Paratus Secures UAE Financial Institution from Insider Threats
Large Financial Institution - UAE
01/ Case Study Details
Background
A multinational corporation, operating in the technology sector, sought Paratus Cybersecurity’s expertise to evaluate their defenses against sophisticated data exfiltration attempts. With valuable intellectual property and sensitive client information at risk, the corporation needed to ensure that their security measures were robust and effective.
Engagement Approach
Our Red Team designed a multi-stage attack simulation to mimic the tactics of advanced persistent threats (APTs). The goal was to test the corporation’s ability to detect and respond to a complex, coordinated cyber attack.
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Phase 1: Initial Access via Phishing We launched a targeted phishing campaign aimed at key employees with access to critical systems. The emails were crafted to appear as legitimate internal communications, tricking recipients into clicking on malicious links. -
Phase 2: Network Infiltration and Lateral Movement After gaining initial access, we deployed custom malware to establish a foothold within the network. Our team then moved laterally across the network, exploiting vulnerabilities in outdated software and misconfigured systems to escalate privileges and access sensitive data. -
Phase 3: Data Exfiltration Simulation In the final phase, we simulated the exfiltration of sensitive data. This involved encrypting and compressing large volumes of data, then transferring it to external servers using covert channels to evade detection by the corporation’s security systems.
Findings
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Phishing Vulnerabilities: A significant number of employees fell victim to the phishing campaign, indicating a need for improved email security and employee training. -
Network Segmentation Weaknesses: Our lateral movement revealed weaknesses in network segmentation, allowing us to move freely between different segments without triggering alarms. -
Insufficient Monitoring: The corporation’s security monitoring tools failed to detect the data exfiltration attempts in real-time, highlighting gaps in their incident response capabilities.
Recommendations
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Enhanced Email Security: Implement advanced email filtering solutions and conduct regular phishing awareness training for employees.
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Improved Network Segmentation: Reconfigure network segmentation to limit the spread of potential breaches and contain threats more effectively.
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Advanced Monitoring Solutions: Deploy advanced threat detection and monitoring tools to provide real-time alerts for suspicious activities and potential data exfiltration attempts.
Results
The corporation implemented our recommendations, resulting in enhanced security controls and better detection capabilities. They reported a significant reduction in successful phishing attempts and improved their ability to detect and respond to data exfiltration efforts. This led to a more secure environment for their intellectual property and client data.
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