Key Insights From CISA’s SILENTSHIELD Red-Teaming Exercise
CISA's red team mimicked advanced threat actors by exploiting a known vulnerability in an unpatched web server in the Solaris enclave.
Ashish Khaitan July 13, 2024
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The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) conducted a pivotal red-teaming exercise, known as SILENTSHIELD, to evaluate the cybersecurity preparedness of a federal civilian executive branch (FCEB) organization. This exercise simulated sophisticated cyberattacks akin to those orchestrated by nation-state adversaries, aiming to identify vulnerabilities and evaluate defensive capabilities within the organization.
CISA’s red team employed tactics mirroring those of advanced threat actors, commencing with the exploitation of a known vulnerability in an unpatched web server within the organization’s Solaris enclave. This initial breach facilitated unauthorized access, privilege escalation, and lateral movement across the network.
They demonstrated how compromised credentials and weak passwords could be leveraged to penetrate deep into sensitive network areas, highlighting deficiencies in access control and credential management.
Insights into CISA’s Red Team SILENTSHIELD
According to CISA, utilizing SSH tunnels and remote access tools, the red team (SILENTSHIELD) navigated through the organization’s infrastructure, accessing high-value assets and establishing persistence through cron jobs and similar mechanisms. This demonstrated the organization’s vulnerabilities in detecting and mitigating unauthorized lateral movement and persistence tactics employed by cyber adversaries.
The red team also exploited phishing vectors to breach the Windows domain, exposing flaws in domain administration and password security. This compromise allowed them to access sensitive data and compromise domain controllers, highlighting risks associated with trust relationships and the importance of robust domain management practices.
The exercise highlighted systemic cybersecurity challenges faced by the organization. Delayed patching of known vulnerabilities exposed critical systems, emphasizing the need for proactive patch management protocols. Inadequate password policies and weak authentication mechanisms facilitated unauthorized access and privilege escalation. Additionally, insufficient logging and monitoring capabilities allowed the red team to operate undetected, compromising the organization’s entire network infrastructure.
Mitigation Against Cyber Threats with Red Team SILENTSHIELD
In response to these reports, CISA proposed targeted improvements to strengthen the organization’s cybersecurity posture. They recommended implementing multiple layers of security controls to mitigate risks and detect intrusions at various stages. Strengthening network segmentation to restrict lateral movement across networks and enhance access controls was identified as crucial.
Emphasizing behavior-based indicators over traditional methods to enhance threat detection capabilities was also recommended, alongside enforcing strong password policies, eliminating default passwords, and implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) to fortify credential security.
Throughout the exercise, CISA collaborated closely with the organization’s technical teams and leadership. Real-time feedback and actionable insights were provided to address vulnerabilities promptly, fostering a proactive cybersecurity culture within the organization. This collaborative approach aimed to bridge the gap between offensive and defensive cybersecurity operations, ensuring comprehensive protection against sophisticated cyber threats.
CISA’s SILENTSHIELD red-teaming exercise underscored the critical importance of robust cybersecurity practices in safeguarding sensitive government networks. By addressing vulnerabilities in patch management, credential hygiene, and detection capabilities, organizations can bolster their resilience against online threats.
