The definition of an “attack” is changing. The level of complexity and technical expertise needed to perform an attack has been simplified because the features that are preinstalled in systems are being weaponized. Attackers are also targeting small and medium-sized companies as much as enterprises. Now that companies are increasingly dependent on web-based applications to handle the growing workload and meet the needs of their employees, the surface area for attacks is also growing exponentially.
These facts are just the beginning of the numerous myths and misconceptions of cybersecurity that need immediate unmasking. Attackers are now exploiting administrator tools (e.g. PowerShell, the Windows Registry, or even the Command Prompt), and they’re taking advantage of the vulnerabilities and weaknesses in systems and third-party platforms. As evidence to this statement, all the ten events explained in our slide deck (linked to below) exploit only the built-in system tools and features for malicious activities, requiring no third-party software. Also taking into account the errors caused by the humans that administer these systems, the opportunities for attacks are many.
The internet is also a crucial aid, offering free, easy-to-implement toolkits for launching attacks, and detailed instructions on how to exploit vulnerabilities built into systems (or custom applications). It is now imperative for organizations to have a real-time security incident and threat detection system in place.
So why these ten events in particular?, you might ask. Based on our understanding of the current cyberattack landscape and attack trends, we took up the mammoth task of experimenting with various types of security attacks, thereby building an end-to-end attack and defense strategy for hybrid environments. These ten carefully curated security attacks are crucial discoveries of our research. You can leverage our findings immediately to better understand current attack patterns and learn how to build an effective defense strategy for your hybrid environment.
