Tracing Cyberattacks: Understanding the Cyber Kill Chain Model
In the ever-evolving digital landscape, understanding the steps involved in a cyberattack is crucial for organizations to defend against potential threats. One of the most widely used models for this purpose is the Cyber Kill Chain, initially developed by Lockheed Martin.
The Cyber Kill Chain, also known as the Cyberattack Lifecycle, breaks down each stage of a malware attack where defenders can identify and stop it. The model consists of seven steps: Reconnaissance, Weaponization, Delivery, Exploit, Installation, Command and Control, and Actions.
In the Reconnaissance stage, criminals gather information about potential targets, including resources and network details, to determine whether it is worth the effort. This stage is often overlooked, but it is essential to secure sensitive information to prevent attackers from gaining valuable insights.
The next stage, Weaponization, Delivery, Exploit, and Installation, are where criminals use the information gathered to craft a tool to attack their chosen target and put it to malicious use. For example, they might send a malicious email attachment or exploit a vulnerability in software to install malware on a target system.
The Command and Control (C&C) stage of a cyberattack is where a threat contacts a botmaster in a command and control channel, requiring network traffic. At this stage, attackers can issue commands to the compromised systems, directing them to perform specific actions.
The Actions step in the cyber kill chain is about carrying out the intended goal of the attack, which can include disrupting services, installing malware, committing ad fraud, sending out spam, extorting the company for ransom, selling the data on the black market, or renting out hijacked infrastructure to other criminals.
However, the traditional cyber kill chain model doesn't account for attacks that never touch enterprise systems at all, such as attacks on third-party software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers. To address this gap, the MITRE ATT&CK framework has emerged as a leading contender for a more flexible, comprehensive way of thinking about cyberattacks. The MITRE ATT&CK framework was developed by MITRE Corporation and ties actual attack techniques to each step in the kill chain.
The black market ecosystem impacts the cyberattack life cycle before the attack begins, as attackers share lists of compromised credentials, of vulnerable ports, of unpatched applications. The use of cryptocurrency also makes it easier and safer for attackers to receive money, contributing to the change in the motivation behind attacks.
In light of these complexities, collaborating with law enforcement authorities and other groups to disrupt the process could potentially create opportunities for enterprises to protect their networks more effectively. Standard security measures such as keeping software up to date, using email and web filtering, disabling autoplay for USB devices, and using endpoint protection software can help defend against cyberattacks in the weaponization, delivery, exploit, installation stages.
Unfortunately, some of the most devastating recent attacks have bypassed the defenses that security teams have carefully built up over the years because they're following a different game plan. As the cyber threat landscape continues to evolve, it is essential for organizations to stay vigilant and adapt their defenses accordingly.
