Citation: ATTACK IQ), csc.exe, or GCC/MinGW.(Citation: ClearSky MuddyWater Nov 2018)

Source code payloads may also be encrypted, encoded, and/or embedded within other files, such as those delivered as a [Phishing](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1566). Payloads may also be delivered in formats unrecognizable and inherently benign to the native OS (ex: EXEs on macOS/Linux) before later being (re)compiled into a proper executable binary with a bundled compiler and execution framework.(Citation: TrendMicro WindowsAppMac)
Metadata
MITRE ID: T1027.004
STIX ID: attack-pattern--c726e0a2-a57a-...
Platforms: Linux, macOS, Windows
Created: 13/01/2026 17:48
Updated: 06/03/2026 16:00