What is Lateral Movement?

Lateral movement is a set of techniques utilized by cybercriminals to navigate within a compromised network, seeking out weaknesses, escalating access privileges, and ultimately reaching their intended target. This term stems from the manner in which hackers traverse sideways across devices and applications within the network. Nonetheless, the primary objective is to advance either upwards in terms of access rights or deeper into sensitive data.

Although cyber threats are not novel, one emerging concern for network security experts is the post-infection pursuit of lateral movement. According to a recent study, lateral movement was observed in 25% of all cyber assaults.

So what is lateral movement and what is its purpose? More importantly, how can organizations detect and prevent it?

Lateral Movement Techniques

Examples of lateral movement paths (LMPs) pursued by criminals within an infected system include:

• Internal spear phishing: This occurs when an individual breaches a company’s email network by compromising a user’s account and then targets specific individuals or groups within the organization.
• Pass the hash (PtH) attacks: These involve obtaining the hash of a password, generated by an encryption system, and using it to authenticate and gain access.
• Pass the ticket (PtT) attacks: Attackers gain internal access and pilfer Kerberos tickets to access other computers or files.
• Remote services exploitation: Attackers leverage access to remote services like Zoom video conferences to infiltrate sensitive resources within a company.
• Secure Shell (SSH) hijacking: Hackers exploit a legitimate user’s SSH session to move laterally and infect other users or systems on macOS and Linux platforms.
• Windows admin shares: Exploiting Windows admin shares allows hackers to access user computers connected to a network, facilitating the spread of infections to other systems.

These examples illustrate how attackers exploit vulnerabilities systematically to extract data and/or steal credentials for network access.

What Are the Stages of Lateral Movement?

While criminals employ various methods and tools for executing lateral movement, the attack generally unfolds through five key stages, regardless of the approach taken. It initiates with the infiltration of the system by malware.

Infection

Typically, external cyber defenses prove robust; hence, cyber criminals primarily exploit human error to infect target systems. The following are some techniques they commonly employ:

• Drive-by download attacks: Malicious scripts planted on unsecured websites lead to unwitting malware downloads by users.
• Exploit kits: These automated toolkits or exploit packs exploit system vulnerabilities to install malware, often leveraging compromised websites or targeting vulnerable browser-based applications.
• Malicious emails: Attackers send out emails containing malicious links or attachments, enticing recipients to click or open them.
• Phishing emails: Perpetrators send emails appearing legitimate, prompting users to log in or provide personal information, which the attacker then steals.
• Compromised hardware: Malware may reside on flash drives or other external storage devices, installing itself on connected network devices without user awareness.

Compromise

Following device infection, it typically establishes communication with the hacker’s command-and-control server (C2 or C&C server) to signal readiness for receiving commands. Utilizing a remote shell and possibly a graphical user interface (GUI), attackers can issue commands to the infected device without detection. Subsequently, the device is poised for reconnaissance.

Reconnaissance

The reconnaissance phase entails observation and mapping. Since the infected device seldom serves as the ultimate target, the attacker utilizes it to devise a strategy to achieve their end goal. This involves identifying their position within the network—both physically and in terms of permissions and access—and understanding organizational policies, including file-naming standards, access levels, hierarchy, etc.

Credential Theft

For lateral movement initiation, the attacker requires login credentials. While utilizing software tools like keyloggers and Windows Credential Editor is one approach for credential dumping, which involves pilfering login information from software or operating systems, other common methods include social engineering and brute-force attacks.

What Are the Cyberattacks That Use Lateral Movement?

Lateral movement serves two primary objectives: gaining access to specific accounts or data and assuming control over as many devices as possible. The nature of the attack often reflects the perpetrator’s ultimate goal, whether it be for financial gain, data or proprietary information theft, or further criminal endeavors.

Ransomware

Ransomware, a form of malware, encrypts data or segments of the network, denying users access. The attacker demands a ransom from the victim in exchange for access or a decryption key. Typically, ransomware criminals employ coercion tactics, threatening to delete or publicize data if payment isn’t made within a specified timeframe.

Espionage

Cyber espionage poses a pervasive global threat and can remain undetected for extended periods. In this type of attack, the perpetrator engages in reconnaissance without stealing or making explicit demands. By maintaining stealth, the criminal can gather substantial information by eavesdropping on company activities over time.

Data Exfiltration

Data exfiltration involves the use of social engineering, malware, or hacking to pilfer confidential or sensitive information. This may entail the theft of intellectual property, personnel identities, or the transfer of data for ransom purposes.

Botnet Infection

In some cases, infiltrating a network represents merely the initial phase. Cybercriminals with longer-term objectives target systems with inadequate security to amass control over enough machines to form a botnet. A botnet, short for “robotic network,” comprises interconnected computers with sufficient computational power to execute more severe attacks, such as distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.

How To Detect and Prevent Lateral Movement

Lateral movement attacks, transitioning from one network area to another, have the potential to remain undetected for extended durations. Implementing robust detection mechanisms for lateral movement, or ideally, preventing it altogether, is essential for safeguarding your organization.

Detecting Lateral Movement

With attackers now averaging less than half an hour to move laterally after gaining access, it’s crucial for security teams to enhance their detection and response strategies. Here are some suggestions:

1. Map Lateral Movement Paths (LMPs): Identify potential LMPs within your organization’s network by examining infrastructure and hierarchy for vulnerable connections between devices, data, and systems. While removing them may not always be feasible, monitoring and securing them is essential.
2. Utilize Reporting Tools: Employ monitoring and reporting tools to detect suspicious activity. However, be cautious of alert fatigue and consolidate alerts for better prioritization.
3. Analyze User Behavior: Employ machine learning to analyze behavioral patterns and identify anomalies for investigation. While some deviations may be benign, thorough analysis can uncover unauthorized activity.
4. Monitor Unknown Devices: Given the prevalence of “bring your own device” (BYOD) policies, unknown devices registering on the network is common. Monitor these devices for any signs of suspicious activity before concluding they belong to an employee.
5. Investigate Abnormal Administrative Tasks and File Sharing: Attackers often utilize native tools to evade detection, leading to detectable anomalies. Additionally, reconnaissance activities may involve testing access to servers with sensitive data, highlighting discrepancies in file-sharing access as indicators of lateral movement.
6. Monitor Logins, Especially on Devices with Multiple Credentials: Keep an eye on logins, particularly those occurring at unusual times or on devices with multiple logins, as these could signify lateral movement attempts.
7. Identify Port Scans and Abnormal Network Protocols: Intrusion detection systems can help detect port scans conducted by hackers during reconnaissance. Moreover, discrepancies between the protocol used for a connection and the transmitted or received data may indicate the absence of encryption.

Preventing Lateral Movement

A security posture focused on preventing intrusion is superior to one centered solely on detection and response. While complete prevention of attacks and subsequent lateral movement may not always be feasible, there are proactive measures your security team can take to minimize the risk.

1. Regular Software Updates and Patch Management: Ensure all operating systems, software, services, endpoints, and systems remain up-to-date by installing software updates and applying patches regularly.
2. Endpoint Security Solutions Updates: Endpoints are particularly vulnerable to unauthorized access, so it’s crucial to update and maintain endpoint security solutions. Cybercriminals often exploit any vulnerable device for lateral movement, emphasizing the importance of securing all endpoints.
3. Enforcement of Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP): Restrict user access to only the resources necessary for their designated tasks, adhering to the principle of least privilege.
4. Utilization of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Implement MFA to add layers of security to user logins, preventing access even if credentials are compromised by requiring multiple forms of authentication.
5. Implementation of Network Segmentation: Segment or micro-segment the network to isolate sensitive areas and prevent lateral movement. Strategically position segments in relation to the rest of the system to ensure secure and privileged access.
6. Regular Data Backups: Backup critical data regularly to mitigate the risk of ransomware attacks. In the event of a system compromise, having data backups ensures complete restoration.
7. Adoption of Zero-Trust Security Model: Implementing a zero-trust security approach assumes every user and device is a potential threat until proven otherwise. This approach makes lateral movement exceedingly difficult by requiring continuous verification of identity and access privileges.

FAQ’s

What exactly is lateral movement in cybersecurity?

Lateral movement refers to the techniques used by cybercriminals to navigate within a compromised network, seeking vulnerabilities, escalating access privileges, and ultimately reaching their intended target. This movement occurs horizontally across devices and applications within the network.

Why is lateral movement a growing concern for network security experts?

Lateral movement presents a significant threat as it allows attackers to stealthily move within a network, potentially going undetected for extended periods. As per recent studies, it has been observed in a significant portion of cyber assaults, highlighting its increasing relevance in the cybersecurity landscape.

What are some common examples of lateral movement paths (LMPs) utilized by cybercriminals?

Common LMPs include internal spear phishing, pass the hash (PtH) attacks, pass the ticket (PtT) attacks, remote services exploitation, secure shell (SSH) hijacking, and exploiting Windows admin shares. These methods enable attackers to move laterally across the network to reach their objectives.

What are the stages of lateral movement during a cyber attack?

The stages typically involve infection, compromise, reconnaissance, credential theft, and execution of the attack. Attackers infiltrate the system with malware, establish communication with command-and-control servers, conduct reconnaissance to understand the network structure, steal credentials, and finally execute their intended objectives.

How can organizations detect lateral movement within their networks?

Detection strategies include mapping LMPs, utilizing reporting tools for monitoring suspicious activity, analyzing user behavior for anomalies, monitoring unknown devices, investigating abnormal administrative tasks and file sharing, monitoring logins, identifying port scans, and abnormal network protocols.

What proactive measures can organizations take to prevent lateral movement?

Prevention strategies include regularly updating software and applying patches, updating endpoint security solutions, enforcing the principle of least privilege (PoLP), implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), segmenting the network, conducting regular data backups, and adopting a zero-trust security model.

Why is preventing intrusion considered superior to solely relying on detection and response?

Preventing intrusion minimizes the risk of compromise and potential damage to the network and sensitive data. While detection and response are important, proactive prevention measures can significantly reduce the likelihood of successful cyber attacks and lateral movement within the network.

Conclusion

In today’s cybersecurity landscape, addressing lateral movement is critical for safeguarding networks and sensitive data. Cybercriminals continually refine their techniques to evade detection and escalate privileges within compromised networks. By mapping lateral movement paths, enhancing detection mechanisms, and implementing proactive prevention strategies like regular updates and network segmentation, organizations can mitigate the risk. Additionally, fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness among employees strengthens defenses. By adopting a multi-layered approach, combining detection, response, and prevention, organizations can effectively thwart lateral movement and enhance cybersecurity resilience.