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What is an Advanced Persistent Threat (APT)?
An Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) is a sophisticated and stealthy cyberattack. In this intricate assault, unauthorized infiltrators gain access to a network, remaining undetected for extended periods. They use straightforward tactics like phishing and malware, but their underlying sophistication is profound. APTs are often orchestrated by well-funded and highly skilled threat actors, including nation-state attackers.
The primary goal of Advanced Persistent Threats is not immediate damage but rather surreptitious data mining. They target corporate intellectual property, trade secrets, and confidential customer information. APTs exhibit remarkable persistence, evading detection through encryption, anti-forensic techniques, and legitimate credentials. These patient adversaries operate covertly, gathering intelligence over weeks, months, or even years. Their attack vectors include phishing emails, social engineering, and exploiting application vulnerabilities.
Stages of an APT Attack Phase
Stage 1: Infiltration
An organization may be targeted through various channels, including websites and networks among other ways, or by deceiving the organization’s employees. Advanced persistent threats usually start by deceiving people with things like fake emails. They can send these fake emails to people in senior positions like company executives and technology leaders. These emails can appear real and could even mention activities taking place within the company to appear real.
Stage 2 – Escalation
Once attackers breach a network, they carefully expand their access to gather valuable information and stay hidden. They use malware to move sideways across the network, finding its structure and stealing important login details. This lets them get into sensitive parts of the organization without being noticed, setting up secret pathways called ‘backdoors’ for future access.
Once they’re in, they aim to spread their influence across the network. They target people with access to valuable data, like product details or financial records. They use this data for various harmful purposes, like selling the data, disrupting operations, or even destroying the organization. If they’re causing chaos, they plan out a series of actions, like deleting files and disrupting communication, to make recovery difficult. This careful planning ensures their impact lasts longer after they first break in.
Stage 3 – Exfiltration
During an advanced persistent threat (APT) operation, cybercriminals meticulously store stolen data within the targeted network until a substantial amount has been accumulated. Once the threshold is reached, they initiate the critical phase of extracting the information without raising any alarms. Utilizing white noise tactics such as Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, they divert the attention of security teams, allowing for the smooth movement of data out of the network. This manipulation of resources and defenses creates an ideal environment for the exfiltration process. Even after extraction, the compromised network remains vulnerable, ready for potential re-entry by cybercriminals.
In the final stage, the stolen data is clandestinely removed from the network, often facilitated by diversionary tactics like DoS attacks, ensuring minimal detection. This calculated approach underscores the sophisticated nature of APT attacks, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by cybercriminals.
Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) Attack Techniques
Spear phishing – Spear phishing involves attackers customizing their messages to specific individuals or organizations. They gather personal details about the target, like interests, job roles, or connections, to create convincing emails or messages. The goal is to deceive recipients into sharing sensitive information, clicking on harmful links, or downloading malicious attachments. This tailored approach boosts the chances of the attack succeeding, posing a significant threat to both individuals and businesses.
Supply chain attacks – Supply chain attacks are complex cyberattacks that target a particular organization’s network by tampering with the software or hardware supplied to them. Hackers focus on suppliers or vendors, sneaking harmful code into products or altering them before they’re delivered. This sneaky tactic lets skilled attackers, known as Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actors, break into the victim’s network without permission. They could cause serious harm or steal valuable information. Supply chain attacks are dangerous because they take advantage of trusted connections and can slip past regular security measures, making them hard to spot and stop.
To learn more about supply chain attacks and strengthen your business’s defenses against them check out our comprehensive article on supply chain attacks.
Credential theft – Credential theft occurs when Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actors use various techniques like keylogging, password cracking, and phishing to acquire login credentials. Once they possess valid credentials, they can move through the network horizontally, accessing confidential data. This poses a significant threat to organizations as attackers can exploit stolen credentials to compromise sensitive information, potentially leading to severe consequences such as data breaches or financial losses.
Watering hole attacks – Watering hole attacks are a kind of cyberattack. Hackers break into websites that people often visit and plant harmful software on those sites. When users visit these trusted sites, their devices get infected. It is like how predators wait near a watering hole in the wild to catch their prey. These attacks are dangerous because they take advantage of the trust we have in familiar websites. So, they are a big issue in the world of cybersecurity.
Zero-day exploits – Zero-day exploits are complex cyber-attacks that target unpatched flaws in software or hardware. Called “zero-day” as they are patched on the very day they are found; these vulnerabilities are highly coveted by cybercriminals because they have the potential to do a tremendous amount of harm and infiltrate their objectives undetected. With the aid of an application vulnerability checker, cybercriminals can look for these vulnerabilities and exploit them for their benefit before they are patched. From there, attackers can infiltrate a system undetected, steal info, and transmit or accomplish other malevolent doings without being caught. This underscores the substantial and unpredictable threat that zero-day exploits pose to cybersecurity. It’s crucial for both security experts and software developers to remain vigilant and respond promptly to these vulnerabilities.
The Impact of Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)
Data Breaches – Data breaches by Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) refer to instances where sophisticated and persistent cyber attackers gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. These have a huge impact on organizations and governments. APTs often focus on valuable data like intellectual property, financial records, or personal information, causing significant data breaches that affect organizations and people in many ways.
Digital piracy – APTs frequently target organizations with valuable intellectual property, seeking to steal proprietary information for competitive advantage or economic gain. Intellectual Property Theft from APT attacks is comparable to a sophisticated burglary in the digital realm. Skilled cybercriminals infiltrate a company’s secure repository of creative concepts, patents, and confidential information with stealth and precision, akin to burglars breaking into a heavily guarded safe.
Operational Disruption – Operational disruption caused by Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) is like a powerful storm slamming into a company’s everyday work. These sneaky cyber threats quietly sneak into the company’s digital systems, creating chaos and slowing down how things get done. Just like a storm messes up regular routines, APTs mess up workflows, how people talk to each other, and how important services go on.
Long-Term Damage – After getting into the network, APT actors can remain there for several months and years, receiving constant access to data transmission, and attacking by new means. Such a presence of criminals in the network makes it possible to cause the organization enormous damage.
Real World Examples of APT Attacks
Stuxnet (2010)
Stuxnet is one of the most famous APT attacks, widely believed to be a joint operation by the United States and Israel.
Attack – The malicious program spread through inflamed USB flash drives and exploited 4 zero-day vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows. The computer virus targeted Siemens Step7 software, commonly used in industrial control systems. Once infiltrating the network, it altered the programming of Programmable Logic Controllers to disrupt the operation of centrifuges used in uranium enrichment.
Impact – These attacks damaged about 1,000 centrifuges, significantly delaying Iran’s nuclear program by few years. It brought attention to the possibility of cyber warfare causing tangible physical harm.
The RSA Breach (2011)
Attack – Attackers sent phishing emails with Excel attachments containing malicious macros to RSA employees. Once inside the community, attackers stole information related to RSA’s SecurID tokens, which were later utilized in additional assaults against RSA’s clients, which include foremost protection contractors.
Impact – RSA had to update hundreds of thousands of SecurID tokens, costing the company around $66 million. This breach underscored the vulnerabilities in trusted security products and highlighted the widespread impact such breaches can have.
Sony Pictures Hack (2014)
Attack – The attackers used spear-phishing emails to gain access to Sony’s network. The attackers deployed wiper malware to wreck facts on Sony’s systems. They also exfiltrated a massive number of personal records, together with unreleased films, employee facts, and emails.
Impact – The breach brought about vast monetary and reputational damage to Sony. It also brought about heightened tensions between the U.S. And North Korea and underscored the potential for countryside actors to use cyberattacks for political purposes.
Securing your business from Advanced Persistent Threat Intrusions
1. Implement Strong Network Segmentation
Divide your networks into segments to limit the spread of any potential APT attack. This way, even if one part of your network is compromised, it won’t give the attackers access over your entire system.
2. Regularly Update and Patch Systems
Ensure all your software, hardware, and systems are up to date with the latest security patches. This prevents attackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities.
3. Deploy Advanced Threat Detection Tools
Use tools like Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) that are designed to detect unusual activity and stop APTs before they cause damage.
4. Train Employees on Cybersecurity Best Practices
Regularly train your employees to recognize phishing and spear-phishing attempts and other social engineering tactics that APT attackers commonly use. Educated employees are often the first line of defense.
Running an effective security awareness training program internally and tracking them for compliance requires time and resources. eBuilder Security offers Complorer, Security Awareness as a Managed Service, as a solution. Complorer allows you to unburden yourself from all administration and management responsibilities while ensuring your employees’ awareness through nano trainings and phishing testing capabilities.
5. Monitor Network Traffic and User Activity
Keep an eye on your network traffic and user activities to spot any unusual behavior that could indicate an potential threat. Promptly investigate and respond to any anomalies.
6. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Protect sensitive systems and data with multi-factor authentication. Even if an attacker obtains a password, MFA can stop them from gaining access.
7. Conduct Regular Security Audits and Penetration Tests
Regular audits and penetration tests can help identify weaknesses in your defenses. Knowing your vulnerabilities allows you to fix them before attackers can exploit them.
Comprehensive penetration testing services provided by eBuilder Security help uncover stealthy vulnerabilities following a tested and proven methodology. Specialists at eBuilder Security conduct penetration tests manually by simulating real-life hacker attacks on user applications and networks.
8. Limit User Privileges Based on Roles
Implement the principle of least privilege by giving employees only the access they need to do their jobs. This minimizes the potential damage if an account is compromised.
9. Develop an Incident Response Plan
Prepare a clear incident response plan so your team knows exactly what to do if an APT intrusion is detected. Quickly co-ordinated responses can significantly reduce the impact of an attack.
10. Back Up Data Regularly
Ensure you have secure and regular backups of all critical data. In the event of an attack, having backups helps you restore systems quickly and reduce downtime.
Protecting Against Advanced Persistent Threats with CrowdStrike
With CrowdStrike’s comprehensive suite of cybersecurity solutions and services, organizations can enhance their defenses against APTs and better protect their assets from cyber threats.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) – Falcon Endpoint Protection, CrowdStrike’s most popular product, offers real-time visibility into endpoint operations, making it simple for businesses to detect and respond quickly to APTs. Falcon, by constantly monitoring endpoints for abnormal activities and indicators of compromise, may find APTs and limit their damage before they achieve their objectives.
Managed Detection and Response (MDR) – Falcon OverWatch, CrowdStrike’s managed threat hunting service, combines technology with human expertise to perform 24/7 threat hunting, monitoring, and response. You can quickly detect and minimize the impact of threats with MDR, without the need for a dedicated security operations team.
To optimize resource allocation and safeguard against cyber threats, businesses must carefully choose a managed service provider (MSP). eBuilder Security, partnered with CrowdStrike, provides an exceptional MDR service, including the Security Operations Center (SOC) service to monitor threats in real time. Our MDR service extends the capabilities of SOC by managing the detected threats and responses while managing your CrowdStrike environment.
Cyber threat intelligence – The Threat Intelligence team of CrowdStrike constantly monitors the global threat situation closely. They monitor what methods hackers use for APTs and how hackers operate APTs. These insights are encapsulated within their products and services so that CrowdStrike users can see the latest APT threats out there and change their approach and plans.
Proactive Hunting – CrowdStrike’s Managed Detection and Response provides the client with a team of skilled threat hunters that will stay active within the customers’ network, constantly seeking evidence of APT activity. With the use of innovative analytics and investigative methods, threat hunters can seek out and neutralize APTs before they cause damage.
Cloud-Native Platform – CrowdStrike’s platform is built for the cloud, which means it can grow and change with organizations as they need. With CrowdStrike, organizations can easily set up and control their security tools for all their devices and systems, like computers, servers, and stuff in the cloud. And they can do it all from one easy-to-use dashboard.
How can eBuilder Security help prevent Advanced Persistent Threats
eBuilder Security offers a comprehensive suite of security services to shield your organization from advanced threats, including APTs.
Our skilled team uses cutting-edge techniques to identify vulnerabilities and provide actionable remediation plans. We offer a range of penetration testing services, including Web Application, Network and Infrastructure, Automated Network (Vonahi), API, and Mobile Application Pentest to ensure overall protection of your organization’s cyber security domain.
Our Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service provides 24/7 monitoring and threat hunting. Building upon our EDR capabilities, eBuilder Security MDR rapidly detects and mitigates threats, preventing APTs from gaining a foothold.
To bolster your organization’s defenses, eBuilder Security also offers Complorer, a Managed Security Awareness Training program which educates your staff on best practices, phishing prevention, and recognizing potential threats, reducing the risk of human error.
Conclusion
Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) pose a significant challenge in the world of cybersecurity. These sophisticated and stealthy cyberattacks, often orchestrated by highly skilled and well-funded adversaries, aim to covertly gather information over extended periods. The multi-stage nature of APT attacks from infiltration and escalation to data exfiltration allows attackers to remain undetected while inflicting substantial damage to an organization’s intellectual property, financial data, and operational integrity.
Advanced persistent threats employ various advanced techniques, including spear phishing, supply chain attacks, credential theft, watering hole attacks, and zero-day exploits. Each method exploits the trust and normal operations within a network to gain unauthorized access and steal valuable information. The impact of these attacks can be profound, leading to data breaches, digital piracy, operational disruptions, and long-term damage to the affected organizations.
Given the persistent and evolving nature of APTs, robust defense mechanisms are crucial. CrowdStrike offers a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity solutions that provide a formidable defense against these threats. With real-time endpoint detection and response (EDR), continuous threat intelligence, proactive hunting, and a scalable cloud-native platform, CrowdStrike helps organizations detect, respond to, and mitigate APTs effectively. In a digital landscape where the threat of APTs looms large, proactive, and adaptive cybersecurity measures are essential. By leveraging advanced tools and services like those provided by CrowdStrike, organizations can strengthen their defenses, protect their valuable assets, and ensure operational resilience against the persistent threat of sophisticated cyber adversaries.