In this lesson,
we will learn about Threat Actor Methods.
Threat actor methods are the specific strategies
and approaches attackers use to compromise systems
to achieve their actions on objectives.
Threat actor methods include abuse cases, antipatterns,
and attack trees or graphs.
Abuse cases are scenarios where legitimate features
of a system are misused
or exploited by attackers to cause harm.
Next, antipatterns are common practices
or solutions that, while initially appearing effective,
actually create vulnerabilities or security risks.
Finally, attack trees
or graphs are visual vulnerability representations
that map out the various paths an attacker might take
to achieve a specific goal.
Let's learn more about abuse cases, antipatterns,
and attack trees or graphs.
First, we have abuse cases.
Abuse cases are scenarios
where attackers manipulate legitimate features
within a system to cause harm
or gain unauthorized access.
By exploiting intended functionalities,
threat actors can use these features
to bypass security controls or disrupt services.
One example of an abuse case is the misuse of rating
and review systems.
Attackers or competitors might flood a platform
with fake positive
or negative reviews to manipulate a product's rating,
influencing customer perception unfairly.
This type of manipulation can damage reputations,
mislead customers,
or create artificial popularity,
impacting a platform's credibility and user trust.
Similar abuse cases may also arise when bots are used
to upvote or downvote products or services,
skewing rankings on the platform.
Mitigating abuse cases like these
requires review verification,
such as identifying verified purchases
or adding CAPTCHAs to minimize bot activity.
Additionally, monitoring for patterns,
like rapid review submissions
or excessive reviews from the same IP address,
can help identify suspicious behavior.
Finally, implementing usage limits
and conducting audits can reveal abuse
and strengthen security around vulnerable features.
Second, we have antipatterns.
Antipatterns are poor practices
or design choices
that inadvertently create security risks,
even if they seem functional or efficient on the surface.
Unlike coding flaws,
antipatterns usually result from inadequate planning
or misconceptions about obscurity effectiveness
in a security context.
For example, encoding a password in Base64 might seem
like a quick way to hide the password,
but Base64 merely changes the format
without securing the data, and it is easily reversible.
For instance, encoding a password
like SuperSecretPassword123!
in Base64 produces the string
that is shown on the screen,
which looks impossible to decode,
but can quickly be decoded by online tools,
such as CyberChef,
leading to potentially compromised accounts.
Another common antipattern
is hardcoding sensitive information,
like passwords,
or application programming interface keys
within source code.
While this may simplify development and integration,
it exposes critical data to anyone
who accesses the code repository.
So if the repository is cloned, shared, or breached,
hardcoded credentials are then easily accessible,
putting systems at significant risk.
Hardcoding sensitive information introduces vulnerabilities
that attackers can exploit to gain unauthorized access
or compromise system integrity.
So mitigating antipatterns
involves securely storing sensitive data
using environment variables,
instead of hardcoding values directly into code.
Environment variables are stored outside the code base,
reducing the risk of exposure
if the code is shared or breached.
Additionally, secure development frameworks,
like Django for Python
or Spring Security for Java,
provide built-in protections against common vulnerabilities
and guide developers to follow safe coding practices.
Finally, regular code reviews, encryption,
and hashing techniques
further reduce anti-pattern vulnerabilities,
reinforcing security throughout an application.
Third and last, we have attack trees or graphs.
Attack trees or graphs are visual representations
or diagrams
that outline the different pathways an attacker might take
to achieve a specific goal,
visually detailing the structure
and steps involved in each potential attack.
These diagrams break down a main objective,
such as unauthorized access,
into smaller, actionable components,
such as entry points, privilege escalation,
and lateral movement.
Attack trees are valuable
for identifying the different layers
and steps in an attack,
allowing security teams
to anticipate and defend each path.
A practical example
of using an attack tree would be mapping out a scenario
where an attacker attempts
to compromise sensitive data within a company's network.
The attack tree might start with entry points like phishing,
weak passwords, weak access controls,
or exploiting unpatched software vulnerabilities.
From each entry point,
the tree would branch into further steps,
such as escalating privileges to access-restricted areas,
or moving laterally within the network to reach databases.
In this scenario,
each node of the tree
would represent a potential attack phase,
allowing security teams to visualize where defenses need
to be the strongest,
and implementing them.
To mitigate risks identified through attack trees,
organizations can focus security resources
on specific attack steps.
This includes conducting regular vulnerability assessments,
maintaining up-to-date patching,
and enforcing least-privilege access policies.
By using attack trees
to plan layered defenses against attack pathways,
organizations can proactively address vulnerabilities
and strengthen protection
across all potential network attack routes.
So remember,
threat actor methods encompass the strategies attackers use
to exploit systems,
aiming to achieve specific objectives.
These methods include abuse cases, antipatterns,
and attack trees or graphs.
Abuse cases occur
when attackers misuse legitimate system features,
bypassing controls or disrupting services.
Next, antipatterns are poor practices
or design choices that appear useful,
but introduce security risks,
such as inadequate data protection techniques.
Finally, attack trees or graphs are visual tools
that map out potential attack paths,
helping security teams anticipate
and defend against possible threats.
Understanding these threat actor methods
enables organizations to identify vulnerabilities
and strengthen their defenses proactively.