Enhancing Cyber Resilience: Insights from CISA Red Team Assessment of a US Critical Infrastructure Sector Organization

Summary:

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) conducted a red team assessment to evaluate the cybersecurity capabilities of a critical infrastructure organization. The assessment revealed significant vulnerabilities, including insufficient technical controls and inadequate staff training. Recommendations for improvement were provided to enhance the organization’s cybersecurity posture and mitigate risks.

#CISA #RedTeamAssessment #CyberDefense


Keypoints:

  • CISA conducted a red team assessment to simulate real-world cyber threats.
  • The red team gained initial access through a web shell left by a previous assessment.
  • Insufficient technical controls allowed the red team to compromise the organization’s domain and sensitive business systems.
  • Lessons learned emphasized the need for continuous staff training and better risk management by leadership.
  • Recommendations included implementing network layer protections and secure software configurations.

  • MITRE Techniques:

  • Initial Access (TA0001): Gained access via a web shell left from a previous security assessment.
  • Reconnaissance (T1590): Conducted open-source research on the organization’s network.
  • Execution (T1204): Used user execution to run malicious payloads.
  • Credential Access (T1552.001): Discovered credential material on a misconfigured Network File System (NFS) share.
  • Persistence (TA0003): Established persistence through various techniques on compromised systems.
  • Lateral Movement (T1021.004): Moved laterally using valid accounts and SSH private keys.
  • Command and Control (T1071): Established command and control over HTTPS connections.
  • Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol (T1048): Exfiltrated data using alternative protocols.

  • IoC:

  • [domain] example.com
  • [url] http://example.com/path/to/webshell
  • [ip address] 192[.]0[.]2[.]1
  • [file name] malicious_payload.exe
  • [file hash] 123456abcdef7890
  • [tool name] Sliver


  • Full Research: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa24-326a