Configure Windows LAPS (Local Administrator Passwords Solution) in AD

April 25, 2023

Windows LAPS (Local Administrator Password Solution) allows you to centrally manage the passwords for the local administrators on the computers in your AD domain. The current local administrator password is stored in the protected attributes of computer objects in Active Directory, is automatically changed on a regular basis, and can be viewed by authorized users.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to configure and use Windows LAPS to manage the local administrator password on computers joined to an AD domain.

Contents:

Until April 2023, you should manually download the LAPS MSI installation file, deploy the administrator or client components to computers, install ADMX GPO templates for LAPS, and extend the AD schema

Updates adding native support for the new version of LAPS in Windows were released in April 2023. You no longer need to manually download and install the MSI package to use LAPS.

New Built-in Windows LAPS Overview

The following cumulative updates in April 2023 added native support for Windows LAPS:

  • Windows 11 22H2 – KB5025239
  • Windows 11 21H2 – KB5025224
  • Windows 10 22H2 — KB5025221
  • Windows Server 2022 – KB5025230
  • Windows Server 2019 – KB5025229

What’s new in Windows LAPS?

  • All the components of the new LAPS are part of Windows;
  • Allows storing administrator passwords in on-premises Active Directory or in Azure AD;
  • DSRM (Directory Services Restore Mode) password management on AD domain controllers;
  • Support for password encryption;
  • Password history;
  • Allow the local administrator password to be automatically changed after it has been used to log on to the computer locally.

At least Windows Server 2016 domain functional level is required for the new version of Windows LAPS.

As we mentioned above, you no longer need to manually download and install the LAPS client or Group Policy client-side extension (CSE). All the necessary LAPS components are available in Windows after you install the April updates.

The following Windows LAPS management tools are available:

  • New ADMX group policy file;
  • A separate LAPS tab in computer properties in Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) console;
  • Windows LAPS PowerShell module;
  • Separate log in the Event Viewer: Application and Service Logs -> Microsoft -> Windows -> LAPS -> Operational. Windows LAPS event logs in Event Viewer

Microsoft notes that you must disable the Group Policies and remove the settings from the previous version of LAPS (legacy MSI) before deploying the new LAPS GPO. To do this, stop new installations of legacy LAPS and remove all settings in the following registry key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\LAPS\State.

Events with the following Event IDs will appear in the Event Viewer if the legacy version of LAPS is not removed:

  • Event ID 10033, LAPS — The machine is configured with legacy LAPS policy settings, but legacy LAPS product appears to be installed. The configured account’s password will not be managed by Windows until the legacy product is uninstalled. Alternatively, you may consider configuring the newer LAPS policy settings.
  • Event 10031, LAPS — LAPS blocked an external request that tried to modify the password of the current manager account.

Deploying Local Administrator Password Solution in Active Directory Domain

You can start deploying the new version of LAPS after you have installed the new updates on all domain controllers.

To manage the Local Administrator Password Solution, use the PowerShell cmdlets from the LAPS module. You can use the following commands:

Get-Command -Module LAPS

  • Get-LapsAADPassword
  • Get-LapsDiagnostics
  • Find-LapsADExtendedRights
  • Get-LapsADPassword
  • Invoke-LapsPolicyProcessing
  • Reset-LapsPassword
  • Set-LapsADAuditing
  • Set-LapsADComputerSelfPermission
  • Set-LapsADPasswordExpirationTime
  • Set-LapsADReadPasswordPermission
  • Set-LapsADResetPasswordPermission
  • Update-LapsADSchema
laps powershell module

After installing updates on DCs and clients, you must perform an AD schema update. This will add new attributes. Run the command:

Update-LapsADSchema

If not all DCs have been updated, the command will return an error:

Update-LapsADSchema : A local error occurred.

The following attributes will be added to the AD schema:

  • msLAPS-PasswordExpirationTime
  • msLAPS-Password
  • msLAPS-EncryptedPassword
  • msLAPS-EncryptedPasswordHistory
  • msLAPS-EncryptedDSRMPassword
  • msLAPS-EncryptedDSRMPasswordHistory

The attributes used in the previous version to store the password are not used in Windows LAPS (ms-Mcs-AdmPwd and ms-Mcs-AdmPwdExpirationTime).

Open the ADUC console (dsa.msc), select any computer in AD, and go to the AD object Attribute Editor tab. Check that the object now has new attributes available.

msLAPS-Password attribute

The msLAPS* attributes are not yet populated.

You must now allow computers in the specified Organizational Unit (OU) to update msLAPS* attributes in their AD account properties.

For example, I want to allow computers in a MUN container to update passwords stored in AD attributes.

Set-LapsADComputerSelfPermission -Identity "OU=Computers,OU=MUN,OU=DE,DC=woshub,DC=com"

Let’s use PowerShell to create a group that can view local administrator passwords on computers in this OU:

New-ADGroup MUN-LAPS-Admins -path 'OU=Groups,OU=MUN,OU=DE,DC=woshub,DC=com' -GroupScope local -PassThru –Verbose
Add-AdGroupMember -Identity MUN-LAPS-Admins -Members a.morgan,b.krauz

We will allow this group to view and reset the local admin password:

$ComputerOU = "OU=Computers,OU=MUN,OU=DE,DC=woshub,DC=com"
Set-LapsADReadPasswordPermission –Identity $ComputerOU –AllowedPrincipals MUN-LAPS-Admins
Set-LapsADResetPasswordPermission -Identity $ComputerOU -AllowedPrincipals MUN-LAPS-Admins

By default, members of the Domain Admins group can view local administrator passwords on all AD computers.

Use the Find-LapsADExetendedRights command to check the current permissions to LAPS attributes in an OU.

Configure GPO to Change Local Administrator Passwords

A new set of administrative templates for managing the LAPS configuration via GPO will appear when you install the latest updates on Windows (%systemroot%\PolicyDefinitions\laps.admx).

Copy LAPS.admx to the following location if you are using a Central GPO store for the ADMX templates\\woshub.com\SysVol\woshub.com\Policies\PolicyDefinitions .

The next GPO section contains the LAPS options: Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> System -> LAPS. The following LAPS group policy options are available here:

  • Enable password backup for DSRM accounts
  • Configure size of encrypted password history
  • Enable password encryption
  • Configure authorized password descriptors
  • Name of administrator account to manage
  • Configure password backup directory
  • Do not allow password expiration time longer than required by policy
  • Password Settings
  • Post-authentication actions
Configure Group Policy settings for Windows LAPS

Let’s try to enable the minimum Group Policy LAPS settings for the Active Directory domain

  1. Open the Group Policy Management console (gpmc.msc), create a new GPO and link it to the OU containing the computers;
  2. Open a new GPO and navigate to the section that contains the LAPS options;
  3. Enable the Configure password backup directory policy and set Active Directory here. This policy allows the administrator password to be stored in the computer account attribute in the on-premises Active Directory;Windows LAPS also allows you to store passwords in the Azure Active Directory (AAD) instead of in the local ADDS.Save LAPS password to on-prem Active Directory
  4. Then enable the Password Settings option. Here you must specify the password complexity, length, and change frequency parameters;The following LAPS password settings are enabled by default: password complexity, 14-character password length, and password change every 30 days.
  5. Specify the name of the local administrator account whose password you want to change in Name of administrator account to manage. If you are using the built-in Windows Administrator, type Administrator here.The LAPS GPO does not create any local administrator accounts. If you want to use another administrator account, create it on computers using GPO or PowerShell.
  6. Restart your computer to apply the new GPO settings.

LAPS: Get a Local Administrator Password on Windows

After implementing LAPS group policies, Windows changes the local administrator password at startup and then writes it to the msLAPS-Password protected attribute on the computer object in AD. You can get the current password for the computer in the ADUC console or by using PowerShell.

Open the ADUC console and search for the computer for which you want to find out the current password of the local administrator. A new LAPS tab has appeared in the Computer object properties.

View LAPS password in computer properties in AD

The following info is displayed on this tab:

  • Current LAPS password expiration
  • LAPS local admin account name
  • LAPS local admin account password

You can also use PowerShell to get the computer’s current administrator password:

Get-LapsADPassword mun-pc221 -AsPlainText

ComputerName : mun-pc221
DistinguishedName : CN=mun-pc221,OU=…
Account : administrator
Password : 3f!lD1.23!l32
PasswordUpdateTime : 4/24/2023 11:14:26 AM
ExpirationTimestamp : 5/24/2023 11:14:26 AM
Source : EncryptedPassword
DecryptionStatus : Success
AuthorizedDecryptor : WOSHUB\Domain Admins
Get-LapsADPassword - laps powershell get admin password

Use this password to log on locally to this computer as an administrator.

In order to immediately rotate the LAPS password for the local admin account, run the command:

Reset-LapsPassword

This will force an immediate password change for the currently logged local administrator account and write the new password to AD.

Windows Local Administrator Password Solution is a simple, built-in feature that allows you to improve the security of using local administrator accounts on domain computers. LAPS stores the current administrator password in a secure AD attribute and changes it on all computers on a regular basis.

Source :
https://woshub.com/manage-local-administrator-passwords-with-laps/

How to Allow Multiple RDP Sessions on Windows 10 and 11

June 30, 2023 

Remote users can connect to their Windows 10 and 11 computers through the Remote Desktop Services (RDP). All you need to do is enable Remote Desktop, grant the user RDP access permissions, and connect to the computer using any remote desktop client. However, the number of concurrent RDP sessions is limited in desktop versions of Windows. Only one active Remote Desktop user session is allowed.

A warning will appear asking you to disconnect the first user’s session if you try to establish a second RDP connection.

Another user is signed in. If you continue, they’ll be disconnected. Do you want to sign in anyway?
windows11 dosnt allow multiple rdp - Another user is signed in. If you continue, they’ll be disconnected. Do you want to sign in anyway?

Contents:

Number of Concurrent RDP Connections on Windows

There are a number of restrictions on the use of Remote Desktop Services in all desktop versions of Windows 10 and 11:

  1. Only Windows Professional and Enterprise editions can accept remote desktop connections. RDP access is not allowed to Home/Single Language Windows editions;
  2. Only one simultaneous RDP connection is available. Attempting to start a second RDP session will prompt the user to end the active session;
  3. If the user is working at the computer console (locally), their local session is disconnected (locked) when they make a remote RDP connection. The remote RDP session will also be terminated if the user logs into Windows from the computer’s console.

The number of concurrent RDP connections on Windows is actually a license limitation. Microsoft prohibits the creation of a workstation-based Terminal RDP server for multiple users to work simultaneously.

If your tasks require the deployment of a terminal server, Microsoft suggests purchasing Windows Server (allows two simultaneous RDP connections by default). If you need more concurrent user sessions, you will need to purchase RDS CALs, install, and configure the Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) role or deploy an RDS farm.

Technically, any version of Windows with sufficient RAM and CPU resources can support dozens of remote user sessions simultaneously. On average, an RDP user session requires 150-200MB of memory (excluding running apps). This means that the maximum number of concurrent RDP sessions is limited only by the available resources of the computer.

In this article, we are going to show you three ways to remove the limit on the number of concurrent RDP connections in Windows 10 and 11:

  • RDP Wrapper
  • Modifying the termsrv.dll file
  • Upgrading Windows 10/11 edition to Enterprise for virtual desktops (multi-session)

Note. Any modifications to the operating system that are described in this article are considered a violation of the Windows License Agreement and may be used at your own risk.

Before you proceed, make sure that the Remote Desktop protocol is enabled in Windows.

  • Go to Settings -> System —Remote Desktop -> Enable Remote Desktop;
  • Or use the classic Control Panel: run the command SystemPropertiesRemote and check the option Allow remote connection to this computer.

Find out how to enable and configure Remote Desktop on Windows.

RDP Wrapper: Enable Multiple RDP Sessions on Windows

The RDP Wrapper Library OpenSource project allows you to enable multiple RDP sessions on Windows 10/11 without replacing the termsrv.dll file. This tool acts as a layer between SCM (Service Control Manager) and the Remote Desktop Services. The RDP wrapper doesn’t make any changes to the termsrv.dll file, it simply loads the termsrv with the modified settings.

Thus, the RDPWrap will work even in the case of termsrv.dll file update. It allows you not to be afraid of Windows updates.

Important. Before installing the RDP Wrapper, it is important to make that you are using the original (unpatched) version of the termsrv.dll file. Otherwise, RDP Wrapper may become unstable or not start at all.

You can download the RDP Wrapper from the GitHub repository https://github.com/binarymaster/rdpwrap/releases (the latest available version of the RDP Wrapper Library is v1.6.2). The project hasn’t been updated since 2017, but it can be used in all new builds of Windows 10 and 11. To use the wrapper on modern versions of Windows, simply update the rdpwrap.ini configuration file.

RDP Wrapper is detected as a potentially dangerous program by most antivirus scanners.  For example, it is classified as PUA:Win32/RDPWrap (Potentially Unwanted Software) with a low threat level by the built-in Microsoft Defender antivirus. If your antivirus settings are blocking the RDP Wrapper from starting, you will need to add it to the exceptions.

rdpwrap detected as potentially unwanted software

The RDPWrap-v1.6.2.zip archive contains some files:

  • RDPWinst.exe — used to install/uninstall an RDP wrapper library;
  • RDPConf.exe — RDP Wrapper configuration tool;
  • RDPCheck.exe —an RDP check tool (Local RDP Checker);
  • install.bat, uninstall.bat, update.bat — batch files to install, uninstall, and update RDP Wrapper.
RDPWrap-v1.6.2 install files

To install RDPWrap, run the install.bat file as an administrator. The program is installed in the C:\Program Files\RDP Wrapper directory.

installing install RDP Wrapper Library in windows 10

Run RDPConfig.exe when the installation is complete.

windows 10: rdp wrapper not supported issue

Most likely, immediately after installation, the tool will show that the RDP wrapper is running (Installed, Running, Listening), but not working. Note the red [not supported] warning. It reports that this version of Windows 10 22H2 (ver. 10.0.19041.1949) is not supported by the RDPWrapper.

This is because the rdpwrap.ini configuration file does not contain settings for your Windows version (build). +

✅ Download the latest version of rdpwrap.ini here https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sebaxakerhtc/rdpwrap.ini/master/rdpwrap.ini

Manually copy the contents of this page into the C:\Program Files\RDP Wrapper\rdpwrap.ini file. Or download the INI file using the PowerShell cmdlet Invoke-WebRequest (you must first stop the Remote Desktop service):

Stop-Service termservice -Force
Invoke-WebRequest https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sebaxakerhtc/rdpwrap.ini/master/rdpwrap.ini -outfile "C:\Program Files\RDP Wrapper\rdpwrap.ini"

update rdpwrap.ini file

You can create a scheduled task to check for changes to rdpwrap.ini and update it automatically.

This screenshot shows that the latest version of the rdpwrap.ini file (Updated=2023-06-26) is used on the computer.

Restart your computer and run the RDPConfig.exe tool. Check that all items in the Diagnostics section are green and that the [Fully supported] message is displayed. The RDP wrapper started successfully on Windows 11 22H2 in my case.

rdpwrapper on windows11

Now try to establish several concurrent RDP sessions with this computer under different user accounts (use your favorite RDP client: mstsc.exe, RDCMan, mRemoteNG, etc).

You can use saved RDP credentials to connect to a remote computer.

You can check that two (or more) RDP sessions are active on the computer at the same time by using the command:

qwinsta

rdp-tcp#0         user1                 1  Active
rdp-tcp#1         user2                 2  Active
qwinsta: list active rdp sessions
multiple RDP sessions on Windows 10

The RDPWrap tool is supported in all Windows editions, so you can build your own terminal (RDS) server on any Windows device. So you can turn any version of Windows client into a full-featured terminal server.

The following options are available in the RDP Wrapper:

You can set limits on the duration of RDP user sessions using the Group Policy. This allows idle user sessions to be automatically disconnected.

RDP Wrapper Not Working on Windows

In some cases, the RDP Wrapper may not work as you expect it to and you may not be able to use more than one RDP connection on Windows.

The termsrv.dll file version can be updated during Windows Updates installation. If the description for your version of Windows is missing from the rdpwrap.ini file, then the RDP Wrapper will not be able to apply the necessary settings. In this case, the status [not supported]. will be displayed in the RDP Wrapper Configuration window.

✅ In this case, you must update the rdpwrap.ini file as described above.

If RDP Wrapper does not work after updating the rdpwrap.ini file, try to open the rdpwrap.ini file and look for the section for your version of Windows.

How to understand if your Windows version is supported in rdpwrapper config?

The screenshot below shows that for my version of Windows 11 (10.0.22621.317) there are two sections of settings:

[10.0.22621.317]
...
[10.0.22621.317-SLInit]
...
update rdpwrap.ini after installing windows updates

If there is no section in the rdpwrap configuration file for your version of Windows, try searching the web for the rdpwrap.ini file. Add the configuration settings you found to the end of the file.

If RDP Wrapper does not work after you install security updates or upgrade the Windows build, check that there is no Listener state: Not listening warning in the RDPWrap Diagnostics section.

rdp wrapper not listening

Try updating the rdpwrap.ini file, and then reinstalling the rdpwrapper service:

rdpwinst.exe -u
rdpwinst.exe -i

It can happen that when you try to make a second RDP connection as a different user, you will get an error message:

The number of connections to this computer is limited and all connections are in use right now. Try connecting later or contact your system administrator.
Windows 10 RDP warning:The number of connections to this computer is limited and all connections are in use right now

In this case, you can use the local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) to enable the “Limit number of connections” option under Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Remote Desktop Services -> Remote Desktop Session Host -> Connections section. Increase the ‘RD maximum connection allowed’ value to 999999.

group policy: Limit the number of rdp connections

Restart your computer to update the local Group Policy and apply the settings.

Patch the Termsrv.dll to Enable Multiple Remote Desktop Sessions

To remove the limit on the number of concurrent RDP user connections in Windows without using rdpwrapper, you can replace the original termsrv.dll file. This is the main library file used by the Remote Desktop Service. The file is located in the C:\Windows\System32 directory.

It is advisable to make a backup copy of the termsrv.dll file before editing or replacing it. This will help you to revert to the original version of the file if necessary. Open an elevated command prompt and run the command:

copy c:\Windows\System32\termsrv.dll termsrv.dll_backup

Then you need to take ownership of the termsrv.dll file. To change a file’s owner from TrustedInstaller to the local Administrators group, use the command:

takeown /F c:\Windows\System32\termsrv.dll /A

SUCCESS: The file (or folder): c:\Windows\System32\termsrv.dll now owned by the administrators group

Now use the icacls.exe tool to grant Full Control permissions to the termsrv.dll file for the local Administrators group:

icacls c:\Windows\System32\termsrv.dll /grant Administrators:F

processed file: c:\Windows\System32\termsrv.dll Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files.
termsrv.dll takeown and grant access permissions

Now you need to stop the Remote Desktop service (TermService) using the services.msc console or with the command:

net stop TermService

It also stops the Remote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector service.

Stop TermService

Run the winver command or the following PowerShell command to find your Windows build number:

Get-ComputerInfo | select WindowsProductName, WindowsVersion

In my case, Windows 10 build 22H2 is installed.

Then open the termsrv.dll file using any HEX editor (for example, Tiny Hexer). Depending on the build of Windows you are using, you will need to find and replace the string according to the table below:

Windows buildFind the stringReplace with
Windows 11 22H239 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 75 7A 01 00    B8 00 01 00 00 89 81 38 06 00 00 90 
Windows 10 22H239 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 85 45 01 00
Windows 11 21H2 (RTM)39 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 4F 68 01 00
Windows 10 x64 21H239 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 DB 61 01 00
Windows 10 x64 21H139 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 2B 5F 01 00
Windows 10 x64 20H239 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 21 68 01 00
Windows 10 x64 200439 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 D9 51 01 00
Windows 10 x64 190939 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 5D 61 01 00
Windows 10 x64 190339 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 5D 61 01 00
Windows 10 x64 180939 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 3B 2B 01 00 
Windows 10 x64 18038B 99 3C 06 00 00 8B B9 38 06 00 00 
Windows 10 x64 170939 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 B1 7D 02 00 

Tiny Hexer cannot edit termsvr.dll file directly from the system32 folder. Copy it to your desktop and replace the original file after modifying it.

For example, my build of Windows 10 x64 is 22H2 19045.2006 (termsrv.dll file version is 10.0.19041.1949). Open the termsrv.dll file in Tiny Hexer, then find the text:

39 81 3C 06 00 00 0F 84 75 7A 01 00

and replace it with:

B8 00 01 00 00 89 81 38 06 00 00 90

Tiny Hexer Editor

Save the file and start the TermService.

If something goes wrong and you experience some problems with the Remote Desktop service, stop the service and replace the modified termsrv.dll file with the original version:

copy termsrv.dll_backup c:\Windows\System32\termsrv.dll

To avoid manually editing the termsrv.dll file with a HEX editor, you can use the following PowerShell script to automatically patch the termsrv.dll file. The PowerShell script code is available in my GitHub repository at the following link:

https://github.com/maxbakhub/winposh/blob/main/termsrv_rdp_patch.ps1

This script was written for the Windows PowerShell version and does not work in modern PowerShell Core.

👍 The advantage of the method of enabling multiple RDP sessions in Windows 10 or 11 by replacing the termsrv.dll file is that antivirus software will not react to it (unlike RDPWrap, which is detected by many antivirus products as a malware/hack tool/trojan).

👎The disadvantage of this is that you will have to manually edit the file each time you update the Windows build (or if the monthly cumulative patches update the version of termsrv.dll).

Multiple Concurrent RDP Connections in Windows 10 Enterprise Multi-session

Microsoft has recently released a special edition of the operating system called Windows Enterprise Multi-Session (Previously known as Windows 10 Enterprise for Remote Sessions and Windows 10 Enterprise for Virtual Desktops)

The key feature of this edition is that it supports multiple concurrent RDP user sessions out of the box. Although the Windows multi-session edition is only allowed to be run in Azure VMs, you can install this edition on an on-premises network and use that computer as a terminal server (even though this would be against Microsoft’s licensing policies).

The Enterprise Multi-Session edition is available for both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Next up, we’re going to show you how to upgrade a Windows 10 Pro edition to Windows 10 Enterprise for Virtual Desktop and use it for multiple RDP users simultaneously.

Open a command prompt and check your current edition of Windows (Professional in this example):

DISM /online /Get-CurrentEdition

dism: check windows edition

Upgrade your edition of Windows 10 from Pro to Enterprise with the command:

changepk.exe /ProductKey NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43

Now install the GVLK key for Windows 10 Enterprise for Remote Sessions:

slmgr.vbs /ipk CPWHC-NT2C7-VYW78-DHDB2-PG3GK

upgrade windows pro to enterprise multi-session

Check that your edition of Windows 10 has now changed to ServerRdsh (Windows 10 Enterprise for Virtual Desktops).

windows 10 enterprise for virtual desktops

Activate your copy of Windows 10 Enterprise Multi-Session edition on your KMS server:

slmgr /skms kms-srv.woshub.local:1688
slmgr /ato

active windows 10 enterprise on kms

See the Key Management Service (KMS) Activation FAQ.

Open the Local GPO Editor (gpedit.msc) and enable Per-User licensing mode in the Set the Remote Desktop licensing mode  (Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Remote Desktop Services -> Remote Desktop Session Host -> Licensing).

GPO: set per-user remote desktop license mode

You must restart Windows after activation. Now try connecting to the computer using RDP with different user accounts. As you can see, Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session supports simultaneous RDP connections right out of the box.

Get-ComputerInfo | select WindowsProductName, WindowsVersion, OsHardwareAbstractionLayer

Windows 10 Enterprise for Virtual Desktops 2009           10.0.19041.2728

qwinsta

multiple rdp connections on windows 10 enterprise multisession

In this article, we have looked at a number of ways to get rid of the limit on the number of concurrent RDP user connections and run a free terminal server on desktop versions of Windows 10/11. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Which one you choose is up to you.

Source :
https://woshub.com/how-to-allow-multiple-rdp-sessions-in-windows-10/

Configuring Azure AD Password Policy

July 12, 2023

The Azure Active Directory password policy defines the password requirements for tenant users, including password complexity, length, password expiration, account lockout settings, and some other parameters. In this article, we’ll take a look into how to manage a password policy in Azure AD.

Azure AD has a default password policy applied to all accounts that are created in the cloud (not synchronized from on-premises Active Directory via Azure AD Connect).

It defines the following settings that cannot be changed by the Azure/Microsoft 365 tenant administrator:

  • Allowed characters: A-Z , a-z , 0-9 , space and special symbols @ # $ % ^ & * – _ ! + = [ ] { } | \ : ‘ , . ? / ` ~ ” ( )
  • Password complexity: at least 3 out of 4 character groups (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols)
  • Password length: minimum 8, maximum 256 characters
  • The user cannot use the previous password

Contents:

How to Change Password Expiration Policy in Azure AD

By default, a user’s password never expires in Azure AD (Microsoft 365). But you can enable the password expiration through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center:

  1. Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center -> Settings -> Security & Privacy -> Password expiration policy;
  2. Disable the option Set password to never expire (recommended)Enable password expiration in Azure AD
  3. In this case:
    Password expiration set to 90 days
    The notification to change your password will start to be displayed 14 days before the expiry date.

Microsoft recommends that you do not enable password expiration if your Azure users use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).

You can use the MSOnline PowerShell module to change user password expiration settings. Just install the module (if needed) and connect to your tenant:

Install-Module MSOnline
Connect-MsolService

Check the current password expiration policy settings in Azure AD:

Get-MsolPasswordPolicy -DomainName woshub.com

ExtensionData NotificationDays ValidityPeriod
System.Runtime.Serialization.ExtensionDataObject 14 2147483647
Get-MsolPasswordPolicy: check password expiration settings powershell

You can change the password expiration policy and notification settings in Azure AD with PowerShell:

Set-MsolPasswordPolicy -DomainName woshub.com -ValidityPeriod 180 -NotificationDays 21

You can manage password expiration settings for a specific user using the Azure AD module:

Connect-AzureAD

Enable the Password never expires option for a specific user:

Set-AzureADUser -ObjectId "maxadm@woshub.com" -PasswordPolicies DisablePasswordExpiration

View the user’s password expiration date:

Get-AzureADUser -ObjectId "maxadm@woshub.com"|Select-Object @{N="PasswordNeverExpires";E={$_.PasswordPolicies -contains "DisablePasswordExpiration"}}

Set an individual user's password to never expire in Azure AD
PasswordNeverExpires
--------------------
True

Enable password expiration for the user:

Set-AzureADUser -ObjectId "maxadm@woshub.com" -PasswordPolicies None

Account Lockout Settings in Azure AD

One more parameter of the Azure password policy available for the administrator to configure is the user lockout rules in case of entering an incorrect password. By default, an account is locked for 1 minute after 10 failed attempts to authenticate using an incorrect password. Note that the lockout time is extended following each next unsuccessful sign-in attempt.

You can configure the lockout settings in the following section of the Azure Portal -> Azure Active Directory -> Security -> Authentication methods —> Password protection.

The options available for you to change are:

  • Lockout threshold – the number of unsuccessful sign-in attempts before the account is locked out (10 by default);
  • Lockout duration in seconds – 60 seconds by default.
Configure Password Protection in Azure

If their account is locked out, an Azure user will see the following notification:

Your account is temporarily locked to prevent unauthorized use. Try again later, and if you still have trouble, contact your admin.
Your Microsoft account is temporarily locked to prevent unauthorized use

Learn how to check user sign-in logs in Azure AD.

Prevent Using Weak and Popular Passwords in Azure AD

There is a separate Azure AD Password Protection feature that allows you to block the use of weak and popular passwords (such as P@ssw0rdPa$$word, etc.).

You can use the DSInternals PowerShell module to check the on-premises Active Directory for weak user passwords.

You can define your own list of weak passwords in Azure Active Directory -> Security -> Authentication methods —> Password protection. Enable the option Enforce custom list and add a list of passwords you want to ban (up to 1000 passwords).

When an Azure AD user attempts to change their password to one of the banned list, a notification is displayed:

Unfortunately, you can’t use that password because it contains words or characters that have been blocked by your administrator. Please try again with a different password.
Unfortunately, you can’t use that password because it contains words or characters that have been blocked by your administrator

These settings are applied by default only to cloud users in Azure.

If you want to apply a banned password list to the local Active Directory DS users, here’s what you need to do:

  1. Make sure you have Azure AD Premium P1 or P2 subscription;
  2. Enable the option Enable password protection on Windows Server Active Directory;
  3. The default configuration enables only the audit of the prohibited password use. So, after the testing, switch the Mode option to Enforced;
  4. Deploy the Azure AD Password Protection Proxy Service (AzureADPasswordProtectionProxySetup.msi) on one of the on-premises hosts;
  5. Install Azure AD Password Protection (AzureADPasswordProtectionDCAgentSetup.msi) on all the ADDS domain controllers.

If you want the Azure password policy to be applied to users synchronized from AD DS via Azure AD Connect, you must enable the option EnforceCloudPasswordPolicyForPasswordSyncedUsers:

Set-MsolDirSyncFeature -Feature EnforceCloudPasswordPolicyForPasswordSyncedUsers -Enable $true

Ensure that you have configured a sufficiently strong domain password policy in your on-premises Active Directory. Otherwise, synchronized users can set any password, including those that are weak and insecure.

In this case, when a user’s password is changed or reset in on-premises Active Directory, the user is checked against the list of banned passwords in Azure.

If you have Azure AD Connect sync enabled, you can use your own password policies from on-premises Active Directory to apply to cloud users. To do this, you need to create a Fine Grained Security password policy in the on-premises AD and link it to a group containing the users synchronized with the cloud. In this case, Azure Active Directory will follow the password policy of your local domain.

Source :
https://woshub.com/azure-ad-password-policy/

The five-day job: A BlackByte ransomware intrusion case study

July 6, 2023

As ransomware attacks continue to grow in number and sophistication, threat actors can quickly impact business operations if organizations are not well prepared. In a recent investigation by Microsoft Incident Response (previously known as Microsoft Detection and Response Team – DART) of an intrusion, we found that the threat actor progressed through the full attack chain, from initial access to impact, in less than five days, causing significant business disruption for the victim organization.

Our investigation found that within those five days, the threat actor employed a range of tools and techniques, culminating in the deployment of BlackByte 2.0 ransomware, to achieve their objectives. These techniques included:

  • Exploitation of unpatched internet-exposed Microsoft Exchange Servers
  • Web shell deployment facilitating remote access
  • Use of living-off-the-land tools for persistence and reconnaissance
  • Deployment of Cobalt Strike beacons for command and control (C2)
  • Process hollowing and the use of vulnerable drivers for defense evasion
  • Deployment of custom-developed backdoors to facilitate persistence
  • Deployment of a custom-developed data collection and exfiltration tool
BlackByte 2.0 ransomware attack chain by order of stages: initial access and privilege escalation, persistence and command and control, reconnaissance, credential access, lateral movement, data staging and exfiltration, and impact.
Figure 1. BlackByte 2.0 ransomware attack chain

In this blog, we share details of our investigation into the end-to-end attack chain, exposing security weaknesses that the threat actor exploited to advance their attack. As we learned from Microsoft’s tracking of ransomware attacks and the cybercriminal economy that enables them, disrupting common attack patterns could stop many of the attacker activities that precede ransomware deployment. This case highlights that common security hygiene practices go a long way in preventing, identifying, and responding to malicious activity as early as possible to mitigate the impact of ransomware attacks. We encourage organizations to follow the outlined mitigation steps, including ensuring that internet-facing assets are up to date and configured securely. We also share indicators of compromise, detection details, and hunting guidance to help organizations identify and respond to these attacks in their environments.  

Forensic analysis

Initial access and privilege escalation

To obtain initial access into the victim’s environment, the threat actor was observed exploiting the ProxyShell vulnerabilities CVE-2021-34473, CVE-2021-34523, and CVE-2021-31207 on unpatched Microsoft Exchange Servers. The exploitation of these vulnerabilities allowed the threat actor to:

  • Attain system-level privileges on the compromised Exchange host
  • Enumerate LegacyDN of users by sending Autodiscover requests, including SIDs of users
  • Construct a valid authentication token and use it against the Exchange PowerShell backend
  • Impersonate domain admin users and create a web shell by using the New-MailboxExportRequest cmdlet
  • Create web shells to obtain remote control on affected servers

The threat actor was observed operating from the following IP to exploit ProxyShell and access the web shell:

  • 185.225.73[.]244

Persistence

Backdoor

After gaining access to a device, the threat actor created the following registry run keys to run a payload each time a user signs in:

Registry keyValue nameValue data
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run  MsEdgeMsErundll32 C:\Users\user\Downloads\api-msvc.dll,Default  
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run  MsEdgeMsErundll32 C:\temp\api-msvc.dll,Default  
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run  MsEdgeMsErundll32 C:\systemtest\api-system.png,Default

The file api-msvc.dll (SHA-256: 4a066569113a569a6feb8f44257ac8764ee8f2011765009fdfd82fe3f4b92d3e) was determined to be a backdoor capable of collecting system information, such as the installed antivirus products, device name, and IP address. This information is then sent via HTTP POST request to the following C2 channel:

  • hxxps://myvisit[.]alteksecurity[.]org/t

The organization was not using Microsoft Defender Antivirus, which detects this malware as Trojan:Win32/Kovter!MSR, as the primary antivirus solution, and the backdoor was allowed to run.

An additional file, api-system.png, was identified to have similarities to api-msvc.dll. This file behaved like a DLL, had the same default export function, and also leveraged run keys for persistence.

Cobalt Strike Beacon

The threat actor leveraged Cobalt Strike to achieve persistence. The file sys.exe (SHA-256: 5f37b85687780c089607670040dbb3da2749b91b8adc0aa411fd6280b5fa7103), detected by Microsoft Defender Antivirus as Trojan:Win64/CobaltStrike!MSR, was determined to be a Cobalt Strike Beacon and was downloaded directly from the file sharing service temp[.]sh:

  • hxxps://temp[.]sh/szAyn/sys.exe

This beacon was configured to communicate with the following C2 channel:

  • 109.206.243[.]59:443

AnyDesk

Threat actors leverage legitimate remote access tools during intrusions to blend into a victim network. In this case, the threat actor utilized the remote administration tool AnyDesk, to maintain persistence and move laterally within the network. AnyDesk was installed as a service and was run from the following paths:

  • C:\systemtest\anydesk\AnyDesk.exe
  • C:\Program Files (x86)\AnyDesk\AnyDesk.exe
  • C:\Scripts\AnyDesk.exe

Successful connections were observed in the AnyDesk log file ad_svc.trace involving anonymizer service IP addresses linked to TOR and MULLVAD VPN, a common technique that threat actors employ to obscure their source IP ranges.

Reconnaissance

We found the presence and execution of the network discovery tool NetScan being used by the threat actor to perform network enumeration using the following file names:

  • netscan.exe (SHA-256:1b9badb1c646a19cdf101ac4f6fdd23bc61eaab8c9f925eb41848cea9fd0738e)
  • netapp.exe (SHA-256:1b9badb1c646a19cdf101ac4f6fdd23bc61eaab8c9f925eb41848cea9fd0738e)

Additionally, execution of AdFind (SHA-256: f157090fd3ccd4220298c06ce8734361b724d80459592b10ac632acc624f455e), an Active Directory reconnaissance tool, was observed in the environment.

Credential access

Evidence of likely usage of the credential theft tool Mimikatzwas also uncovered through the presence of a related log file mimikatz.log. Microsoft IR assesses that Mimikatz was likely used to attain credentials for privileged accounts.

Lateral movement

Using compromised domain admin credentials, the threat actor used Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and PowerShell remoting to obtain access to other servers in the environment, including domain controllers.

Data staging and exfiltration

In one server where Microsoft Defender Antivirus was installed, a suspicious file named explorer.exe was identified, detected as Trojan:Win64/WinGoObfusc.LK!MT, and quarantined. However, because tamper protection wasn’t enabled on this server, the threat actor was able to disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service, enabling the threat actor to run the file using the following command:

explorer.exe P@$$w0rd

After reverse engineering explorer.exe, we determined it to be ExByte, a GoLang-based tool developed and commonly used in BlackByte ransomware attacks for collection and exfiltration of files from victim networks. This tool is capable of enumerating files of interest across the network and, upon execution, creates a log file containing a list of files and associated metadata. Multiple log files were uncovered during the investigation in the path:

  • C:\Exchange\MSExchLog.log

Analysis of the binary revealed a list of file extensions that are targeted for enumeration.

Figure-2.-Binary-analysis-showing-file-extensions-enumerated-by-explorer.exe_
Figure 2. Binary analysis showing file extensions enumerated by explorer.exe

Forensic analysis identified a file named data.txt that was created and later deleted after ExByte execution. This file contained obfuscated credentials that ExByte leveraged to authenticate to the popular file sharing platform Mega NZ using the platform’s API at:

  • hxxps://g.api.mega.co[.]nz
Figure 3. Binary analysis showing explorer.exe functionality for connecting to file sharing service MEGA NZ

We also determined that this version of Exbyte was crafted specifically for the victim, as it contained a hardcoded device name belonging to the victim and an internal IP address.

ExByte execution flow

Upon execution, ExByte decodes several strings and checks if the process is running with privileged access by reading \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE0:

  • If this check fails, ShellExecuteW is invoked with the IpOperation parameter RunAs, which runs explorer.exe with elevated privileges.

After this access check, explorer.exe attempts to read the data.txt file in the current location:

  • If the text file doesn’t exist, it invokes a command for self-deletion and exits from memory:
C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe /c ping 1.1.1.1 -n 10 > nul & Del <PATH>\explorer.exe /F /Q
  • If data.txt exists, explorer.exe reads the file, passes the buffer to Base64 decode function, and then decrypts the data using the key provided in the command line. The decrypted data is then parsed as JSON below and fed for login function:
{    “a”:”us0”,    “user”:”<CONTENT FROM data.txt>”}

Finally, it forms a URL for sign-in to the API of the service MEGA NZ:

  • hxxps://g.api.mega.co[.]nz/cs?id=1674017543

Data encryption and destruction

On devices where files were successfully encrypted, we identified suspicious executables, detected by Microsoft Defender Antivirus as Trojan:Win64/BlackByte!MSR, with the following names:

  • wEFT.exe
  • schillerized.exe

The files were analyzed and determined to be BlackByte 2.0 binaries responsible for encryption across the environment. The binaries require an 8-digit key number to encrypt files.

Two modes of execution were identified:

  • When the -s parameter is provided, the ransomware self-deletes and encrypts the machine it was executed on.
  • When the -a parameter is provided, the ransomware conducts enumeration and uses an Ultimate Packer Executable (UPX) packed version of PsExec to deploy across the network. Several domain admin credentials were hardcoded in the binary, facilitating the deployment of the binary across the network.

Depending on the switch (-s or -a), execution may create the following files:

  • C:\SystemData\M8yl89s7.exe (UPX-packed PsExec with a random name; SHA-256: ba3ec3f445683d0d0407157fda0c26fd669c0b8cc03f21770285a20b3133098f)
  • C:\SystemData\wEFT.exe (Additional BlackByte binary)
  • C:\SystemData\MsExchangeLog1.log (Log file)
  • C:\SystemData\rENEgOtiAtES (A vulnerable (CVE-2019-16098) driver RtCore64.sys used to evade detection by installed antivirus software; SHA-256: 01aa278b07b58dc46c84bd0b1b5c8e9ee4e62ea0bf7a695862444af32e87f1fd)
  • C:\SystemData\iHu6c4.ico (Random name – BlackBytes icon)
  • C:\SystemData\BB_Readme_file.txt (BlackByte ReadMe file)
  • C:\SystemData\skip_bypass.txt (Unknown)

BlackByte 2.0 ransomware capabilities

Some capabilities identified for the BlackByte 2.0 ransomware were:

  • Antivirus bypass
    • The file rENEgOtiAtES created matches RTCore64.sys, a vulnerable driver (CVE-2049-16098) that allows any authenticated user to read or write to arbitrary memory
    • The BlackByte binary then creates and starts a service named RABAsSaa calling rENEgOtiAtES, and exploits this service to evade detection by installed antivirus software
  • Process hollowing
    • Invokes svchost.exe, injects to it to complete device encryption, and self-deletes by executing the following command:
      • cmd.exe /c ping 1.1.1.1 -n 10 > Nul & Del “PATH_TO_BLACKBYTE” /F /Q
  • Modification / disabling of Windows Firewall
    • The following commands are executed to either modify existing Windows Firewall rules, or to disable Windows Firewall entirely:
      • cmd /c netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off
      • cmd /c netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”File and Printer Sharing” new enable=Yes
      • cmd /c netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”Network Discovery” new enable=Yes
  • Modification of volume shadow copies
    • The following commands are executed to destroy volume shadow copies on the machine:
      • cmd /c vssadmin Resize ShadowStorge /For=B:\ /On=B:\ /MaxSize=401MB
      • cmd /c vssadmin Resize ShadowStorage /For=B:\ /On=B:\ /MaxSize=UNBOUNDED
  • Modification of registry keys/values
    • The following commands are executed to modify the registry, facilitating elevated execution on the device:
      • cmd /c reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
      • cmd /c reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v EnableLinkedConnections /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
      • cmd /c reg add HKLM\\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\FileSystem /v LongPathsEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
  • Additional functionality
    • Ability to terminate running services and processes
    • Ability to enumerate and mount volumes and network shares for encryption
    • Perform anti-forensics technique timestomping (sets the file time of encrypted and ReadMe file to 2000-01-01 00:00:00)
    • Ability to perform anti-debugging techniques

Recommendations

To guard against BlackByte ransomware attacks, Microsoft recommends the following:

  • Ensure that you have a patch management process in place and that patching for internet-exposed devices is prioritized; Understand and assess your cyber exposure with advanced vulnerability and configuration assessment tools like Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management
  • Implement an endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution like Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to gain visibility into malicious activity in real time across your network
  • Ensure antivirus protections are updated regularly by turning on cloud-based protection and that your antivirus solution is configured to block threats
  • Enable tamper protection to prevent components of Microsoft Defender Antivirus from being disabled
  • Block inbound traffic from IPs specified in the indicators of compromise section of this report
  • Block inbound traffic from TOR exit nodes
  • Block inbound access from unauthorized public VPN services
  • Restrict administrative privileges to prevent authorized system changes

Conclusion

BlackByte ransomware attacks target organizations that have infrastructure with unpatched vulnerabilities.  As outlined in the Microsoft Digital Defense Report, common security hygiene practices, including keeping systems up to date, could protect against 98% of attacks.

As new tools are being developed by threat actors, a modern threat protection solution like Microsoft 365 Defender is necessary to prevent and detect the multiple techniques used in the attack chain, especially where the threat actor attempts to evade or disable specific defense mechanisms. Hunting for malicious behavior should be performed regularly in order to detect potential attacks that could evade detections, as a complementary activity for continuous monitoring from security tools alerts and incidents.

To understand how Microsoft can help you secure your network and respond to network compromise, visit https://aka.ms/MicrosoftIR.

Microsoft 365 Defender detections

Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Microsoft Defender Antivirus detects this threat as the following malware:

  • Trojan:Win32/Kovter!MSR
  • Trojan:Win64/WinGoObfusc.LK!MT
  • Trojan:Win64/BlackByte!MSR
  • HackTool:Win32/AdFind!MSR
  • Trojan:Win64/CobaltStrike!MSR

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

The following alerts might indicate threat activity related to this threat. Note, however, that these alerts can be also triggered by unrelated threat activity.

  • ‘CVE-2021-31207’ exploit malware was detected
  • An active ‘NetShDisableFireWall’ malware in a command line was prevented from executing.
  • Suspicious registry modification.
  • ‘Rtcore64’ hacktool was detected
  • Possible ongoing hands-on-keyboard activity (Cobalt Strike)
  • A file or network connection related to a ransomware-linked emerging threat activity group detected
  • Suspicious sequence of exploration activities
  • A process was injected with potentially malicious code
  • Suspicious behavior by cmd.exe was observed
  • ‘Blackbyte’ ransomware was detected

Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management

Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management surfaces devices that may be affected by the following vulnerabilities used in this threat:

  • CVE-2021-34473
  • CVE-2021-34523
  • CVE-2021-31207
  • CVE-2019-16098

Hunting queries

Microsoft 365 Defender

Microsoft 365 Defender customers can run the following query to find related activity in their networks:

ProxyShell web shell creation events

DeviceProcessEvents| where ProcessCommandLine has_any ("ExcludeDumpster","New-ExchangeCertificate") and ProcessCommandLine has_any ("-RequestFile","-FilePath")

Suspicious vssadmin events

DeviceProcessEvents| where ProcessCommandLine has_any ("vssadmin","vssadmin.exe") and ProcessCommandLine has "Resize ShadowStorage" and ProcessCommandLine has_any ("MaxSize=401MB"," MaxSize=UNBOUNDED")

Detection for persistence creation using Registry Run keys

DeviceRegistryEvents | where ActionType == "RegistryValueSet" | where (RegistryKey has @"Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce" and RegistryValueName == "MsEdgeMsE")      or (RegistryKey has @"Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx" and RegistryValueName == "MsEdgeMsE")    or (RegistryKey has @"Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" and RegistryValueName == "MsEdgeMsE")| where RegistryValueData startswith @"rundll32"| where RegistryValueData endswith @".dll,Default"| project Timestamp,DeviceId,DeviceName,ActionType,RegistryKey,RegistryValueName,RegistryValueData

Microsoft Sentinel

Microsoft Sentinel customers can use the TI Mapping analytics (a series of analytics all prefixed with ‘TI map’) to automatically match the malicious domain indicators mentioned in this blog post with data in their workspace. If the TI Map analytics are not currently deployed, customers can install the Threat Intelligence solution from the Microsoft Sentinel Content Hub to have the analytics rule deployed in their Sentinel workspace. More details on the Content Hub can be found here:  https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/sentinel/sentinel-solutions-deploy

Microsoft Sentinel also has a range of detection and threat hunting content that customers can use to detect the post exploitation activity detailed in this blog in addition to Microsoft 365 Defender detections list above.

Indicators of compromise

The table below shows IOCs observed during our investigation. We encourage our customers to investigate these indicators in their environments and implement detections and protections to identify past related activity and prevent future attacks against their systems.

IndicatorTypeDescription
4a066569113a569a6feb8f44257ac8764ee8f2011765009fdfd82fe3f4b92d3eSHA-256api-msvc.dll (Backdoor installed through RunKeys)
5f37b85687780c089607670040dbb3da2749b91b8adc0aa411fd6280b5fa7103SHA-256sys.exe (Cobalt Strike Beacon)
01aa278b07b58dc46c84bd0b1b5c8e9ee4e62ea0bf7a695862444af32e87f1fdSHA-256rENEgOtiAtES (Vulnerable driver RtCore64.sys created by BlackByte binary)
ba3ec3f445683d0d0407157fda0c26fd669c0b8cc03f21770285a20b3133098fSHA-256[RANDOM_NAME].exe (UPX Packed PsExec created by BlackByte binary)
1b9badb1c646a19cdf101ac4f6fdd23bc61eaab8c9f925eb41848cea9fd0738eSHA-256“netscan.exe”, “netapp.exe (Netscan network discovery tool)
f157090fd3ccd4220298c06ce8734361b724d80459592b10ac632acc624f455eSHA-256AdFind.exe (Active Directory information gathering tool)
hxxps://myvisit[.]alteksecurity[.]org/tURLC2 for backdoor api-msvc.dll
hxxps://temp[.]sh/szAyn/sys.exeURLDownload URL for sys.exe
109.206.243[.]59IP AddressC2 for Cobalt Strike Beacon sys.exe
185.225.73[.]244IP AddressOriginating IP address for ProxyShell exploitation and web shell interaction

NOTE: These indicators should not be considered exhaustive for this observed activity.

Appendix

File extensions targeted by BlackByte binary for encryption:

.4dd.4dl.accdb.accdc.accde.accdr.accdt.accft
.adb.ade.adf.adp.arc.ora.alf.ask
.btr.bdf.cat.cdb.ckp.cma.cpd.dacpac
.dad.dadiagrams.daschema.db.db-shm.db-wal.db3.dbc
.dbf.dbs.dbt.dbv. dbx. dcb. dct. dcx
. ddl. dlis. dp1. dqy. dsk. dsn. dtsx. dxl
. eco. ecx. edb. epim. exb. fcd. fdb. fic
. fmp. fmp12. fmpsl. fol.fp3. fp4. fp5. fp7
. fpt. frm. gdb. grdb. gwi. hdb. his. ib
. idb. ihx. itdb. itw. jet. jtx. kdb. kexi
. kexic. kexis. lgc. lwx. maf. maq. mar. masmav
. mdb. mpd. mrg. mud. mwb. myd. ndf. nnt
. nrmlib. ns2. ns3. ns4. nsf. nv. nv2. nwdb
. nyf. odb. ogy. orx. owc. p96. p97. pan
. pdb. pdm. pnz. qry. qvd. rbf. rctd. rod
. rodx. rpd. rsd. sas7bdat. sbf. scx. sdb. sdc
. sdf. sis. spg. sql. sqlite. sqlite3. sqlitedb. te
. temx. tmd. tps. trc. trm. udb. udl. usr
. v12. vis. vpd. vvv. wdb. wmdb. wrk. xdb
. xld. xmlff. abcddb. abs. abx. accdw. and. db2
. fm5. hjt. icg. icr. kdb. lut. maw. mdn
. mdt       

Shared folders targeted for encryption (Example: \\[IP address]\Downloads):

UsersBackupVeeamhomeshome
mediacommonStorage ServerPublicWeb
ImagesDownloadsBackupDataActiveBackupForBusinessBackups
NAS-DCDCBACKUPDirectorFilesshare 

File extensions ignored:

.ini.url.msilog.log.ldf.lock.theme.msi
.sys.wpx.cpl.adv.msc.scr.key.ico
.dll.hta.deskthemepack.nomedia.msu.rtp.msp.idx
.ani.386.diagcfg.bin.mod.ics.com.hlp
 .spl.nls.cab.exe.diagpkg.icl.ocx.rom
.prf.thempack.msstyles.icns.mpa.drv.cur.diagcab
.cmd.shs      

Folders ignored:

windowsbootprogram files (x86)windows.oldprogramdata
intelbitdefendertrend microwindowsappsappdata
application datasystem volume informationperflogsmsocache 

Files ignored:

bootnxtntldrbootmgrthumbs.db
ntuser.datbootsect.bakautoexec.baticoncache.db
bootfont.bin   

Processes terminated:

teracopyteamviewernsservicensctrluranium
processhackerprocmonpestudioprocmon64x32dbg
x64dbgcff explorerprocexppslisttcpview
tcpvcondbgviewrammaprammap64vmmap
ollydbgautorunsautorunsscfilemonregmon
idaqidaq64immunitydebuggerwiresharkdumpcap
hookexplorerimportrecpetoolslordpesysinspector
proc_analyzersysanalyzersniff_hitwindbgjoeboxcontrol
joeboxserverresourcehackerfiddlerhttpdebuggerdumpit
rammaprammap64vmmapagntsvccntaosmgr
dbeng50dbsnmpencsvcinfopathisqlplussvc
mbamtraymsaccessmsftesqlmspubmydesktopqos
mydesktopservicemysqldmysqld-ntmysqld-optNtrtscan
ocautoupdsocommocssdonenoteoracle
outlookPccNTMonpowerpntsqbcoreservicesql
sqlagentsqlbrowsersqlservrsqlwritersteam
synctimetbirdconfigthebatthebat64thunderbird
tmlistenvisiowinwordwordpadxfssvccon
zoolz    

Services terminated:

CybereasonRansomFreevnetdbpcdSamSsTeraCopyService
msftesqlnsServiceklvssbridge64vapiendpointShMonitor
SmcinstSmcServiceSntpServicesvcGenericHostSwi_
TmCCSFtmlistenTrueKeyTrueKeySchedulerTrueKeyServiceHelper
WRSVCMcTaskManagerOracleClientCache80mfefirewbengine
mfemmsRESvcmfevtpsacsvrSAVAdminService
SepMasterServicePDVFSServiceESHASRVSDRSVCFA_Scheduler
KAVFSKAVFS_KAVFSGTkavfsslpklnagentmacmnsvc
masvcMBAMServiceMBEndpointAgentMcShieldaudioendpointbuilder
AntivirusAVPDCAgentbedbgEhttpSrv
MMSekrnEPSecurityServiceEPUpdateServicentrtscan
EsgShKernelmsexchangeadtopologyAcrSch2SvcMSOLAP$TPSAMAIntel(R) PROSet Monitoring
msexchangeimap4ARSMunistoresvc_1af40aReportServer$TPSMSOLAP$SYSTEM_BGC
W3SvcMSExchangeSRSReportServer$TPSAMAZoolz 2 ServiceMSOLAP$TPS
aphidmonitorserviceSstpSvcMSExchangeMTAReportServer$SYSTEM_BGCSymantec System Recovery
UI0DetectMSExchangeSAMSExchangeISReportServerMsDtsServer110
POP3SvcMSExchangeMGMTSMTPSvcMsDtsServerIisAdmin
MSExchangeESEraserSvc11710Enterprise Client ServiceMsDtsServer100NetMsmqActivator
stc_raw_agentVSNAPVSSPDVFSServiceAcrSch2SvcAcronis
CASAD2DWebSvcCAARCUpdateSvcMcAfeeavpsusDLPAgentService
mfewcBMR Boot ServiceDefWatchccEvtMgrccSetMgr
SavRoamRTVsc screenconnectransomsqltelemetrymsexch
vncteamviewermsolapveeambackup
sqlmemtasvsssophossvc$
mepocswuauserv   

Drivers that Blackbyte can bypass:

360avflt.sys360box.sys360fsflt.sys360qpesv.sys5nine.cbt.sys
a2acc.sysa2acc64.sysa2ertpx64.sysa2ertpx86.sysa2gffi64.sys
a2gffx64.sysa2gffx86.sysaaf.sysaalprotect.sysabrpmon.sys
accessvalidator.sysacdriver.sysacdrv.sysadaptivaclientcache32.sysadaptivaclientcache64.sys
adcvcsnt.sysadspiderdoc.sysaefilter.sysagentrtm64.sysagfsmon.sys
agseclock.sysagsyslock.sysahkamflt.sysahksvpro.sysahkusbfw.sys
ahnrghlh.sysaictracedrv_am.sysairship-filter.sysajfsprot.sysalcapture.sys
alfaff.sysaltcbt.sysamfd.sysamfsm.sysamm6460.sys
amm8660.sysamsfilter.sysamznmon.sysantileakfilter.sysantispyfilter.sys
anvfsm.sysapexsqlfilterdriver.sysappcheckd.sysappguard.sysappvmon.sys
arfmonnt.sysarta.sysarwflt.sysasgard.sysashavscan.sys
asiofms.sysaswfsblk.sysaswmonflt.sysaswsnx.sysaswsp.sys
aszfltnt.sysatamptnt.sysatc.sysatdragent.sysatdragent64.sys
aternityregistryhook.sysatflt.sysatrsdfw.sysauditflt.sysaupdrv.sys
avapsfd.sysavc3.sysavckf.sysavfsmn.sysavgmfi64.sys
avgmfrs.sysavgmfx64.sysavgmfx86.sysavgntflt.sysavgtpx64.sys
avgtpx86.sysavipbb.sysavkmgr.sysavmf.sysawarecore.sys
axfltdrv.sysaxfsysmon.sysayfilter.sysb9kernel.sysbackupreader.sys
bamfltr.sysbapfecpt.sysbbfilter.sysbd0003.sysbddevflt.sys
bdfiledefend.sysbdfilespy.sysbdfm.sysbdfsfltr.sysbdprivmon.sys
bdrdfolder.sysbdsdkit.sysbdsfilter.sysbdsflt.sysbdsvm.sys
bdsysmon.sysbedaisy.sysbemk.sysbfaccess.sysbfilter.sys
bfmon.sysbhdrvx64.sysbhdrvx86.sysbhkavka.sysbhkavki.sys
bkavautoflt.sysbkavsdflt.sysblackbirdfsa.sysblackcat.sysbmfsdrv.sys
bmregdrv.sysboscmflt.sysbosfsfltr.sysbouncer.sysboxifier.sys
brcow_x_x_x_x.sysbrfilter.sysbrnfilelock.sysbrnseclock.sysbrowsermon.sys
bsrfsflt.sysbssaudit.sysbsyaed.sysbsyar.sysbsydf.sys
bsyirmf.sysbsyrtm.sysbsysp.sysbsywl.sysbwfsdrv.sys
bzsenspdrv.sysbzsenth.sysbzsenyaradrv.syscaadflt.syscaavfltr.sys
cancelsafe.syscarbonblackk.syscatflt.syscatmf.syscbelam.sys
cbfilter20.syscbfltfs4.syscbfsfilter2017.syscbfsfilter2020.syscbsampledrv.sys
cdo.syscdrrsflt.syscdsgfsfilter.syscentrifyfsf.syscfrmd.sys
cfsfdrvcgwmf.syschange.syschangelog.syschemometecfilter.sys
ciscoampcefwdriver.sysciscoampheurdriver.sysciscosam.sysclumiochangeblockmf.syscmdccav.sys
cmdcwagt.syscmdguard.syscmdmnefs.syscmflt.syscode42filter.sys
codex.sysconduantfsfltr.syscontainermonitor.syscpavfilter.syscpavkernel.sys
cpepmon.syscrexecprev.syscrncache32.syscrncache64.syscrnsysm.sys
cruncopy.syscsaam.syscsaav.syscsacentr.syscsaenh.sys
csagent.syscsareg.syscsascr.syscsbfilter.syscsdevicecontrol.sys
csfirmwareanalysis.syscsflt.syscsmon.syscssdlp.sysctamflt.sys
ctifile.sysctinet.sysctrpamon.sysctx.syscvcbt.sys
cvofflineflt32.syscvofflineflt64.syscvsflt.syscwdriver.syscwmem2k64.sys
cybkerneltracker.syscylancedrv64.syscyoptics.syscyprotectdrv32.syscyprotectdrv64.sys
cytmon.syscyverak.syscyvrfsfd.syscyvrlpc.syscyvrmtgn.sys
datanow_driver.sysdattofsf.sysda_ctl.sysdcfafilter.sysdcfsgrd.sys
dcsnaprestore.sysdeepinsfs.sysdelete_flt.sysdevmonminifilter.sysdfmfilter.sys
dgedriver.sysdgfilter.sysdgsafe.sysdhwatchdog.sysdiflt.sys
diskactmon.sysdkdrv.sysdkrtwrt.sysdktlfsmf.sysdnafsmonitor.sys
docvmonk.sysdocvmonk64.sysdpmfilter.sysdrbdlock.sysdrivesentryfilterdriver2lite.sys
drsfile.sysdrvhookcsmf.sysdrvhookcsmf_amd64.sysdrwebfwflt.sysdrwebfwft.sys
dsark.sysdsdriver.sysdsfemon.sysdsflt.sysdsfltfs.sys
dskmn.sysdtdsel.sysdtpl.sysdwprot.sysdwshield.sys
dwshield64.syseamonm.syseaseflt.syseasyanticheat.syseaw.sys
ecatdriver.sysedevmon.sysednemfsfilter.sysedrdrv.sysedrsensor.sys
edsigk.syseectrl.syseetd32.syseetd64.syseeyehv.sys
eeyehv64.sysegambit.sysegfilterk.sysegminflt.sysegnfsflt.sys
ehdrv.syselock2fsctldriver.sysemxdrv2.sysenigmafilemondriver.sysenmon.sys
epdrv.sysepfw.sysepfwwfp.sysepicfilter.sysepklib.sys
epp64.sysepregflt.syseps.sysepsmn.sysequ8_helper.sys
eraser.sysesensor.sysesprobe.sysestprmon.sysestprp.sys
estregmon.sysestregp.sysestrkmon.sysestrkr.syseventmon.sys
evmf.sysevscase.sysexcfs.sysexprevdriver.sysfailattach.sys
failmount.sysfam.sysfangcloud_autolock_driver.sysfapmonitor.sysfarflt.sys
farwflt.sysfasdriverfcnotify.sysfcontrol.sysfdrtrace.sys
fekern.sysfencry.sysffcfilt.sysffdriver.sysfildds.sys
filefilter.sysfileflt.sysfileguard.sysfilehubagent.sysfilemon.sys
filemonitor.sysfilenamevalidator.sysfilescan.sysfilesharemon.sysfilesightmf.sys
filesystemcbt.sysfiletrace.sysfile_monitor.sysfile_protector.sysfile_tracker.sys
filrdriver.sysfim.sysfiometer.sysfiopolicyfilter.sysfjgsdis2.sys
fjseparettifilterredirect.sysflashaccelfs.sysflightrecorder.sysfltrs329.sysflyfs.sys
fmdrive.sysfmkkc.sysfmm.sysfortiaptfilter.sysfortimon2.sys
fortirmon.sysfortishield.sysfpav_rtp.sysfpepflt.sysfsafilter.sys
fsatp.sysfsfilter.sysfsgk.sysfshs.sysfsmon.sys
fsmonitor.sysfsnk.sysfsrfilter.sysfstrace.sysfsulgk.sys
fsw31rj1.sysgagsecurity.sysgbpkm.sysgcffilter.sysgddcv.sys
gefcmp.sysgemma.sysgeprotection.sysggc.sysgibepcore.sys
gkff.sysgkff64.sysgkpfcb.sysgkpfcb64.sysgofsmf.sys
gpminifilter.sysgroundling32.sysgroundling64.sysgtkdrv.sysgumhfilter.sys
gzflt.syshafsnk.syshbflt.syshbfsfltr.syshcp_kernel_acq.sys
hdcorrelatefdrv.syshdfilemon.syshdransomoffdrv.syshdrfs.sysheimdall.sys
hexisfsmonitor.syshfileflt.syshiofs.syshmpalert.syshookcentre.sys
hooksys.syshpreg.syshsmltmon.syshsmltwhl.syshssfwhl.sys
hvlminifilter.sysibr2fsk.sysiccfileioad.sysiccfilteraudit.sysiccfiltersc.sys
icfclientflt.sysicrlmonitor.sysiderafilterdriver.sysielcp.sysieslp.sys
ifs64.sysignis.sysiguard.sysiiscache.sysikfilesec.sys
im.sysimffilter.sysimfilter.sysimgguard.sysimmflex.sys
immunetprotect.sysimmunetselfprotect.sysinisbdrv64.sysino_fltr.sysintelcas.sys
intmfs.sysinuse.sysinvprotectdrv.sysinvprotectdrv64.sysionmonwdrv.sys
iothorfs.sysipcomfltr.sysipfilter.sysiprotect.sysiridiumswitch.sys
irongatefd.sysisafekrnl.sysisafekrnlmon.sysisafermonisecureflt.sys
isedrv.sysisfpdrv.sysisirmfmon.sysisregflt.sysisregflt64.sys
issfltr.sysissregistry.sysit2drv.sysit2reg.sysivappmon.sys
iwdmfs.sysiwhlp.sysiwhlp2.sysiwhlpxp.sysjdppsf.sys
jdppwf.sysjkppob.sysjkppok.sysjkpppf.sysjkppxk.sys
k7sentry.syskavnsi.syskawachfsminifilter.syskc3.syskconv.sys
kernelagent32.syskewf.syskfac.syskfileflt.syskisknl.sys
klam.sysklbg.sysklboot.syskldback.syskldlinf.sys
kldtool.sysklfdefsf.sysklflt.sysklgse.sysklhk.sys
klif.sysklifaa.sysklifks.sysklifsm.sysklrsps.sys
klsnsr.sysklupd_klif_arkmon.syskmkuflt.syskmnwch.syskmxagent.sys
kmxfile.syskmxsbx.sysksfsflt.sysktfsfilter.sysktsyncfsflt.sys
kubwksp.syslafs.syslbd.syslbprotect.syslcgadmon.sys
lcgfile.syslcgfilemon.syslcmadmon.syslcmfile.syslcmfilemon.sys
lcmprintmon.sysldsecdrv.syslibwamf.syslivedrivefilter.sysllfilter.sys
lmdriver.syslnvscenter.syslocksmith.syslragentmf.syslrtp.sys
magicbackupmonitor.sysmagicprotect.sysmajoradvapi.sysmarspy.sysmaxcryptmon.sys
maxproc64.sysmaxprotector.sysmbae64.sysmbam.sysmbamchameleon.sys
mbamshuriken.sysmbamswissarmy.sysmbamwatchdog.sysmblmon.sysmcfilemon32.sys
mcfilemon64.sysmcstrg.sysmearwfltdriver.sysmessage.sysmfdriver.sys
mfeaack.sysmfeaskm.sysmfeavfk.sysmfeclnrk.sysmfeelamk.sys
mfefirek.sysmfehidk.sysmfencbdc.sysmfencfilter.sysmfencoas.sys
mfencrk.sysmfeplk.sysmfewfpk.sysminiicpt.sysminispy.sys
minitrc.sysmlsaff.sysmmpsy32.sysmmpsy64.sysmonsterk.sys
mozycorpfilter.sysmozyenterprisefilter.sysmozyentfilter.sysmozyhomefilter.sysmozynextfilter.sys
mozyoemfilter.sysmozyprofilter.sysmpfilter.sysmpkernel.sysmpksldrv.sys
mpxmon.sysmracdrv.sysmrxgoogle.sysmscan-rt.sysmsiodrv4.sys
msixpackagingtoolmonitor.sysmsnfsflt.sysmspy.sysmssecflt.sysmtsvcdf.sys
mumdi.sysmwac.sysmwatcher.sysmwfsmfltr.sysmydlpmf.sys
namechanger.sysnanoavmf.sysnaswsp.sysndgdmk.sysneokerbyfilter
netaccctrl.sysnetaccctrl64.sysnetguard.sysnetpeeker.sysngscan.sys
nlcbhelpi64.sysnlcbhelpx64.sysnlcbhelpx86.sysnlxff.sysnmlhssrv01.sys
nmpfilter.sysnntinfo.sysnovashield.sysnowonmf.sysnpetw.sys
nprosec.sysnpxgd.sysnpxgd64.sysnravwka.sysnrcomgrdka.sys
nrcomgrdki.sysnregsec.sysnrpmonka.sysnrpmonki.sysnsminflt.sys
nsminflt64.sysntest.sysntfsf.sysntguard.sysntps_fa.sys
nullfilter.sysnvcmflt.sysnvmon.sysnwedriver.sysnxfsmon.sys
nxrmflt.sysoadevice.sysoavfm.sysoczminifilter.sysodfsfilter.sys
odfsfimfilter.sysodfstokenfilter.sysoffsm.sysomfltlh.sysosiris.sys
ospfile_mini.sysospmon.sysparity.syspassthrough.syspath8flt.sys
pavdrv.syspcpifd.syspctcore.syspctcore64.syspdgenfam.sys
pecfilter.sysperfectworldanticheatsys.syspervac.syspfkrnl.syspfracdrv.sys
pgpfs.syspgpwdefs.sysphantomd.sysphdcbtdrv.syspkgfilter.sys
pkticpt.sysplgfltr.sysplpoffdrv.syspointguardvista64f.syspointguardvistaf.sys
pointguardvistar32.syspointguardvistar64.sysprocmon11.sysproggerdriver.syspsacfileaccessfilter.sys
pscff.syspsgdflt.syspsgfoctrl.syspsinfile.syspsinproc.sys
psisolator.syspwipf6.syspwprotect.syspzdrvxp.sysqdocumentref.sys
qfapflt.sysqfilter.sysqfimdvr.sysqfmon.sysqminspec.sys
qmon.sysqqprotect.sysqqprotectx64.sysqqsysmon.sysqqsysmonx64.sys
qutmdrv.sysranpodfs.sysransomdefensexxx.sysransomdetect.sysreaqtor.sys
redlight.sysregguard.sysreghook.sysregmonex.sysrepdrv.sys
repmon.sysrevefltmgr.sysreveprocprotection.sysrevonetdriver.sysrflog.sys
rgnt.sysrmdiskmon.sysrmphvmonitor.sysrpwatcher.sysrrmon32.sys
rrmon64.sysrsfdrv.sysrsflt.sysrspcrtw.sysrsrtw.sys
rswctrl.sysrswmon.sysrtologon.sysrtw.sysruaff.sys
rubrikfileaudit.sysruidiskfs.sysruieye.sysruifileaccess.sysruimachine.sys
ruiminispy.sysrvsavd.sysrvsmon.sysrw7fsflt.sysrwchangedrv.sys
ryfilter.sysryguard.syssafe-agent.syssafsfilter.syssagntflt.sys
sahara.syssakfile.syssakmfile.syssamflt.syssamsungrapidfsfltr.sys
sanddriver.syssanta.syssascan.syssavant.syssavonaccess.sys
scaegis.sysscauthfsflt.sysscauthiodrv.sysscensemon.sysscfltr.sys
scifsflt.syssciptflt.syssconnect.sysscred.syssdactmon.sys
sddrvldr.syssdvfilter.sysse46filter.syssecdodriver.syssecone_filemon10.sys
secone_proc10.syssecone_reg10.syssecone_usb.syssecrmm.syssecufile.sys
secure_os.syssecure_os_mf.syssecurofsd_x64.syssefo.syssegf.sys
segiraflt.syssegmd.syssegmp.syssentinelmonitor.sysserdr.sys
serfs.syssfac.syssfavflt.syssfdfilter.syssfpmonitor.sys
sgresflt.sysshdlpmedia.sysshdlpsf.syssheedantivirusfilterdriver.syssheedselfprotection.sys
shldflt.syssi32_file.syssi64_file.syssieflt.syssimrep.sys
sisipsfilefiltersk.sysskyamdrv.sysskyrgdrv.sysskywpdrv.sys
slb_guard.syssld.syssmbresilfilter.syssmdrvnt.syssndacs.sys
snexequota.syssnilog.syssnimg.syssnscore.syssnsrflt.sys
sodatpfl.syssoftfilterxxx.syssoidriver.syssolitkm.syssonar.sys
sophosdt2.syssophosed.syssophosntplwf.syssophossupport.sysspbbcdrv.sys
spellmon.sysspider3g.sysspiderg3.sysspiminifilter.sysspotlight.sys
sprtdrv.syssqlsafefilterdriver.syssrminifilterdrv.syssrtsp.syssrtsp64.sys
srtspit.sysssfmonm.sysssrfsf.sysssvhook.sysstcvsm.sys
stegoprotect.sysstest.sysstflt.sysstkrnl64.sysstoragedrv.sys
strapvista.sysstrapvista64.syssvcbt.sysswcommfltr.sysswfsfltr.sys
swfsfltrv2.sysswin.syssymafr.syssymefa.syssymefa64.sys
symefasi.syssymevent.syssymevent64x86.syssymevnt.syssymevnt32.sys
symhsm.syssymrg.syssysdiag.syssysmon.syssysmondrv.sys
sysplant.sysszardrv.sysszdfmdrv.sysszdfmdrv_usb.sysszedrdrv.sys
szpcmdrv.systaniumrecorderdrv.systaobserveflt.systbfsfilt.systbmninifilter.sys
tbrdrv.systdevflt.systedrdrv.systenrsafe2.systesmon.sys
tesxnginx.systesxporter.systffregnt.systfsflt.systgfsmf.sys
thetta.systhfilter.systhreatstackfim.systkdac2k.systkdacxp.sys
tkdacxp64.systkfsavxp.systkfsavxp64.systkfsft.systkfsft64.sys
tkpcftcb.systkpcftcb64.systkpl2k.systkpl2k64.systksp2k.sys
tkspxp.systkspxp64.systmactmon.systmcomm.systmesflt.sys
tmevtmgr.systmeyes.systmfsdrv2.systmkmsnsr.systmnciesc.sys
tmpreflt.systmumh.systmums.systmusa.systmxpflt.sys
topdogfsfilt.systrace.systrfsfilter.systritiumfltr.systrpmnflt.sys
trufos.systrustededgeffd.systsifilemon.systss.syststfilter.sys
tstfsredir.syststregredir.systsyscare.systvdriver.systvfiltr.sys
tvmfltr.systvptfile.systvspfltr.systwbdcfilter.systxfilefilter.sys
txregmon.sysuamflt.sysucafltdriver.sysufdfilter.sysuncheater.sys
upguardrealtime.sysusbl_ifsfltr.sysusbpdh.sysusbtest.sysuvmcifsf.sys
uwfreg.sysuwfs.sysv3flt2k.sysv3flu2k.sysv3ift2k.sys
v3iftmnt.sysv3mifint.sysvarpffmon.sysvast.sysvcdriv.sys
vchle.sysvcmfilter.sysvcreg.sysveeamfct.sysvfdrv.sys
vfilefilter.sysvfpd.sysvfsenc.sysvhddelta.sysvhdtrack.sys
vidderfs.sysvintmfs.sysvirtfile.sysvirtualagent.sysvk_fsf.sys
vlflt.sysvmwvvpfsd.sysvollock.sysvpdrvnt.sysvradfil2.sys
vraptdef.sysvraptflt.sysvrarnflt.sysvrbbdflt.sysvrexpdrv.sys
vrfsftm.sysvrfsftmx.sysvrnsfilter.sysvrsdam.sysvrsdcore.sys
vrsdetri.sysvrsdetrix.sysvrsdfmx.sysvrvbrfsfilter.sysvsepflt.sys
vsscanner.sysvtsysflt.sysvxfsrep.syswats_se.syswbfilter.sys
wcsdriver.syswdcfilter.syswdfilter.syswdocsafe.syswfp_mrt.sys
wgfile.syswhiteshield.syswindbdrv.syswindd.syswinfladrv.sys
winflahdrv.syswinfldrv.syswinfpdrv.syswinload.syswinteonminifilter.sys
wiper.syswlminisecmod.syswntgpdrv.syswraekernel.syswrcore.sys
wrcore.x64.syswrdwizfileprot.syswrdwizregprot.syswrdwizscanner.syswrdwizsecure64.sys
wrkrn.syswrpfv.syswsafefilter.syswscm.sysxcpl.sys
xendowflt.sysxfsgk.sysxhunter1.sysxhunter64.sysxiaobaifs.sys
xiaobaifsr.sysxkfsfd.sysxoiv8x64.sysxomfcbt8x64.sysyahoostorage.sys
yfsd.sysyfsd2.sysyfsdr.sysyfsrd.syszampit_ml.sys
zesfsmf.syszqfilter.syszsfprt.syszwasatom.syszwpxesvr.sys
zxfsfilt.syszyfm.syszzpensys.sys  

Further reading

For the latest security research from the Microsoft Threat Intelligence community, check out the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Blog: https://aka.ms/threatintelblog.

To get notified about new publications and to join discussions on social media, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MsftSecIntel.

Source :
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/07/06/the-five-day-job-a-blackbyte-ransomware-intrusion-case-study/

How to Disable NTLM Authentication in Windows Domain

February 28, 2023

NTLM (NT LAN Manager) is a legacy Microsoft authentication protocol that dates back to Windows NT. Although Microsoft introduced the more secure Kerberos authentication protocol back in Windows 2000, NTLM (mostly NTLMv2) is still widely used for authentication on Windows domain networks. In this article, we will look at how to disable the NTLMv1 and NTLMv2 protocols, and switch to Kerberos in an Active Directory domain.

Contents:

The key NTLMv1 problems:

  • weak encryption;
  • storing password hash in the memory of the LSA service, which can be extracted from Windows memory in plain text using various tools (such as Mimikatz) and used for further attacks using pass-the-has scripts;
  • the lack of mutual authentication between a server and a client, leading to data interception and unauthorized access to resources (some tools such as Responder can capture NTLM data sent over the network and use them to access the network resources);
  • and other vulnerabilities.

Some of these have been in the next version NTLMv2 which uses more secure encryption algorithms and allows to prevent of common NTLM attacks. NTLMv1 and LM authentication protocols are disabled by default starting with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

How to Enable NTLM Authentication Audit Logging?

Before completely disabling NTLM in a domain and switching to Kerberos, it is a good idea to ensure that there are no applications in the domain that require and use NTLM auth. There may be legacy devices or services on your network that still use NTLMv1 authentication instead of NTLMv2 (or Kerberos).

To track accounts or apps that use NTLM authentication, you can enable audit logging policies on all computers using GPO. Open the Default Domain Controller Policy, navigate to the Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options section, find and enable the Network Security: Restrict NTLM: Audit NTLM authentication in this domain policy and set its value to Enable all.

Network Security: Restrict NTLM: Audit NTLM authentication in this domain

In the same way, enable the following policies in the Default Domain Policy:

  • Network Security: Restrict NTLM: Audit Incoming NTLM Traffic – set its value to Enable auditing for domain accounts
  • Network security: Restrict NTLM: Outgoing NTLM traffic to remote servers: set Audit all
Network Security: Restrict NTLM: Audit Incoming NTLM Traffic

Once these policies are enabled, events related to the use of NTLM authentication will appear in the Application and Services Logs-> Microsoft -> Windows -> NTLM section of the Event Viewer.

You can analyze the events on each server or collect them to the central Windows Event Log Collector.

You need to search for the events from the source Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing with the Event ID 4624 – “An Account was successfully logged on“. Note the information in the “Detailed Authentication Information” section. If there is NTLM in the Authentication Package value, then the NTLM protocol was used to authenticate this user.

Look at the value of Package Name (NTLM only). This line shows which protocol (LM, NTLMv1, or NTLMv2) was used for authentication. So you need to identify any servers/applications that are using the legacy protocol.

eventid 4624 source Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing ntlm usage

Also, if NTLM is used for authentication instead of Kerberos, Event ID 4776 will appear in the log:

The computer attempted to validate the credentials for an account
Authentication Package: MICROSOFT_AUTHENTICATION_PACKAGE_V1_0

For example, to search for all NTLMv1 authentication events on all domain controllers, you can use the following PowerShell script:

$ADDCs = Get-ADDomainController -filter
$Now = Get-Date
$Yesterday = $Now.AddDays(-1)
$NewOutputFile = "c:\Events\$($Yesterday.ToString('yyyyddMM'))_AD_NTLMv1_events.log"
function GetEvents($DC){
Write-Host "Searching log on " $DC.HostName
$Events = Get-EventLog "Security" -After $Yesterday.Date -Before $Now.Date -ComputerName $DC.HostName -Message "*NTLM V1*" -instanceid 4624
foreach($Event in $Events){
Write-Host $DC.HostName $Event.EventID $Event.TimeGenerated
Out-File -FilePath $NewOutputFile -InputObject "$($Event.EventID), $($Event.MachineName), $($Event.TimeGenerated), $($Event.ReplacementStrings),($Event.message)" -Append
}
}
foreach($DC in $ADDCs){GetEvents($DC)}

Once you have identified the users and applications that use NTLM in your domain, try switching them to use Kerberos (possibly using SPN). To use Kerberos authentication, some applications need to be slightly reconfigured (Kerberos Authentication in IISConfigure different browsers for Kerberos authenticationCreate a Keytab File Using Kerberos Auth). From my own experience, I see that even large commercial products are still using NTLM instead of Kerberos, some products require updates or configuration changes. The idea is to identify which applications use NTLM authentication, and now you have a way to identify that software and devices.

Small open-source products, old models of various network scanners (which store scans in shared network folders), some NAS devices and other old hardware, legacy software and operating systems are likely to have authentication problems when NTLMv1 is disabled.

Those apps that cannot use Kerberos can be added to the exceptions. This allows them to use NTLM authentication even if it is disabled at the domain level. To do it, the Network security: Restrict NTLM: Add server exceptions for NTLM authentication in this domain policy is used. Add the names of the servers (NetBIOS names, IP addresses, or FQDN), on which NTLM authentication can be used, to the list of exceptions as well. Ideally, this exception list should be empty. You can use the wildcard character *.

GPO: Network security: Restrict NTLM: Add server exceptions for NTLM authentication in this domain

To use Kerberos authentication in an application, you must specify the DNS name of the server, instead of its IP address. If you specify an IP address when connecting to your resources, NTLM authentication will be used.

Configuring Active Directory to Force NTLMv2 via GPO

Before completely disabling NTLM in an AD domain, it is recommended that you first disable its more vulnerable version, NTLMv1. The domain administrator needs to make sure that their network does not allow the use of NTLM or LM for authentication, as in some cases an attacker can use special requests to get a response to an NTLM/LM request.

You can set the preferred authentication type using the domain GPO. Open the Group Policy Management Editor (gpmc.msc) and edit the Default Domain Controllers Policy. Go to the GPO section Computer Configurations -> Policies -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options and find the policy Network Security: LAN Manager authentication level.

Network Security: LAN Manager authentication level - disable ntlm v1 and lm

There are 6 options to choose from in the policy settings::

  • Send LM & NTLM responses;
  • Send LM & NTLM responses – use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated;
  • Send NTLM response only;
  • Send NTLMv2 response only;
  • Send NTLMv2 response only. Refuse LM;
  • Send NTLMv2 response only. Refuse LM& NTLM.

The NTLM authentication options are listed in the order of their security improvement. By default, Windows 7 and later operating systems use the option Send NTLMv2 response only. If this option is enabled, client computers use NTLMv2 authentication, but AD domain controllers accept LM, NTLM, and NTLMv2 requests.

NTLMv2 can be used where the Kerberos protocol has failed and for some operations (for example, managing local groups and accounts on the domain-joined computers) or in workgroups.

You can change the policy value to the most secure option 6 : “Send NTLMv2 response only. Refuse LM & NTLM”. This policy causes domain controllers to reject LM and NTLM requests as well.

You can also disable NTLMv1 through the registry. To do this, create a DWORD parameter with the name LmCompatibilityLevel with a value between 0 and 5 under the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa. Value 5 corresponds to the policy option “Send NTLMv2 response only. Refuse LM NTLM”.

Make sure that the Network security: Do not store LAN Manager hash value on next password change policy is enabled in the same GPO section. It is enabled by default starting with Windows Vista / Windows Server 2008 and prevents the creation of an LM hash.

Network security: Do not store LAN Manager hash value on next password change

Once you have ensured that you are not using NTLMv1, you can go further and try to disable NTLMv2. NTLMv2 is a more secure authentication protocol but loses significantly to Kerberos in terms of security (although there are fewer vulnerabilities in NTLMv2 than in the NTLMv1, but there is still a chance of capturing and reusing data, as well as it doesn’t support mutual authentication).

The main risk of disabling NTLM is the potential use of legacy or misconfigured applications that may still be using NTLM authentication. If this is the case, they will need to be updated or specially configured to switch to Kerberos.

If you have a Remote Desktop Gateway server on your network, you will need to make an additional configuration to prevent clients from connecting using NTLMv1. Create a registry entry:

REG add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\TerminalServerGateway\Config\Core" /v EnforceChannelBinding /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Restrict NTLM Completely and Use Kerberos Authentication in an AD

To check how authentication works in different applications in a domain without using NTLM, you can add the accounts of the required users to the Protected Users domain group (it is available since the Windows Server 2012 R2 release). Members of this security group can only authenticate using Kerberos (NTLM, Digest Authentication, or CredSSP are not allowed). This allows you to verify that Kerberos user authentication is working correctly in different apps.

Then you can completely disable NTLM on the Active Directory domain using the Network Security: Restrict NTLM: NTLM authentication in this domain policy.

The policy has 5 options:

  • Disable: the policy is disabled (NTLM authentication is allowed in the domain);
  • Deny for domain accounts to domain servers: the domain controllers reject NTLM authentication attempts for all servers under the domain accounts, and the “NTLM is blocked” error message is displayed;
  • Deny for domain accounts: the domain controllers are preventing NTLM authentication attempts for all domain accounts, and the “NTLM is blocked” error appears;
  • Deny for domain servers: NTLM authentication requests are denied for all servers unless the server name is on the exception list in the “Network security: Restrict NTLM: Add server exceptions for NTLM authentication in this domain” policy;
  • Deny all: the domain controllers block all NTLM requests for all domain servers and accounts.
GPO: Network Security: Restrict NTLM: NTLM authentication in this domain

Although NTLM is now disabled on the domain, it is still used to process local logins to computers (NTLM is always used for local user logons).

You can also disable incoming and outgoing NTLM traffic on domain computers using separate Default Domain Policy options:

  • Network security: Restrict NTLM: Incoming NTLM traffic = Deny all accounts
  • Network security: Restrict NTLM: Outgoing NTLM traffic to remote servers = Deny all

After enabling auditing, Event Viewer will also display EventID 6038 from the LsaSRV source when using NTLM for authentication:

Microsoft Windows Server has detected that NTLM authentication is presently being used between clients and this server. This event occurs once per boot of the server on the first time a client uses NTLM with this server.
NTLM is a weaker authentication mechanism. Please check:
Which applications are using NTLM authentication?
Are there configuration issues preventing the use of stronger authentication such as Kerberos authentication?
If NTLM must be supported, is Extended Protection configured?
eventid 6038 from lsasrv source: NTLM authentication is presently being used between clients and this server

You can check that Kerberos is used for user authentication with the command:

klist sessions

klist session - check authentication protocol used

This command shows that all users are Kerberos-authenticated (except the built-in local Administrator, who is always authenticated using NTLM).

If you are experiencing a lot of user account lockout events after disabling NTLM, take a close look at the events with ID 4771 (Kerberos pre-authentication failed). Check the Failure Code in the error description. This will indicate the reason and source of the lock.

To further improve Active Directory security, I recommend reading these articles:


Source :
https://woshub.com/disable-ntlm-authentication-windows/

8 Essential Tips for Data Protection and Cybersecurity in Small Businesses

Michelle Quill — June 6, 2023

Small businesses are often targeted by cybercriminals due to their lack of resources and security measures. Protecting your business from cyber threats is crucial to avoid data breaches and financial losses.

Why is cyber security so important for small businesses?

Small businesses are particularly in danger of cyberattacks, which can result in financial loss, data breaches, and damage to IT equipment. To protect your business, it’s important to implement strong cybersecurity measures.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

One important aspect of data protection and cybersecurity for small businesses is controlling access to customer lists. It’s important to limit access to this sensitive information to only those employees who need it to perform their job duties. Additionally, implementing strong password policies and regularly updating software and security measures can help prevent unauthorized access and protect against cyber attacks. Regular employee training on cybersecurity best practices can also help ensure that everyone in the organization is aware of potential threats and knows how to respond in the event of a breach.

When it comes to protecting customer credit card information in small businesses, there are a few key tips to keep in mind. First and foremost, it’s important to use secure payment processing systems that encrypt sensitive data. Additionally, it’s crucial to regularly update software and security measures to stay ahead of potential threats. Employee training and education on cybersecurity best practices can also go a long way in preventing data breaches. Finally, having a plan in place for responding to a breach can help minimize the damage and protect both your business and your customers.

Small businesses are often exposed to cyber attacks, making data protection and cybersecurity crucial. One area of particular concern is your company’s banking details. To protect this sensitive information, consider implementing strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and regular monitoring of your accounts. Additionally, educate your employees on safe online practices and limit access to financial information to only those who need it. Regularly backing up your data and investing in cybersecurity software can also help prevent data breaches.

Small businesses are often at high risk of cyber attacks due to their limited resources and lack of expertise in cybersecurity. To protect sensitive data, it is important to implement strong passwords, regularly update software and antivirus programs, and limit access to confidential information.

It is also important to have a plan in place in case of a security breach, including steps to contain the breach and notify affected parties. By taking these steps, small businesses can better protect themselves from cyber threats and ensure the safety of their data.

Tips for protecting your small business from cyber threats and data breaches are crucial in today’s digital age. One of the most important steps is to educate your employees on cybersecurity best practices, such as using strong passwords and avoiding suspicious emails or links.

It’s also important to regularly update your software and systems to ensure they are secure and protected against the latest threats. Additionally, implementing multi-factor authentication and encrypting sensitive data can add an extra layer of protection. Finally, having a plan in place for responding to a cyber-attack or data breach can help minimize the damage and get your business back on track as quickly as possible.

Small businesses are attackable to cyber-attacks and data breaches, which can have devastating consequences. To protect your business, it’s important to implement strong cybersecurity measures. This includes using strong passwords, regularly updating software and systems, and training employees on how to identify and avoid phishing scams.

It’s also important to have a data backup plan in place and to regularly test your security measures to ensure they are effective. By taking these steps, you can help protect your business from cyber threats and safeguard your valuable data.

To protect against cyber threats, it’s important to implement strong data protection and cybersecurity measures. This can include regularly updating software and passwords, using firewalls and antivirus software, and providing employee training on safe online practices. Additionally, it’s important to have a plan in place for responding to a cyber attack, including backing up data and having a designated point person for handling the situation.

In today’s digital age, small businesses must prioritize data protection and cybersecurity to safeguard their operations and reputation. With the rise of remote work and cloud-based technology, businesses are more vulnerable to cyber attacks than ever before. To mitigate these risks, it’s crucial to implement strong security measures for online meetings, advertising, transactions, and communication with customers and suppliers. By prioritizing cybersecurity, small businesses can protect their data and prevent unauthorized access or breaches.

Here are 8 essential tips for data protection and cybersecurity in small businesses.

8 Essential Tips for Data Protection and Cybersecurity in Small Businesses

1. Train Your Employees on Cybersecurity Best Practices

Your employees are the first line of defense against cyber threats. It’s important to train them on cybersecurity best practices to ensure they understand the risks and how to prevent them. This includes creating strong passwords, avoiding suspicious emails and links, and regularly updating software and security systems. Consider providing regular training sessions and resources to keep your employees informed and prepared.

2. Use Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication

One of the most basic yet effective ways to protect your business from cyber threats is to use strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Encourage your employees to use complex passwords that include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols, and to avoid using the same password for multiple accounts. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification, such as a code sent to a mobile device, before granting access to an account. This can help prevent unauthorized access even if a password is compromised.

3. Keep Your Software and Systems Up to Date

One of the easiest ways for cybercriminals to gain access to your business’s data is through outdated software and systems. Hackers are constantly looking for vulnerabilities in software and operating systems, and if they find one, they can exploit it to gain access to your data. To prevent this, make sure all software and systems are kept up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates. This includes not only your computers and servers but also any mobile devices and other connected devices used in your business. Set up automatic updates whenever possible to ensure that you don’t miss any critical security updates.

4. Use Antivirus and Anti-Malware Software

Antivirus and anti-malware software are essential tools for protecting your small business from cyber threats. These programs can detect and remove malicious software, such as viruses, spyware, and ransomware before they can cause damage to your systems or steal your data. Make sure to install reputable antivirus and anti-malware software on all devices used in your business, including computers, servers, and mobile devices. Keep the software up-to-date and run regular scans to ensure that your systems are free from malware.

5. Backup Your Data Regularly

One of the most important steps you can take to protect your small business from data loss is to back up your data regularly. This means creating copies of your important files and storing them in a secure location, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage service. In the event of a cyber-attack or other disaster, having a backup of your data can help you quickly recover and minimize the impact on your business. Make sure to test your backups regularly to ensure that they are working properly and that you can restore your data if needed.

6. Carry out a risk assessment

Small businesses are especially in peril of cyber attacks, making it crucial to prioritize data protection and cybersecurity. One important step is to assess potential risks that could compromise your company’s networks, systems, and information. By identifying and analyzing possible threats, you can develop a plan to address security gaps and protect your business from harm.

For Small businesses making data protection and cybersecurity is a crucial part. To start, conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify where and how your data is stored, who has access to it, and potential threats. If you use cloud storage, consult with your provider to assess risks. Determine the potential impact of breaches and establish risk levels for different events. By taking these steps, you can better protect your business from cyber threats

7. Limit access to sensitive data

One effective strategy is to limit access to critical data to only those who need it. This reduces the risk of a data breach and makes it harder for malicious insiders to gain unauthorized access. To ensure accountability and clarity, create a plan that outlines who has access to what information and what their roles and responsibilities are. By taking these steps, you can help safeguard your business against cyber threats.

8. Use a firewall

For Small businesses, it’s important to protect the system from cyber attacks by making data protection and reducing cybersecurity risk. One effective measure is implementing a firewall, which not only protects hardware but also software. By blocking or deterring viruses from entering the network, a firewall provides an added layer of security. It’s important to note that a firewall differs from an antivirus, which targets software affected by a virus that has already infiltrated the system.

Small businesses can take steps to protect their data and ensure cybersecurity. One important step is to install a firewall and keep it updated with the latest software or firmware. Regularly checking for updates can help prevent potential security breaches.

Conclusion

Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks, so it’s important to take steps to protect your data. One key tip is to be cautious when granting access to your systems, especially to partners or suppliers. Before granting access, make sure they have similar cybersecurity practices in place. Don’t hesitate to ask for proof or to conduct a security audit to ensure your data is safe.

Source :
https://onlinecomputertips.com/support-categories/networking/tips-for-cybersecurity-in-small-businesses/

Change Your Windows Folder Colors and Icons

Cindy Thomas — June 19, 2023

As you probably know, Windows keeps your files into folders that can also contain subfolders. By using folders, you can keep your computer organized by placing files of certain types in their own folders, such as files for a school project or sales meeting. And of course you can create these folders and subfolders as needed and copy or move your files in and out of them.

You have probably also noticed that all of these folders look the same with the exception of the Windows user folders for Documents, Downloads, Pictures and so on as seen below.

Windows User Folders

Another thing that will affect how your folders look is the view that you have applied to them. You can set your folder views to show them as a list or as icons of various sizes. When you use one of the icon views, you might see a file preview icon on the folder based on what types of files are in the folder itself. This icon can also change when you add or remove files from the folder. Empty folders will not have any file preview icons on them.

Windows Folders

If you are looking for some extra customization, then you can try out the free Folder Marker software which will allow you to apply colors to specific folders as well as custom icons. Once you download and install the software, you can apply color and icon changes by either adding folders to the main interface or by using the new right click context menu item that you will now have on your computer.

Folder Marker Software
Change Your Windows Folder Colors and Icons

If you use the first method where you add or drag folders into the app itself, any changes you make will be applied to all folders in the list so you might want to use the right click method to apply changes to single folders.

If you would rather apply a custom icon to your folder rather than change its color, then you can do so from the Main tab in the app or simply by clicking the icon you like from the right click menu. The User Icons section is used to add your own custom icons if you happen to know how to create those.

Change Your Windows Folder Colors and Icons

The image below shows the same folders with some colors and icons applied to them. As you can see, they stand out much better than they did before the changes were made. If you were to move or copy a folder to a new location, its color or custom icon will stay with it so you don’t need to worry about having to change its appearance again.

Change Your Windows Folder Colors and Icons

If you change your mind and what to revert a folder back to its original look, you can do so by right clicking on it and choosing the Restore Default option. To revert all of your changes, you can open the app itself and then go to the Action menu and click on Rollback All Changes.

As you can see, Folder Marker is easy to use and is a quick way to customize your Windows folders and can really help with your file management tasks. You can download the program from their website here.

Source :
https://onlinecomputertips.com/support-categories/windows/change-your-windows-folder-colors-and-icons/

Tailing Big Head Ransomware’s Variants, Tactics, and Impact

By: Ieriz Nicolle Gonzalez, Katherine Casona, Sarah Pearl Camiling
July 07, 2023

We analyze the technical details of a new ransomware family named Big Head. In this entry, we discuss the Big Head ransomware’s similarities and distinct markers that add more technical details to initial reports on the ransomware.

Reports of a new ransomware family and its variant named Big Head emerged in May, with at least two variants of this family being documented. Upon closer examination, we discovered that both strains shared a common contact email in their ransom notes, leading us to suspect that the two different variants originated from the same malware developer. Looking into these variants further, we  uncovered a significant number of versions of this malware. In this entry, we go deeper into the routines of these variants, their similarities and differences, and the potential impact of these infections when abused for attacks.

Analysis

In this section, we go expound on the three samples of Big Head we found, as well as their distinct functions and routines. While we continue to investigate and track this threat, we also highly suspect that all three samples of the Big Head ransomware are distributed via malvertisement as fake Windows updates and fake Word installers.

First sample

fig1-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 1. The infection routine of the first Big Head ransomware sample

The first sample of Big Head ransomware (SHA256: 6d27c1b457a34ce9edfb4060d9e04eb44d021a7b03223ee72ca569c8c4215438, detected by Trend Micro as Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.THEBBBC) featured a .NET compiled binary file. This binary checks the mutex name 8bikfjjD4JpkkAqrz using CreateMutex and terminates itself if the mutex name is found.

fig2-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 2. Calling CreateMutex function
fig3-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 3. MTX value “8bikfjjD4JpkkAqrz”

The sample also has a list of configurations containing details related to the installation process. It specifies various actions such as creating a registry key, checking the existence of a file and overwriting it if necessary, setting system file attributes, and creating an autorun registry entry. These configuration settings are separated by the pipe symbol “|” and are accompanied by corresponding strings that define the specific behavior associated with each action.

fig4-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 4. List of configurations

The format that the malware adheres to in terms of its behavior upon installation is as follows:

[String ExeName] [bool StartProcess] [bool CheckFileExists] [bool SetSystemAttribute] [String FilePath] [bool SetRegistryKey] [None]

Additionally, we noted the presence of three resources that contained data resembling executable files with the “*.exe” extension:

  • 1.exe drops a copy of itself for propagation. This is a piece of ransomware that checks for the extension “.r3d” before encrypting and appending the “.poop” extension.
  • Archive.exe drops a file named teleratserver.exe, a Telegram bot responsible for establishing communication with the threat actor’s chatbot ID.
  • Xarch.exe drops a file named BXIuSsB.exe, a piece of ransomware that encrypts files and encodes file names to Base64. It also displays a fake Windows update to deceive the victim into thinking that the malicious activity is a legitimate process.

These binaries are encrypted, rendering their contents inaccessible without the appropriate decryption mechanism.

fig5-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 5. Three resources found in the main sample
fig6-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 6. The encrypted content of one of the files located within the resource section (“1.exe”)

To extract the three binaries from the resources, the malware employs AES decryption with the electronic codebook (ECB) mode. This decryption process requires an initialization vector (IV) for proper decryption.

It is also noteworthy that the decryption key used is derived from the MD5 hash of the mutex 8bikfjjD4JpkkAqrz. This mutex is a hard-coded string value wherein its MD5 hash is used to decrypt the three binaries 1.exe, archive.exe, and Xarch.exe. It is important to note that the MTX value and the encrypted resources are different per sample.

We manually decrypted the content within each binary by exclusively utilizing the MD5 hash of the mutant name. Once this step was completed, we proceeded with the AES decryption to decrypt the encrypted resource file. 

fig7-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 7. Code for decrypting the three binaries (top) and the decrypted binary file that came from the parent file (bottom)

The following table shows the details of the binaries dropped by the decrypted malware using the MTX value 8bikfjjD4JpkkAqrz. These three binaries exhibit similarities with the parent sample in terms of code structure and binary extraction:

File nameBytesDropped file
1.exe2334881.exe
archive.exe12843536teleratserver.exe
Xarch.exe65552BXIuSsB.exe
fig8-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 8. 1.exe (left), teleratserver.exe (middle), and BXIuSsB.exe (right)

Binaries

This section details the binaries dropped, as identified from the previous table, and the first binary, 1.exe, was dropped by the parent sample.

            1.      Binary: 1.exe
                    Bytes: 222224
                    MTX value that was used to decrypt this file: 2AESRvXK5jbtN9Rvh

Initially, the file will hide the console window by using WinAPI ShowWindow with SW_HIDE (0). The malware will create an autorun registry key, which allows it to execute automatically upon system startup. Additionally, it will make a copy of itself, which it will save as discord.exe in the <%localappdata%> folder in the local machine.

fig9-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 9. ShowWindow API code hides the window of the current process (top) and the creation of the registry key and drops a copy of itself as “discord.exe” (bottom)

The Big Head ransomware checks for the victim’s ID in %appdata%\ID. If the ID exists, the ransomware verifies the ID and reads the content. Otherwise, it creates a randomly generated 40-character string and writes it to the file %appdata%\ID as a type of infection marker to identify its victims.

fig10-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 10. Randomly generating the 40-character string ID (top) and file named ID saved in the “<%appdata%>” folder (bottom)

The observed behavior indicates that files with the extension “.r3d” are specifically targeted for encryption using AES, with the key derived from the SHA256 hash of “123” in cipher block chaining (CBC) mode. As a result, the encrypted files end up having the “.poop” extension appended to them.

fig11-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 11. The malware checks for the extension that contains “.r3d” before encrypting and appending the ”.poop” extension (top) and the file encryption process when the file extension “.r3d” exists (bottom).

In this file, we also observed how the ransomware deletes its shadow copies. The command used to delete shadow copies and backups, which is also used to disable the recovery option is as follows:

/c vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet & wmic shadowcopy delete & bcdedit /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures & bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled no & wbadmin delete catalog -quiet

It drops the ransom note on the desktop, subdirectories, and the %appdata% folder. The Big Head ransomware also changes the wallpaper of the victim’s machine. 

fig12-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 12. Ransom note of the “1.exe” binary
fig13-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 13. The wallpaper that appears on the victim’s machine

Lastly, it will execute the command to open a browser and access the malware developer’s Telegram account at hxxps[:]//t[.]me/[REDACTED]_69. Our analysis showed no particular action or communication being exchanged with this account in addition to the redirection.

        2.     Binary: teleratserver.exe
                Bytes: 12832480
                MTX value that was used to decrypt this file: OJ4nwj2KO3bCeJoJ1

Teleratserver is a 64-bit Python-compiled binary that acts as a communication channel between the threat actor and the victim via Telegram. It accepts the commands “start”, “help”, “screenshot”, and “message”.

fig14-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 14. Decompiled Python script from the binary

    3.      Binary: BXIuSsB.exe
             Bytes: 54288
             MTX value that was used to decrypt this file: gdmJp5RKIvzZTepRJ

The malware displays a fake Windows Update UI to deceive the victim into thinking that the malicious activity is a legitimate software update process, with the percentage of progress in increments of 100 seconds.

fig15-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 15. The code responsible for fake update (left) and the fake update shown to the user (right)

The malware terminates itself if the user’s system language matches the  Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Armenian, Georgian, Tatar, and Uzbek country codes. The malware also disables the Task Manager to prevent users from terminating or investigating its process.

fig16-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 16. The “KillCtrlAltDelete” command responsible for disabling the Task Manager

The malware drops a copy of itself in the hidden folder <%temp%\Adobe> that it created, then creates an entry in the RunOnce registry key, ensuring that it will only run once at the next system startup.

fig17-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 17. Creation of AutoRun registry

The malware also randomly generates a 32-character key that will later be used to encrypt files. This key will then be encrypted using RSA-2048 with a hard-coded public key.

The ransomware then drops the ransom note that includes the encrypted key.

fig18-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 18. The ransom note

The malware avoids the directories that contain the following substrings:

  • WINDOWS or Windows
  • RECYCLER or Recycler
  • Program Files
  • Program Files (x86)
  • Recycle.Bin or RECYCLE.BIN
  • TEMP or Temp
  • APPDATA or AppData
  • ProgramData
  • Microsoft
  • Burn

By excluding these directories from its malicious activities, the malware reduces the likelihood of being detected by security solutions installed in the system and increases its chances of remaining undetected and operational for a longer duration. The following are the extensions that the Big Head ransomware encrypts:

“.mdf”, “.db”, “.mdb”, “.sql”, “.pdb”, “.pdb”, “.pdb”, “.dsk”, “.fp3”, “.fdb”, “.accdb”, “.dbf”, “.crd”, “.db3”, “.dbk”, “.nsf”, “.gdb”, “.abs”, “.sdb”, “.sdb”, “.sdb”, “.sqlitedb”, “.edb”, “.sdf”, “.sqlite”, “.dbs”, “.cdb”, “.cdb”, “.cdb”, “.bib”, “.dbc”, “.usr”, “.dbt”, “.rsd”, “.myd”, “.pdm”, “.ndf”, “.ask”, “.udb”, “.ns2”, “.kdb”, “.ddl”, “.sqlite3”, “.odb”, “.ib”, “.db2”, “.rdb”, “.wdb”, “.tcx”, “.emd”, “.sbf”, “.accdr”, “.dta”, “.rpd”, “.btr”, “.vdb”, “.daf”, “.dbv”, “.fcd”, “.accde”, “.mrg”, “.nv2”, “.pan”, “.dnc”, “.dxl”, “.tdt”, “.accdc”, “.eco”, “.fmp”, “.vpd”, “.his”, “.fid”

The malware also terminates the following processes:

“taskmgr”, “sqlagent”, “winword”, “sqlbrowser”, “sqlservr”, “sqlwriter”, “oracle”, “ocssd”, “dbsnmp”, “synctime”, “mydesktopqos”, “agntsvc.exeisqlplussvc”, “xfssvccon”, “mydesktopservice”, “ocautoupds”, “agntsvc.exeagntsvc”, “agntsvc.exeencsvc”, “firefoxconfig”, “tbirdconfig”, “ocomm”, “mysqld”, “sql”, “mysqld-nt”, “mysqld-opt”, “dbeng50”, “sqbcoreservice”

The malware renames the encrypted files using Base64. We observed the malware using the LockFile function which encrypts files by renaming them and adding a marker. This marker serves as an indicator to determine whether a file has been encrypted. Through further examination, we saw the function checking for the marker inside the encrypted file. When decrypted, the marker can be matched at the end of the encrypted file.

fig19-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 19. The LockFile function
fig20-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 20. Checking for the marker “###” (top) and finding the marker at the end of the encrypted file (bottom)

The malware targets the following languages and region or local settings of the current user’s operating system as listed in the following:

“ar-SA”, “ar-AE”, “nl-BE”, “nl-NL”, “en-GB”, “en-US”, “en-CA”, “en-AU”, “en-NZ”, “fr-BE”, “fr-CH”, “fr-FR”, “fr-CA”, “fr-LU”, “de-AT”, “de-DE”, “de-CH”, “it-CH”, “it-IT”, “ko-KR”, “pt-PT”, “es-ES”, “sv-FI”, “sv-SE”, “bg-BG”, “ca-ES”, “cs-CZ”, “da-DK”, “el-GR”, “en-IE”, “et-EE”, “eu-ES”, “fi-FI”, “hu-HU”, “ja-JP”, “lt-LT”, “nn-NO”, “pl-PL”, “ro-RO”, “se-FI”, “se-NO”, “se-SE”, “sk-SK”, “sl-SI”, “sv-FI”, “sv-SE”, “tr-TR”

The ransomware checks for strings like VBOX, Virtual, or VMware in the disk enumeration registry to determine whether the system is operating within a virtual environment. It also scans for processes that contain the following substring: VBox, prl_(parallel’s desktop), srvc.exe, vmtoolsd.

fig21-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 21. Checking for virtual machine identifiers (top) and processes (bottom)

The malware identifies specific process names associated with virtualization software to determine if the system is running in a virtualized environment, allowing it to adjust its actions accordingly for better success or evasion. It can also proceed to delete recovery backup available by using the following command line:

vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet & bcdedit.exe /set {default} recoveryenabled no & bcdedit.exe /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures

After deleting the backup, regardless of the number available, it will proceed to delete itself using the SelfDelete() function. This function initiates the execution of the batch file, which will delete the malware executable and the batch file itself.

fig22-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 22. SelfDelete function

Second sample

The second sample of the Big Head ransomware we observed (SHA256: 2a36d1be9330a77f0bc0f7fdc0e903ddd99fcee0b9c93cb69d2f0773f0afd254, detected by Trend as Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.THEABBC) exhibits both ransomware and stealer behaviors.

fig23-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 23. The infection routine of the second sample of the Big Head ransomware

The main file drops and executes the following files:

  • %TEMP%\runyes.Crypter.bat
  • %AppData%\Roaming\azz1.exe
  • %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\Server.exe

The ransomware activities are carried out by runyes.Crypter.bat and azz1.exe, while Server.exe is responsible for collecting information for stealing.

The file runyes.Crypter.bat drops a copy of itself and Cipher.psm1 and then executes the following command to begin encryption:

cmd  /c powershell -executionpolicy bypass -win hidden -noexit -file cry.ps1

The malware employs the AES algorithm to encrypt files and adds the suffix “.poop69news@[REDACTED]” to the encrypted files. It specifically targets files with the following extensions:

*.aif ,*.cda ,*.mid ,*.midi ,*.mp3 ,*.mpa ,*.ogg ,*.wav ,*.wma ,*.wpl ,*.7z ,*.arj ,*.deb ,*.pkg ,*.rar ,*.rpm ,*.tar ,*.gz ,*.z ,*.zip ,*.bin ,*.dmg ,*.iso ,*.toas ,*.vcd ,*.csv  ,*.dat ,*.db ,*.dbf ,*.log ,*.mdb ,*.sav ,*.sql ,*.tar ,*.xml ,*.email ,*.eml ,*.emlx ,*.msg ,*.oft ,*.ost ,*.pst ,*.vcf ,*.apk ,*.bat ,*.bin ,*.cgi ,*.pl ,*.com ,*.exe ,*.gadget ,*.jar ,*.msi ,*.py ,*.wsf ,*.fnt ,*.fon ,*.otf ,*.ttf ,*.ai ,*.bmp ,*.gif ,*.ico ,*.jpeg ,*.jpg ,*.png ,*.ps ,*.psd ,*.svg ,*.tif ,*.tiff ,*.asp ,*.aspx ,*.cer ,*.cfm ,*.cgi ,*.pl ,*.css ,*.htm ,*.html ,*.js ,*.jsp ,*.part ,*.php ,*.py ,*.rss ,*.xhtml ,*.key ,*.odp ,*.pps ,*.ppt ,*.pptx ,*.c ,*.class ,*.cpp ,*.cs ,*.h ,*.java ,*.pl ,*.sh ,*.swift ,*.vb ,*.ods ,*.xls ,*.xlsm ,*.xlsx ,*.bak ,*.cab ,*.cfg ,*.cpl ,*.cur ,*.dll ,*.dmp ,*.drv ,*.icns ,*.icoini ,*.lnk ,*.msi ,*.sys ,*.tmp ,*.3g2 ,*.3gp ,*.avi ,*.flv ,*.h264 ,*.m4v ,*.mkv ,*.mov ,*.mp4 ,*.mpg ,*.mpeg ,*.rm ,*.swf ,*.vob ,*.wmv ,*.doc ,*.docx ,*.odt ,*.pdf ,*.rtf ,*.tex ,*.txt ,*.wpd ,*.ps1 ,*.cmd ,*.vbs ,*.vmxf ,*.vmx ,*.vmsd ,*.vmdk ,*.nvram ,*.vbox

The file azz1.exe, which is also involved in other ransomware activities, establishes a registry entry at <HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run>. This entry ensures the persistence of a copy of itself. It also drops a file containing the victim’s ID and a ransom note:

fig24-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 24. The ransom note for the second sample of the Big Head ransomware

Like the first sample, the second sample also changes the victim’s desktop wallpaper. Afterward, it will open the URL hxxps[:]//github[.]com/[REDACTED]_69 using the system’s default web browser. As of this writing, the URL is no longer available.

Other variants of this ransomware used the dropper azz1.exe as well, although the specific file might differ in each binary. Meanwhile, Server.exe, which we have identified as the WorldWind stealer, collects the following data:

  • Browsing history of all available browsers
  • List of directories
  • Replica of drivers
  • List of running processes
  • Product key
  • Networks
  • Screenshot of the screen after running the file

Third sample

The third sample (SHA256: 25294727f7fa59c49ef0181c2c8929474ae38a47b350f7417513f1bacf8939ff, detected by Trend as Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEL) includes a file infector we identified as Neshta in its chain.

fig25-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 25. The infection routine of the third sample of the Big Head ransomware

Neshta is a virus designed to infect and insert its malicious code into executable files. This malware also has a characteristic behavior of dropping a file called directx.sys, which contains the full path name of the infected file that was last executed. This behavior is not commonly observed in most types of malware, as they typically do not store such specific information in their dropped files.

Incorporating Neshta into the ransomware deployment can also serve as a camouflage technique for the final Big Head ransomware payload. This technique can make the piece of malware appear as a different type of threat, such as a virus, which can divert the prioritization of security solutions that primarily focus on detecting ransomware.

Notably, the ransom note and wallpaper associated with this binary are different from the ones previously mentioned.

fig26-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 26. Wallpaper (top) and ransom note (bottom) used in the victim’s machine post infection

The Big Head ransomware exhibits unique behaviors during the encryption process, such as displaying the Windows update screen as it encrypts files to deceive users and effectively locking them out of their machines, renaming the encrypted files using Base64 encoding to provide an extra layer of obfuscation, and as a whole making it more challenging for users to identify the original file names and types of encrypted files. We also noted the following significant distinctions among the three versions of the Big Head ransomware:

  • The first sample incorporates a backdoor in its infection chain.
  • The second sample employs a trojan spy and/or info stealer.
  • The third sample utilizes a file infector. 

Threat actor

The ransom note clearly indicates that the malware developer utilizes both email and Telegram for communication with their victims. Upon further investigation with the given Telegram username, we were directed to a YouTube account.

The account on the platform is relatively new, having joined on April 19, 2023, With a total of 12 published videos as of this writing. This YouTube channel showcases demonstrations of the piece of malware the cybercriminals have. We also noted that in a pinned comment on each of their videos, they explicitly state their username on Telegram. 

fig27-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-impact-worldwind-stealer-neshta
Figure 27. A new YouTube account with a number of videos featuring pieces of malware (top) and a Telegram username pinned in the comments section for all videos (bottom)

While we suspect that this actor engages in transactions on Telegram, it is worth noting that the YouTube name “aplikasi premium cuma cuma” is a phrase in Bahasa that translates to “premium application for free.” While it is possible, we can only speculate on any connection between the ransomware and the countries that use the said language.

Insights

Aside from the specific email address to tie all the samples of the Big Head ransomware together, the ransom notes from the samples have the same bitcoin wallet and drops the same files. Looking at the samples altogether, we can see that all the routines have the same structure in the infection process that it follows once the ransomware infects a system.

The malware developers mention in the comment section of their YouTube videos that they have a “new” Telegram account, indicative of an old one previously used. We also checked their Bitcoin wallet history and found transactions made in 2022. While we’re unaware of what those transactions are, the history implies that these cybercriminals are not new at this type of threats and attacks, although they might not be sophisticated actors as a whole.

The discovery of the Big Head ransomware as a developing piece of malware prior to the occurrence of any actual attacks or infections can be seen as a huge advantage for security researchers and analysts. Analysis and reporting of the variants provide an opportunity to analyze the codes, behaviors, and potential vulnerabilities. This information can then be used to develop countermeasures, patch vulnerabilities, and enhance security systems to mitigate future risks.

Moreover, advertising on YouTube without any evidence of “successful penetrations or infections” might seem premature promotional activities from a non-technical perspective. From a technical point of view, these malware developers left recognizable strings, used predictable encryption methods, or implementing weak or easily detectable evasion techniques, among other “mistakes.”

However, security teams should remain prepared given the malware’s diverse functionalities, encompassing stealers, infectors, and ransomware samples. This multifaceted nature gives the malware the potential to cause significant harm once fully operational, making it more challenging to defend systems against, as each attack vector requires separate attention.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

You can download the IOCs here

Tailing Big Head Ransomware’s Variants, Tactics, and Impact

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

Filename				SHA256									Detection			Description
Read Me First!.txt			Ransom note
1.exe 					6d27c1b457a34ce9edfb4060d9e04eb44d021a7b03223ee72ca569c8c4215438	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.THEBBBC 	First sample
1.exe 					226bec8acd653ea9f4b7ea4eaa75703696863841853f488b0b7d892a6be3832a	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDFE	
123yes.exe 				ff900b9224fde97889d37b81855a976cddf64be50af280e04ce53c587d978840	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEO	
archive.exe 				cf9410565f8a06af92d65e118bd2dbaeb146d7e51de2c35ba84b47cfa8e4f53b	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDFZ	
azz1.exe, discord.exe 			1c8bc3890f3f202e459fb87acec4602955697eef3b08c93c15ebb0facb019845	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEW	
BXIuSsB.exe 				64246b9455d76a094376b04a2584d16771cd6164db72287492078719a0c749ab	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEL	
ConsoleApp2.exe 			0dbfd3479cfaf0856eb8a75f0ad4fccb5fd6bd17164bcfa6a5a386ed7378958d	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEW	
cry.ps1 				6698f8ffb7ba04c2496634ff69b0a3de9537716cfc8f76d1cfea419dbd880c94	Ransom.PS1.EGOGEN.YXDFV	
Cipher.psm1, 													Ransom.PS1.EGOGEN.YXDFZ	
discord.exe 				b8e456861a5fb452bcf08d7b37277972a4a06b0a928d57c5ec30afa101d77ead	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEL	
discord.exe 				6b3bf710cf4a0806b2c5eaa26d2d91ca57575248ff0298f6dee7180456f37d2e	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEL	
docx.Crypter.bat, runyes.Crypter.bat 	6b771983142c7fa72ce209df8423460189c14ec635d6235bf60386317357428a	Ransom.BAT.EGOGEN.YXDFZ 	
event-stream.exe 			627b920845683bd7303d33946ff52fb2ea595208452285457aa5ccd9c01c3b0a	HackTool.Win32.EventStream.A	
l.bat 					40d11a20bd5ca039a15a0de0b1cb83814fa9b1d102585db114bba4c5895a8a44	Ransom.BAT.EGOGEN.YXDFZ	
Locker.ps1 				159fbb0d04c1a77d434ce3810d1e2c659fda0a5703c9d06f89ee8dc556783614	Ransom.PS1.EGOGEN.YXDEL	
locker.ps1 				9aa38796e0ce4866cff8763b026272eb568fa79d8a147f7d61824752ad6d8f09	Ransom.PS1.EGOGEN.YXDFZ	
program.exe 				39caec2f2e9fda6e6a7ce8f22e29e1c77c8f1b4bde80c91f6f78cc819f031756	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEP	
Prynts.exe 				1ada91cb860cd3318adbb4b6fd097d31ad39c2718b16c136c16407762251c5db	TrojanSpy.MSIL.STORMKITTY.D	
r.pyw 					be6416218e2b1a879e33e0517bcacaefccab6ad2f511de07eebd88821027f92d	Ransom.Python.EGOGEN.YXDFZ 	
Server.exe 				9a7889147fa53311ba7ec8166c785f7a935c35eba4a877c1313a8d2e80e3230d	TrojanSpy.MSIL.WORLDWIND.A	Dropped WorldWind Stealer
Server.exe  				f6a2ec226c84762458d53f5536f0a19e34b2a9b03d574ae78e89098af20bcaa3	PE_NESHTA.A	
sfchost.exe, 12.exe 			1942aac761bc2e21cf303e987ef2a7740a33c388af28ba57787f10b1804ea38e	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEL	
slam.exe 				f354148b5f0eab5af22e8152438468ae8976db84c65415d3f4a469b35e31710f	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDE4	
ssissa.Crypter.bat  			037f9434e83919506544aa04fecd7f56446a7cc65ee03ac0a11570cf4f607853	Ransom.BAT.EGOGEN.YXDFZ	
svchost.com 				980bac6c9afe8efc9c6fe459a5f77213b0d8524eb00de82437288eb96138b9a2	PE_NESHTA.A-O	
teleratserver.exe 			603fcc53fd7848cd300dad85bef9a6b80acaa7984aa9cb9217cdd012ff1ce5f0	Backdoor.WIn64.TELERAT.A	
Xarch.exe     				bcf8464d042171d7ecaada848b5403b6a810a91f7fd8f298b611e94fa7250463	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEV	
XarchiveOutput.exe			64aac04ffb290a23ab9f537b1143a4556e6893d9ff7685a11c2c0931d978a931	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEV	
Xatput.exe 				f59c45b71eb62326d74e83a87f821603bf277465863bfc9c1dcb38a97b0b359d	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEV	
Xserver.exe 				2a36d1be9330a77f0bc0f7fdc0e903ddd99fcee0b9c93cb69d2f0773f0afd254	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.THEABBC	Second sample
Xsput.exe 				66bb57338bec9110839dc9a83f85b05362ab53686ff7b864d302a217cafb7531	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEV	
Xsuut.exe 				806f64fda529d92c16fac02e9ddaf468a8cc6cbc710dc0f3be55aec01ed65235	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEV	
Xxut.exe 				9c1c527a826d16419009a1b7797ed20990b9a04344da9c32deea00378a6eeee2	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEO 	
iXZAF					40e5050b894cb70c93260645bf9804f50580050eb131e24f30cb91eec9ad1a6e	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.THFBIBC	
XBtput.exe 				25294727f7fa59c49ef0181c2c8929474ae38a47b350f7417513f1bacf8939ff	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEL	Third sample
XBtput2.exe 				dcfa0fca8c1dd710b4f40784d286c39e5d07b87700bdc87a48659c0426ec6cb6	Ransom.MSIL.EGOGEN.YXDEO	

Source :
https://www.trendmicro.com/it_it/research/23/g/tailing-big-head-ransomware-variants-tactics-and-impact.html

Three Reasons Endpoint Security Can’t Stop With Just Patching

Last updated: June 14, 2023
James Saturnio
Security Unified Endpoint Management

With remote work now commonplace, having a good cyber hygiene program is crucial for organizations who want to survive in today’s threat landscape. This includes promoting a culture of individual cybersecurity awareness and deploying the right security tools, which are both critical to the program’s success. 

Some of these tools include endpoint patching, endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions and antivirus software. But considering recent cybersecurity reports, they’re no longer enough to reduce your organization’s external attack surface.

Here are three solid reasons, and real-world situations, that happened to organizations that didn’t take this threat seriously.

  1. AI generated polymorphic exploits can bypass leading security tools
  2. Patching failures and patching fatigue are stifling security teams
  3. Endpoint patching only works for known devices and apps
  4. How can organizations reduce their external attack surface?

1. AI generated polymorphic exploits can bypass leading security tools

Recently, AI-generated polymorphic malware has been developed to bypass EDR and antivirus, leaving security teams with blind spots into threats and vulnerabilities.

Real-world example: ChatGPT Polymorphic Malware Evades “Leading” EDR and Antivirus Solutions

In one report, researchers created polymorphic malware by abusing ChatGPT prompts that evaded detection by antivirus software. In a similar report, researchers created a polymorphic keylogging malware that bypassed an industry-leading automated EDR solution.

These exploits achieved this by mutating its code slightly with every iteration and encrypting its malicious code without a command-and-control (C2) communications channel. 

This mutation is not detectable by traditional signature-based and low-level heuristics detection engines. This means that security time gaps are created for a patch to be developed and released, for the patch to be tested for effectiveness, for the security team to prioritize vulnerabilities and for the IT (Information Technology) team to rollout the patches onto affected systems.

In all, this could mean several weeks or months where an organization will need to rely on other security tools to help them protect critical assets until the patching process is completed successfully.
 

2. Patching failures and patching fatigue are stifling security teams

Unfortunately, updates breaking systems because patches haven’t been rigorously tested occur frequently. Also, some updates don’t completely fix all weaknesses, leaving systems vulnerable to more attacks and requiring additional patches to completely fix. 

Real-world example: Suffolk County’s ransomware attack

The Suffolk County government in New York recently released their findings from the forensic investigation of the data breach and ransomware attack, where the Log4j vulnerability was the threat actor’s entry point to breach their systems. The attack started back in December 2021, which was the same time Apache released security patches for these vulnerabilities. 

Even with updates available, patching never took place, resulting in 400 gigabytes of data being stolen including thousands of social security numbers and an initial ransom demand of $2.5 million.

The ransom was never paid but the loss of personal data and employee productivity and subsequent investigation outweighed the cost of updated cyber hygiene appliances and tools and a final ransom demand of $500,000. The county is still trying to recover and restore all their systems today, having already spent $5.5 million. 

Real world example: An errant Windows server update caused me to work 24-hours straight

From personal experience, I once worked 24 hours straight because one Patch Tuesday, a Microsoft Windows server update was automatically downloaded, installed which promptly broke authentication services between the IoT (Internet of Things) clients and the AAA (authentication, authorization and accounting) servers grinding production to a screeching halt.

Our company’s internal customer reference network that was implemented by our largest customers deployed Microsoft servers for Active Directory Certificate Services (ADCS) and Network Policy Servers (NPS) used for 802.1x EAP-TLS authentication for our IoT network devices managed over the air.

This happened a decade ago, but similar recurrences have also occurred over the next several years, including this update from July 2017, where NPS authentication broke for wireless clients and was repeated in May of last year.

At that time, an immediate fix for the errant patch wasn’t available, so I spent the next 22 hours rebuilding the Microsoft servers for the company’s enterprise public key infrastructure (PKI) and AAA services to restore normal operations. The saving grace was we took the original root certificate authority offline, and the server wasn’t affected by the bad update. 

However, we ended up having to revoke all the identity certificates issued by the subordinate certificate authorities to thousands of devices including routers, switches, firewalls and access points and re-enroll them back into the AAA service with new identity certificates.

Learning from this experience, we disabled automatic updates for all Windows servers and took more frequent backups of critical services and data.
 

3. Endpoint patching only works for known devices and apps 

With the pandemic came the shift to Everywhere Work, where employees worked from home, often connecting their personal devices to their organization’s network. This left security teams with a blind spot to shadow IT. With shadow IT, assets go unmanaged, are potentially out-of-date and cause insecure personal devices and leaky applications. 

The resurgence of bring your own device (BYOD) policies and the lack of company-sanctioned secure remote access quickly expanded the organization’s external attack surface, exposing other attack vectors for threat actors to exploit. 

Real-world example: LastPass’ recent breach 

LastPass is a very popular password manager that stores your passwords in an online vault. It has more than 25 million users and 100,000 businesses. Last year, LastPass experienced a massive data breach involving two security incidents.   

The second incident leveraged data stolen during the first breach to target four DevOps engineers, specifically, their home computers. One senior software developer used their personal Windows desktop to access the corporate development sandbox. The desktop also had an unpatched version of Plex Media Server (CVE-2020-5741) installed.

Plex provided a patch for this vulnerability three years ago. Threat actors used this vulnerability to deliver malware, perform privilege escalation (PE), then a remote code execution (RCE) to access LastPass cloud-based storage and steal DevOps secrets and multi-factor (MFA) and Federation databases.

“Unfortunately, the LastPass employee never upgraded their software to activate the patch,” Plex said in a statement. “For reference, the version that addressed this exploit was roughly 75 versions ago.”

If patching isn’t enough, how can organizations reduce their external attack surface?

Cyber hygiene

Employees are the weakest link to an organization’s cyber hygiene program. Inevitably, they’ll forget to update their personal devices, re-use the same weak password to different internet websites, install leaky applications, and click or tap on phishing links contained within an email, attachment, or text message. 

Combat this by promoting a company culture of cybersecurity awareness and practice vigilance that includes: 

· Ensuring the latest software updates are installed on their personal and corporate devices. 

· Recognizing social engineering attack techniques including the several types of phishing attacks.

· Using multi-factor authentication whenever possible. 

· Installing and automatically updating the databases on antivirus software for desktops and mobile threat defense for mobile devices. 

Continuing education is key to promoting great cyber hygiene within your organization, especially for anti-phishing campaigns.  

Cyber hygiene tool recomendations 

In cybersecurity, the saying goes, “You can’t protect what you can’t see!” Having a complete discovery and accurate inventory of all network-connected hardware, software and data, including shadow IT assets, is the important first step to assessing an organization’s vulnerability risk profile. The asset data should feed into an enterprise endpoint patch management system

Also, consider implementing a risk-based vulnerability management approach to prioritize the overwhelming number of vulnerabilities to only those that pose the greatest risk to your organization. Often included with risk-based vulnerability management solutions is a threat intelligence feed into the patch management system

Threat intelligence is information about known or potential threats to an organization. These threats can come from a variety of sources, like security researchers, government agencies, infrastructure vulnerability and application security scanners, internal and external penetration testing results and even threat actors themselves. 

This information, including specific patch failures and reliability reported from various crowdsourced feeds, can help organizations remove internal patch testing requirements and reduce the time gap to patch deployments to critical assets.

unified endpoint management (UEM) platform is necessary to remotely manage and provide endpoint security to mobile devices including shadow IT and BYOD assets.

The solution can enforce patching to the latest mobile operating system (OS) and applications, provision email and secure remote access profiles including identity credentials and multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods like biometrics, smart cards, security keys, certificate-based or token-based authentication.

The UEM solution should also integrate an AI machine learning-based mobile threat defense (MTD) solution for mobile devices, while desktops require next-generation antivirus (NGAV) with robust heuristics to detect and remediate device, network, and app threats with real-time anti-phishing protection.

And finally, to level the playing field against AI-generated malware, cyber hygiene tools will have to evolve quickly by leveraging AI guidance to keep up with the more sophisticated polymorphic attacks that are on the horizon.

Adding the solutions described above will help deter cyberattacks by putting impediments in front of threat actors to frustrate them and seek out easier targets to victimize. 

About James Saturnio

James Saturnio is the Technical Product Marketing Director for the Technical Marketing Engineering team at Ivanti. He immerses himself in all facets of cybersecurity with over 25 years’ hands-on industry experience. He is an always curious practitioner of the zero trust security framework. Prior to Ivanti, he was with MobileIron for almost 7 years as a Senior Solutions Architect and prior to that, he was at Cisco Systems for 19 years. While at Cisco, he started out as a Technical Assistance Center (TAC) Engineer and then a Technical Leader for the Security Technology and Internet of Things (IoT) business units. He is a former Service Provider and Security Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE) and was the main architect for the IoT security architecture that is still used today by Cisco’s lighthouse IoT customers.

Source :
https://www.ivanti.com/blog/three-reasons-endpoint-security-can-t-stop-with-just-patching-or-antivirus

The 8 Best Practices for Reducing Your Organization’s Attack Surface

Last updated: June 20, 2023
Robert Waters
Security Unified Endpoint Management DEX

Increases in attack surface size lead to increased cybersecurity risk. Thus, logically, decreases in attack surface size lead to decreased cybersecurity risk.

While some attack surface management solutions offer remediation capabilities that aid in this effort, remediation is reactive. As with all things related to security and risk management, being proactive is preferred.

The good news is that ASM solutions aren’t the only weapons security teams have in the attack surface fight. There are many steps an organization can take to lessen the exposure of its IT environment and preempt cyberattacks.

How do I reduce my organization’s attack surface?

Unfortunately for everyone but malicious actors, there’s no eliminating your entire attack surface, but the following best practice security controls detailed in this post will help you significantly shrink it:

  1. Reduce complexity 
  2. Adopt a zero trust strategy for logical and physical access control
  3. Evolve to risk-based vulnerability management
  4. Implement network segmentation and microsegmentation
  5. Strengthen software and asset configurations
  6. Enforce policy compliance
  7. Train all employees on cybersecurity policies and best practices
  8. Improve digital employee experience (DEX)

As noted in our attack surface glossary entry, different attack vectors can technically fall under multiple types of attack surfaces — digital, physical and/or human. Similarly, many of the best practices in this post can help you reduce multiple types of attack surfaces.

For that reason, we have included a checklist along with each best practice that signifies which type(s) of attack surface a particular best practice primarily addresses.

#1: Reduce complexity

.

Digital attack surface Physical attack surface Human attack surface 
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Reduce your cybersecurity attack surface by reducing complexity. Seems obvious, right? And it is. However, many companies have long failed at this seemingly simple step. Not because it’s not obvious, but because it hasn’t always been easy to do.

Research from Randori and ESG reveals seven in 10 organizations were compromised by an unknown, unmanaged or poorly managed internet-facing asset over the past year. Cyber asset attack surface management (CAASM) solutions enable such organizations to identify all their assets — including those that are unauthorized and unmanaged — so they can be secured, managed or even removed from the enterprise network.

Any unused or unnecessary assets, from endpoint devices to network infrastructure, should also be removed from the network and properly discarded.

The code that makes up your software applications is another area where complexity contributes to the size of your attack surface. Work with your development team to identify where opportunities exist to minimize the amount of executed code exposed to malicious actors, which will thereby also reduce your attack surface.

#2: Adopt a zero trust strategy for logical and physical access control

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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines zero trust as follows:

“A collection of concepts and ideas designed to minimize uncertainty in enforcing accurate, least privilege per-request access decisions in information systems and services in the face of a network viewed as compromised.”

In other words, for every access request, “never trust, always verify.”

Learn how Ivanti can help you adopt the NIST CSF in The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF): Mapping Ivanti’s Solutions to CSF Controls

Taking a zero trust approach to logical access control reduces your organization’s attack surface — and likelihood of data breaches — by continuously verifying posture and compliance and providing least-privileged access.

And while zero trust isn’t a product but a strategy, there are products that can help you implement a zero trust strategy. Chief among those products are those included in the secure access service edge (SASE) framework:

And though it’s not typically viewed in this manner, a zero trust strategy can extend beyond logical access control to physical access control. When it comes to allowing anyone into secure areas of your facilities, remember to never trust, always verify. Mechanisms like access cards and biometrics can be used for this purpose.

#3: Evolve to risk-based vulnerability management

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First, the bad news: the US National Vulnerability Database (US NVD) contains over 160,000 scored vulnerabilities and dozens more are added every day. Now, the good news: a vast majority of vulnerabilities have never been exploited, which means they can’t be used to perpetrate a cyberattack, which means they aren’t part of your attack surface.

In fact, a ransomware research report from Securin, Cyber Security Works (CSW), Ivanti and Cyware showed only 180 of those 160,000+ vulnerabilities were trending active exploits.

Comparison of total NVD vulnerabilities vs. those that endanger an organization

Total NVD graph.
Only approximately 0.1% of all vulnerabilities in the US NVD are trending active exploits that pose an immediate risk to an organization

legacy approach to vulnerability management reliant on stale and static risk scores from the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) won’t accurately classify exploited vulnerabilities. And while the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (CISA KEV) Catalog is a step in the right direction, it’s incomplete and doesn’t account for the criticality of assets in an organization’s environment.

A true risk-based approach is needed. Risk-based vulnerability management (RBVM) — as its name suggests — is a cybersecurity strategy that prioritizes vulnerabilities for remediation based on the risk they pose to the organization.

Read The Ultimate Guide to Risk-Based Patch Management and discover how to evolve your remediation strategy to a risk-based approach.

RBVM tools ingest data from vulnerability scannerspenetration teststhreat intelligence tools and other security sources and use it to measure risk and prioritize remediation activities.

With the intelligence from their RBVM tool in hand, organizations can then go about reducing their attack surface by remediating the vulnerabilities that pose them the most risk. Most commonly, that involves patching exploited vulnerabilities on the infrastructure side and fixing vulnerable code in the application stack.

#4: Implement network segmentation and microsegmentation

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Once again, borrowing from the NIST glossary, network segmentation is defined as follows:

Splitting a network into sub-networks, for example, by creating separate areas on the network which are protected by firewalls configured to reject unnecessary traffic. Network segmentation minimizes the harm of malware and other threats by isolating it to a limited part of the network.

From this definition, you can see how segmenting can reduce your attack surface by blocking attackers from certain parts of your network. While traditional network segmentation stops those attackers from moving north-south at the network level, microsegmentation stops them from moving east-west at the workload level.

More specifically, microsegmentation goes beyond network segmentation and enforces policies on a more granular basis — for example, by application or device instead of by network.

For example, it can be used to implement restrictions so an IoT device can only communicate with its application server and no other IoT devices, or to prevent someone in one department from accessing any other department’s systems.

#5: Strengthen software and asset configurations

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Operating systems, applications and enterprise assets — such as servers and end user, network and IoT devices — typically come unconfigured or with default configurations that favor ease of deployment and use over security. According to CIS Critical Security Controls (CIS Controls) v8, the following can all be exploitable if left in their default state:

  • Basic controls
  • Open services and ports
  • Default accounts or passwords
  • Pre-configured Domain Name System (DNS) settings
  • Older (vulnerable) protocols
  • Pre-installation of unnecessary software

Clearly, such configurations increase the size of an attack surface. To remedy the situation, Control 4: Secure Configuration of Enterprise Assets and Software of CIS Controls v8 recommends developing and applying strong initial configurations, then continually managing and maintaining those configurations to avoid degrading security of software and assets.

Here are some free resources and tools your team can leverage to help with this effort:

#6: Enforce policy compliance

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It’s no secret that endpoints are a major contributor to the size of most attack surfaces — especially in the age of Everywhere Work when more employees are working in hybrid and remote roles than ever before. Seven in 10 government employees now work virtually at least part of the time.

It’s hard enough getting employees to follow IT and security policies when they’re inside the office, let alone when 70% of them are spread all over the globe.

Unified endpoint management (UEM) tools ensure universal policy compliance by automatically enforcing policies. This fact should come as no surprise to IT and security professionals, many of whom consider UEM a commodity at this point. In fact, Gartner predicts that 90% of its clients will manage most of their estate with cloud-based UEM tools by just 2025.

Nonetheless, UEM is the best option for enforcing IT and security policy compliance, so I’d be remiss to omit it from this list.

Read The Ultimate Guide to Unified Endpoint Management and learn about the key business benefits and endpoint security use cases for modern UEM solutions.

Additionally, beyond compliance, modern UEM tools offer several other capabilities that can help you identify, manage and reduce your attack surface:

  • Have complete visibility into IT assets by discovering all devices on your network — a key ASM capability for organizations without a CAASM solution.
  • Provision devices with the appropriate software and access permissions, then automatically update that software as needed — no user interactions required.
  • Manage all types of devices across the entire lifecycle, from onboarding to retirement, to ensure they’reproperly discarded once no longer in use.
  • Automatically enforce device configurations (refer to #5: Strengthen software and asset configurations to learn more about the importance of this capability).
  • Support zero trust access and contextual authentication, vulnerability, policy, configuration and data management by integrating with identity, security and remote-access tools. For example, UEM and mobile threat defense (MTD) tools can integrate to enable you to enact risk-based policies to protect mobile devices from compromising the corporate network and its assets.

#7: Train all employees on cybersecurity policies and best practices

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Seventy-four percent of breaches analyzed for the 2023 Verizon Data Breaches Investigation Report (DBIR) involved a human element.

Thus, it should come as no surprise when you review the data from Ivanti’s 2023 Government Cybersecurity Status Report and see the percentages of employees around the world that don’t believe their actions have any impact on their organization’s ability to avert cyberattacks:

Do employees think their own actions matter?

Many employees don’t believe their actions impact their organization’s ability to stay safe from cyberattacks.

In the immortal words of Alexander Pope: “To err is human…” In cybersecurity terms: until AI officially takes over, humans will remain a significant part of your attack surface. And until then, human attack surfaces must be managed and reduced wherever possible.

Thus far, the best way to do that’s proven to be cybersecurity training, both on general best practices and company-specific policies — and definitely don’t forget to include a social engineering module.

Many cybersecurity practitioners agree. When the question “In your experience, what security measure has been the most successful in preventing cyberattacks and data breaches?” was posed in Reddit’s r/cybersecurity subreddit, many of the top comments referenced the need for user education:

Reddit / u/Forbesington
Reddit / u/slybythenighttothecape
Reddit / u/_DudeWhat
Reddit / u/onneseen

To once again borrow from CIS Controls v8, Control 14: Security Awareness and Skills Training encourages organizations to do the following: “Establish and maintain a security awareness program to influence behavior among the workforce to be security conscious and properly skilled to reduce cybersecurity risks to the enterprise.”

CIS — the Center for Internet Security — also recommends leveraging the following resources to help build a security awareness program:

Security and IT staff — not just those in non-technical roles — should also be receiving cybersecurity training relevant to their roles. In fact, according to the IT and security decision-makers surveyed by Randori and ESG for their 2022 report on The State of Attack Surface Management, providing security and IT staff with more ASM training would be the third most-effective way to improve ASM.

Ensuring partners, vendors and other third-party contractors take security training as well can also help contain your human attack surface.

#8: Improve digital employee experience (DEX)

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No matter how much cybersecurity training you provide employees, the more complex and convoluted security measures become, the more likely they are to bypass them. Sixty-nine percent of end users report struggling to navigate overly convoluted and complex security measures. Such dissatisfied users are prone to distribute data over unsecured channels, prevent the installation of security updates and deploy shadow IT.

That seems to leave IT leaders with an impossible choice: improve digital employee experience (DEX) at the cost of security or prioritize security over experience? The truth is, security and DEX are equally important to an organization’s success and resilience. In fact, according to research from Enterprise Management Associates (EMA), reducing security friction leads to far fewer breach events.

So what do you do? Ivanti’s 2022 Digital Employee Experience Report indicates IT leaders — with support from the C-suite — need to put their efforts toward providing a secure-by-design digital employee experience. While that once may have seemed like an impossible task, it’s now easier than ever thanks to an emerging market for DEX tools that help you measure and continuously improve employees’ technology experience.

Read the 2022 Digital Employee Experience Report to learn more about the role DEX plays in cybersecurity.

One area in which organizations can easily improve both security and employee experience is authentication. Annoying and inefficient to remember, enter and reset, passwords have long been the bane of end users.

On top of that, they’re extremely unsecure. Roughly half of the 4,291 data breaches not involving internal malicious activity analyzed for the 2023 Verizon DBIR were enabled through credentials — about four times the amount enabled by phishing — making them by far the most popular path into an organization’s IT estate.

Passwordless authentication software solves this problem. If you’d like to improve end user experience and reduce your attack surface in one fell swoop, deploy a passwordless authentication solution that uses FIDO2 authentication protocols. Both you and your users will rejoice when you can say goodbye to passwords written on Post-it Notes forever.

For more guidance on how to balance security with DEX, refer to the following resources:

Additional guidance from free resources

Ivanti’s suggested best practices for reducing your attack surface combine learnings from our firsthand experience plus secondhand knowledge gleaned from authoritative resources.

And while these best practices will indeed greatly diminish the size of your attack surface, there’s no shortage of other steps an organization could take to combat the ever-expanding size and complexity of modern attack surfaces.

Check out the following free resources — some of which were referenced above — for additional guidance on shrinking your attack surface:

Next steps

So, you’ve implemented all the best practices above and you’re wondering what’s next. As with all things cybersecurity, there’s no time for standing still. Attack surfaces require constant monitoring.

You never know when the next unmanaged BYOD device will connect to your network, the next vulnerability in your CRM software will be exploited or the next employee will forget their iPhone at the bar after a team happy hour.

On top of tracking existing attack vectors, you also need to stay informed about emerging ones. For example, the recent explosion of AI models is driving substantial attack surface growth, and it’s safe to say more technologies that open the door to your IT environment are on the horizon. Stay vigilant.

About Robert Waters

Robert Waters is the Lead Product Marketing Manager for endpoint security at Ivanti. His 15 years of marketing experience in the technology industry include an early stint at a Fortune 1000 telecommunications company and a decade at a network monitoring and managed services firm.

Robert joined Ivanti in November of 2022 and now oversees all things risk-based vulnerability management and patch management.

Source :
https://www.ivanti.com/blog/the-8-best-practices-for-reducing-your-organization-s-attack-surface