Daniel Elice

In early 2023, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) conducted a SILENTSHIELD red team assessment on a Federal organization. The exercise provided valuable insights into the state of cyber defenses and underscored the importance of fundamental cybersecurity principals.

The Assessment: A Deep Dive

The SILENTSHIELD assessment involved a long-term simulation of nation-state cyber operations.

Key Findings:

1. Initial Compromise and Lateral Movement:
   – The red team exploited a known vulnerability in an unpatched web server within the Solaris enclave, leading to a full compromise.
   – Through phishing, they gained access to the Windows network, discovered unsecured administrator credentials, and achieved full domain compromise.
   – The team also exploited trust relationships to pivot to an external organization, remaining undetected throughout the first phase.
2. Defense-in-Depth:
   – The assessment highlighted the necessity of employing defense-in-depth strategies.
   – Comprehensive diagnostics from all data sources were essential in understanding the extent of the compromise.
3. Behavior-Based Detection:
   – The assessment revealed the value of tool-agnostic and behavior-based indicators of compromise (IOCs) over traditional “denylist” approaches.

Lessons Learned and Recommendations

The findings from the SILENTSHIELD assessment offer lessons for organizations, including:

1. Insufficient Controls: The organization that was assessed lacked sufficient controls to prevent and detect malicious activity.
2. Effective Log Management: Efficient collection, retention, and analysis of logs are vital for detecting and responding to threats.
3. Overcoming Bureaucratic Hurdles: Bureacratic processes and decentralized teams hindered the organization’s detection and response.
4. Adopt a Behavior-Based Approach: Relying solely on a “known-bad” detection approach is insufficient. Organizations should adopt behavior-based detection methods to identify and respond to novel threats.

My Take…

CISA’s SILENTSHIELD red team assessment underscores the importance of basic cyber hygiene. The red team exploited a known vulnerability in an unpatched web server, highlighting the need for a comprehensive vulnerability management program. Many organizations either lack such programs or face long patch times, giving attackers ample opportunity. Additionally, phishing techniques were used to compromise Windows credentials, which could have been prevented through organization-wide trainings or simulations. For me, working in both the public and private sector, the lack of detection of this anomalous activity points to possible issues like limited resources and inadequate training, yet organizations must prioritize cybersecurity, as the consequences of neglect can be devastating. In an age where cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, adhering to these fundamental principles is more critical than ever.

To read the full CISA report, visit: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa24-193a?is=934a6e52900c0cf98d1e5dba501ab719c08103d724ff9e0c6219656fe7730d4c

Need help securing your technology? Contact me: https://danielelice.com/services/