Full Report
A recap of hack_it 2020, a virtual security training event packed with interactive exercises, malware research and analysis, and more.
Analysis Summary
# Best Practices: Incident Response & Tradecraft Defense
## Overview
These practices address the critical need for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and internal IT teams to transition from reactive troubleshooting to structured incident response. They focus on defending against advanced adversary tools—specifically the Cobalt Strike framework—and managing the human and technical elements of a breach.
## Key Recommendations
### Immediate Actions
1. **Establish a Formal Response Team:** Before a technical crisis occurs, designate specific roles (Incident Commander, Communications Lead, Forensics Lead) to ensure the response is a company-wide effort, not just an IT task.
2. **Draft a Communication Tree:** Define how and when you will notify clients and stakeholders in the event of a lateral movement infection or ransomware deployment.
3. **Audit Egress Traffic:** Review network logs for unusual HTTP, HTTPS, or DNS traffic that may indicate Cobalt Strike "Malleable C2" profiles mimicking legitimate application traffic.
### Short-term Improvements (1-3 months)
1. **Conduct Tabletop Exercises:** Run "Choose Your Own Adventure" style scenarios where the team must respond to a phishing-initiated lateral movement attack.
2. **Harden Endpoint Management Software:** Given that attackers target these tools to deploy ransomware to clients, implement strict MFA and access controls on all RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management) platforms.
3. **Implement Post-Incident Retrospectives:** Formalize a process to document "Lessons Learned" and technical gaps after every minor or major security event.
### Long-term Strategy (3+ months)
1. **Build a Human-Centric Security Culture:** Incorporate regular wellness check-ins for technical teams during and after incidents to prevent burnout and ensure clear decision-making.
2. **Advanced Threat Hunting:** Move beyond signature-based detection to look for "covert communication" indicators—specifically looking for cracked versions of penetration testing tools like Cobalt Strike within the environment.
3. **Continuous Education:** Participate in interactive malware research and offensive/defensive training (e.g., hack_it events) to keep pace with evolving hacker tradecraft.
## Implementation Guidance
### For Small Organizations
- **Focus on the Basics:** Prioritize the creation of a simple, one-page Incident Response Plan.
- **Outsource Monitoring:** Use managed detection and response services to watch for complex tools like Cobalt Strike that require 24/7 observation.
### For Medium Organizations (MSPs)
- **Client Isolation:** Develop protocols to prevent an infection in one client's environment (or your own RMM) from spreading to others.
- **Regular Drills:** Conduct quarterly tabletop exercises involving both technical staff and account managers.
### For Large Enterprises
- **Red Teaming:** Employ internal or external red teams to use Cobalt Strike profiles against your own defenses to test the sensitivity of your detection alerts.
- **Comprehensive Logging:** Ensure DNS and egress traffic logs are centralized and analyzed for beaconing patterns.
## Configuration Examples
*While specific code was not provided in the recap, the following configuration focus was highlighted:*
- **Malleable C2 Defense:** Configure firewalls and NDR (Network Detection and Response) tools to flag DNS queries that do not resolve to known business services, as Cobalt Strike often uses DNS for egress.
- **RMM Security:** Enable IP whitelisting for all administrative access to management portals to prevent unauthorized lateral movement from external actors.
## Compliance Alignment
- **NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF):** Aligns with the "Respond" (RS) and "Recover" (RC) functions through tabletop exercises and retrospectives.
- **CIS Controls:** Specifically Control 17 (Incident Response Management).
- **ISO/IEC 27001:** Clause A.16 (Information Security Incident Management).
## Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- **The "Technical Only" Trap:** Treating a breach as a purely technical issue while ignoring client communication and legal obligations.
- **Skipping the Retrospective:** Rushing back to "business as usual" without documenting what allowed the attacker to move laterally.
- **Assuming "Legitimate" Tools are Safe:** Overlooking Cobalt Strike activity because it is a "pen-testing tool"; remember that adversaries use cracked versions for malicious purposes.
## Resources
- **Huntress Blog (Tradecraft Tuesday):** [huntress[.]com/blog]
- **Cobalt Strike Research:** [cobaltstrike[.]com]
- **hack_it Event On-Demand:** [hackitmsp[.]com]
- **Incident Response Plan Templates:** [cisa[.]gov]