Vulnerabilities

Cards (35)

  • Weaponizing a vulnerability
    • Refers to the process of taking a known vulnerability in a software or system and creating an exploit for it, which can then be used to gain unauthorized access or perform other malicious actions. 
  • The Goal of Weaponizing Vulnerabilities
    • The goal of weaponizing vulnerabilities is to take advantage of a single vulnerability or set of vulnerabilities that can be chained to get elevated access to a system. Despite the safeguards already in place, every system or equipment within a firm may have vulnerabilities. This encompasses not only all physical hardware, such as desktop computers, laptops, and servers, but also all virtual platforms, cloud-based resources, mobile devices, and more.
  • Exploits may be utilized in conjunction with other exploits or vulnerabilities for the attacker to take control of a system they are targeting. Even though a vulnerability's impact isn't as significant as another that is more difficult to access, it might still be quite simple to attack. Suppose the exploit is adequately implemented and managed. In that case, these low-level vulnerabilities might grant cyber attackers access that will allow them to enter networks and systems further. This idea is called multi-stage exploitation or exploit chaining, which will be discussed briefly in this room.
  • What is an Exploit:
    • An exploit can take various forms, such as an executable file designed for a specific endpoint, which can be delivered through a text message, an email attachment, or even a file that is hidden within digital files. When the exploit is executed, an attacker can perform various actions on the targeted system, such as controlling it remotely or locally, disrupting its functionality, stealing data, or any other activities that the system's resources allow.
  • What is an Exploit:
    • An exploit can be either local or remote. An attacker who already has access to a specific computing resource can execute code locally to escalate their privileges. They may also install additional malicious code or gain remote control of the resource. An attacker who exploits a vulnerability remotely over a network or communication channel to gain control of a system uses a specific type of exploit, known as a remote exploit.
    • An exploit is a technical tool that may be used against any user in a standalone or connected cyber environment. In a standalone environment, an exploit may be delivered via removable media. 
  • What is an Exploit:
    • Exploits can be developed and financed by various actors, including nation-states seeking to engage in cyber espionage or cyber warfare, organized criminal groups looking to profit from their activities, and hackers on the dark web selling their services to the highest bidder. Additionally, some specialized actors look for weaknesses and develop exploits for them. It's critical to realize that an exploit is not a goal in and of itself. It is a method for carrying out much more significant tasks.
  • What is an Exploit:
    • Exploit creation is a complicated process requiring high information security expertise. As a result, it involves highly experienced individuals and continuous updates that can fetch a high price on niche or illegal markets (mainly on the dark web).
  • The Department of Defense (DoD)has implemented a Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP) that uses the widely recognized Lifecycle of a Vulnerability Framework to better understand how vulnerabilities can be mitigated earlier. A VDP typically involves the triage, validation, and mitigation facilitation of vulnerability reports submitted by researchers. The five stages of the Lifecycle of a Vulnerability Framework are Discovery, Coordination, Mitigation, Management, and Lessons Learned; however, the path a vulnerability follows from identification to patching can vary.
  • Vulnerability Lifecycle:
    • Product Launched: A vendor in the public market launches an information technology product (hardware or software).
  • Vulnerability Lifecycle:
    • Vulnerability Discovery (Public or Private): Researchers working independently or sponsored by private/public organizations for various interests discover vulnerabilities in the product. A 0-day vulnerability is one that has yet to be made public after being found. In any other case, when a vulnerability is found, it is made available to the general public via the internet or other special sources. Before the vulnerability is publicly disclosed online, the manufacturer typically has already developed a patch or update for the product at this stage.
  • Vulnerability Lifecycle:
    • Development of a Proof of Concept (PoC) or Exploit: A PoC proving the exploitability of the newly discovered vulnerability is prepared in-house by the vendor or received from bug bounty hunters/independent researchers. It is crucial at this stage to keep the vulnerability disclosure discrete as the PoC is typically the first stage in developing an exploit, and bad actors can use it in the wild.
    • Patch Development or Update: The product manufacturer creates a patch or update to prevent the known vulnerability from being exploited by adversaries.
  • Vulnerability Lifecycle:
    • Patch Development or Update: The product manufacturer creates a patch or update to prevent the known vulnerability from being exploited by adversaries.
    • Patch Release: The product manufacturer releases the patch for the vulnerability so the customers can apply it to the product in their environment.
    • Patch Install: The customer or end-users update or patch their systems, so the known vulnerability cannot be used against it.
  • A vulnerability not patched by the vendor and unknown to most people is called a?
    • 0-day
  • Creating an exploit involves steps that vary depending on the target system. It takes time, expertise, and knowledge of the target technology to be weaponized or exploitable. 
    • A vulnerability may be weaponized by locally developing an exploit or purchasing it from suppliers in underground forums or specialized marketplaces. The flow chart shows an annotated picture highlighting the opportunity period for weaponizing a vulnerability.
    • The window of opportunity for resource exploitation varies and depends on several factors, including update availability, discovery time, and failure severity. Exploiting 0-day vulnerabilities can take a few days to several months or even years. Since 0-day attacks are typically targeted at specific targets, finding them takes time and effort. In the above figure, the n-day refers to an exploit with a patch available. Here "n" refers to the number of days elapsed since the patch was released.
  • CVE database shows the dates of CVE-ID assignments and publications. CVEs are often released as soon as the vendors push out the patch. Adversaries with access to the updated software can reverse-engineer the patch to find the vulnerability. According to the Exploit Database, most public exploits are created in the first week following the release of a patch. To offer their clients more time to upgrade, certain manufacturers might postpone the CVE announcement.
    • When a CVE is formally released, the public can immediately access information about the vulnerability. Most security providers begin creating their vulnerability signatures and prevention strategies at this time to ensure mitigation from threat actors.
  • An exploit developed once the vendor has released the patch is called?
    • n-day
  • Exploit Chaining:
    • Chaining exploits in tandem, also known as "exploit chaining" or "multi-stage exploitation", is a technique hackers use to string together multiple exploits for vulnerabilities to gain complete control of a target system. The desired goal is to develop a complete Remote Code Execution (RCE) chain, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the target system with the highest privileges.
  • Exploit Chaining:
    • Reconnaissance: The attacker will gather information about the target system and its vulnerabilities. This can be done through various methods, such as network scanning, port scanning, and vulnerability scanning.
    • Initial Exploit: The attacker will use the information gathered during the reconnaissance phase to identify an initial vulnerability that can be exploited, which could be known and that has not been patched. The attacker will use an exploit that takes advantage of this vulnerability to gain access to the target system.
  • Exploit Chaining:
    • Privilege Escalation: This will allow them to access sensitive information, such as login credentials and system files, and execute code with higher privileges.
    • Persistence: The attacker will use other exploits to establish persistence on the target system, allowing them to maintain access even if the initial exploit is discovered and patched.
    • Lateral Movement: The attacker will then use additional exploits to move laterally through the target system's network and compromise other systems. This will allow them to gain access to additional sensitive information and resources
  • Exploit Chaining:
    • RCE: Once the attacker has established persistence and moved laterally through the network, they will use the final exploit in the chain to gain RCE. This may include using malware to gain control of the target system or a privilege escalation exploit to gain access to the target system's kernel.
  • Exploit Chaining:
    • It is important to note that chaining exploits in tandem can be a highly effective technique for attackers, as it allows them to bypass multiple layers of security and gain access to sensitive information and resources. Therefore, organizations must keep their systems updated and patched and implement proper network segmentation and best security practices to minimize the risk of such attacks.
  • How to Chain Multiple Exploits
    • Suppose Bob is a Security Engineer in ChatAI and has been tasked to exploit a web application. As per the initial assessment by the penetration testing team, some of the vulnerabilities in the web application are SQL injection and arbitrary file upload. The goal is to chain these vulnerabilities to get remote code execution. The first and most crucial step in exploiting a target system is finding and using a vulnerability that provides an initial entry point.
  • How to Chain Multiple Exploits
    • In the case of web applications, such entry points are typically acquired through SQL injection, which further escalates to arbitrary file upload and then to remote code execution or machine takeover. The easiest way to check for SQL injection is by using special characters. You can learn more about SQL injection here. After visiting the ChatAI login panel at http://MACHINE_IP/ai/login.php, Bob encountered input fields asking for an email address and password. 
    • Automating the processes helps the security engineer identify and remediate vulnerabilities more effectively, reducing the risk of a successful cyber attack on the organization's network. Several ways to automate these tasks include scripts, scheduling tools, and platforms that offer security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) capabilities.
  • Scripts: One way to automate everyday tasks and security checks is to use scripts. Scripting languages like Python, PowerShell, and Bash can automate many tasks, including system administration, security checks, and data analysis. Scripts can automate repetitive tasks, such as scanning for vulnerabilities, monitoring network traffic, and collecting log data. Additionally, scripts can be used to perform complex tasks, such as automating incident response procedures and analyzing large data sets.
  • Scripts: For example, you can create a small script in PHP to go through log files and identify any malicious URLs or keywords:
    • Scheduling Tools: Scheduling tools are another way to automate common tasks and security checks. Scheduling tools such as cron jobs and Windows Task Scheduler can be used to schedule scripts to run at specific times. This allows organizations to automate vulnerability scans, backups, and software updates.
    • Scheduling Tools: For example, a security engineer can use a vulnerability scanner tool that automates identifying and analyzing vulnerabilities in the organization's network. The tool can scan the network regularly, detecting vulnerabilities that may have been introduced since the last scan. The tool can then generate reports on the vulnerabilities found, categorizing them by severity and providing recommended actions to remediate them. 
    • SOAR Platforms: A third way to automate everyday tasks and security checks is to use Security Orchestration, Automation and Response Platforms. These platforms provide a centralized management interface for automating and orchestrating security tasks. They can automate incident response, threat hunting, and incident management tasks.
    • SOAR Platforms: Additionally, they can be used to integrate with other security tools such as Firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems, and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems. Shuffler.io and Splunk are a few of the renowned SOAR Platforms that you can explore.
  • When automating tasks and security checks, it is important to consider the following best practices:
    • Test your scripts and automation tools in a controlled environment before deploying them in production.
    • Ensure that your scripts and automation tools are well-documented and easy to understand.
    • Use logging and monitoring to keep track of the tasks that have been automated.
    • Review your automation and security checks regularly to ensure they are still practical and relevant.
    • Keep your scripts and automation tools updated and patched to address any security vulnerabilities.