clydeiii/cybersecurity · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 4 429
Night Dragon
Specific Protection Measures for Consideration
For entities wishing to pursue a more vigorous course of action or if entities discover
evidence of Night Dragon activity or compromises using the previous steps, the following
actions may be useful in helping to determine compromises at the host level.
1. Review any systems/networks with trust relationships and analyze the active
communications paths from those assets.
2. Run host-based automatic detection tools capable of discovering related Malware
on all hosts. Examples of free tools include Stinger and the Night Dragon
Vulnerability Scanner, available at http://www.mcafee.com/us/downloads/freetools/index.aspx
3. Search systems for the following command and control programs and eliminate as
applicable:
Filename
MD5 Checksum
Shell.exe
093640a69c8eafbc60343bf9cd1d3ad3
zwShell.exe
18801e3e7083bc2928a275e212a5590e
zwShell.exe
85df6b3e2c1a4c6ce20fc8080e0b53e9
4. A Trojan dropper, which is a delivery mechanism for malware, is commonly used in
Night Dragon attacks. It is usually executed through a PSEXEC or an RDP session
and may leave valuable forensic information in system event logs. When executed,
the dropper creates a temporary file that is reflected in Windows update logs
KB*.log
files in
C:\Windows
). This temporary file may have limited usefulness,
as it may disappear if a backdoor is successfully opened. Its lack of existence
doesn
t guarantee a system is free of infection.
5. A Trojan backdoor may exist as a DLL usually located in the %System%\System32
or %System%\SysWow64 directory. This DLL is a system or hidden file, 19 KB to
23 KB in size, and includes an XOR-encoded data section that is defined by the
C&C application when the dropper is created. It includes the network service
identifier, registry service key, service description, mutex name, C&C server
address, port, and dropper temporary file name. The backdoor may operate from
any configured TCP port.
6. Two potential Trojan backdoors:
Filename
MD5 Checksum
startup.dll
A6CBA73405C77FEDEAF4722AD7D35D60
connect.dll
6E31CCA77255F9CDE228A2DB9E2A3855
7. And finally, if compromises are suspected or discovered, work closely with your
operating system and application vendors to ensure safe and complete eradication.
Night Dragon
Specific Protection Measures for Consideration
Advanced Persistent Threats:
A Decade in Review
Command Five Pty Ltd
June 2011
ABSTRACT
This document defines the term Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) in
the context of cyber threats and cyber attack. It presents a timeline and
summary of prominent cyber attacks likely attributable to APTs over
the past decade. Commonalities are identified and assessed in the
context of the current cyber threat environment. Trends are used to
predict future APT targeting. APT attack methodology is discussed, and,
in conclusion, a set of security practices and policies are provided that
could help many organisations increase their resilience to APT attack.
DEFINITION
ADVANCED PERSISTENT THREATS
When the term Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) is
used in the context of cyber threats (or cyber attack)
each component of the term is relevant.
Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are a well
resourced, highly capable and relentless class of
hacker increasingly referred to in the media, by IT
security companies, victims, and law enforcement.
Most hackers target indiscriminately and instead of
persisting with a particular target draw their focus
to more vulnerable targets. APTs on the other hand
are not only well resourced and capable but
persistent in their covert attempts to access
sensitive information, such as intellectual property,
negotiation strategies or political dynamite, from
their chosen targets.
Advanced
The hacker has the ability to evade detection and the
capability to gain and maintain access to well
protected networks and sensitive information
contained within them. The hacker is generally
adaptive and well resourced.
Persistent
The persistent nature of the threat makes it difficult
to prevent access to your computer network and,
once the threat actor has successfully gained access
to your network, very difficult to remove.
Threat
The hacker has not only the intent but also the
capability to gain access to sensitive information
stored electronically.
The sophistication of APT intrusion attempts
varies and likely depends on the attacker
objectives, the tools and techniques available to
them, and the anticipated ability of their target both
to detect and defend against an attack. The activity
conducted by APTs is not necessarily sophisticated

Night Dragon

Specific Protection Measures for Consideration

For entities wishing to pursue a more vigorous course of action or if entities discover

evidence of Night Dragon activity or compromises using the previous steps, the following

actions may be useful in helping to determine compromises at the host level.

1. Review any systems/networks with trust relationships and analyze the active

communications paths from those assets.

2. Run host-based automatic detection tools capable of discovering related Malware

on all hosts. Examples of free tools include Stinger and the Night Dragon

Vulnerability Scanner, available at http://www.mcafee.com/us/downloads/freetools/index.aspx

3. Search systems for the following command and control programs and eliminate as

applicable:

Filename

MD5 Checksum

Shell.exe

093640a69c8eafbc60343bf9cd1d3ad3

zwShell.exe

18801e3e7083bc2928a275e212a5590e

zwShell.exe

85df6b3e2c1a4c6ce20fc8080e0b53e9

4. A Trojan dropper, which is a delivery mechanism for malware, is commonly used in

Night Dragon attacks. It is usually executed through a PSEXEC or an RDP session

and may leave valuable forensic information in system event logs. When executed,

the dropper creates a temporary file that is reflected in Windows update logs

KB*.log

files in

C:\Windows

). This temporary file may have limited usefulness,

as it may disappear if a backdoor is successfully opened. Its lack of existence

doesn

t guarantee a system is free of infection.

5. A Trojan backdoor may exist as a DLL usually located in the %System%\System32

or %System%\SysWow64 directory. This DLL is a system or hidden file, 19 KB to

23 KB in size, and includes an XOR-encoded data section that is defined by the

C&C application when the dropper is created. It includes the network service

identifier, registry service key, service description, mutex name, C&C server

address, port, and dropper temporary file name. The backdoor may operate from

any configured TCP port.

6. Two potential Trojan backdoors:

Filename

MD5 Checksum

startup.dll

A6CBA73405C77FEDEAF4722AD7D35D60

connect.dll

6E31CCA77255F9CDE228A2DB9E2A3855

7. And finally, if compromises are suspected or discovered, work closely with your

operating system and application vendors to ensure safe and complete eradication.

Night Dragon

Specific Protection Measures for Consideration

Advanced Persistent Threats:

A Decade in Review

Command Five Pty Ltd

June 2011

ABSTRACT

This document defines the term Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) in

the context of cyber threats and cyber attack. It presents a timeline and

summary of prominent cyber attacks likely attributable to APTs over

the past decade. Commonalities are identified and assessed in the

context of the current cyber threat environment. Trends are used to

predict future APT targeting. APT attack methodology is discussed, and,

in conclusion, a set of security practices and policies are provided that

could help many organisations increase their resilience to APT attack.

DEFINITION

ADVANCED PERSISTENT THREATS

When the term Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) is

used in the context of cyber threats (or cyber attack)

each component of the term is relevant.

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are a well

resourced, highly capable and relentless class of

hacker increasingly referred to in the media, by IT

security companies, victims, and law enforcement.

Most hackers target indiscriminately and instead of

persisting with a particular target draw their focus

to more vulnerable targets. APTs on the other hand

are not only well resourced and capable but

persistent in their covert attempts to access

sensitive information, such as intellectual property,

negotiation strategies or political dynamite, from

their chosen targets.

Advanced

The hacker has the ability to evade detection and the

capability to gain and maintain access to well

protected networks and sensitive information

contained within them. The hacker is generally

adaptive and well resourced.

Persistent

The persistent nature of the threat makes it difficult

to prevent access to your computer network and,

once the threat actor has successfully gained access

to your network, very difficult to remove.

Threat

The hacker has not only the intent but also the

capability to gain access to sensitive information

stored electronically.

The sophistication of APT intrusion attempts

varies and likely depends on the attacker

objectives, the tools and techniques available to

them, and the anticipated ability of their target both

to detect and defend against an attack. The activity

conducted by APTs is not necessarily sophisticated