CISO Guidance

1. Is this information credible?

• Yes, the information is credible, sourced from security researchers at eSentire, a known entity in cybersecurity research.

2. How could this be relevant to my org’s assets, vendors, or processes?

• If your organization uses Discord for communication, it could be a potential vector for covert C2 operations.
• Organizations using Windows systems and Active Directory are particularly at risk due to the deployment methods.

3. What’s the actual technical risk?

• High risk due to advanced evasion techniques, use of trusted platforms like Discord and AWS, and the ability to bypass traditional detection methods.
• Potential for data exfiltration and system compromise through covert channels.

4. What do we need to do to defend/detect/respond?

• Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all systems.
• Restrict and monitor WMI and Discord API traffic.
• Enhance endpoint detection capabilities to identify in-memory tampering and sandbox evasion techniques.
• Conduct regular security awareness training focusing on phishing attack vectors.

5. What’s the potential business/regulatory exposure?

• Potential exposure of sensitive data leading to regulatory fines under data protection laws like GDPR or CCPA.
• Reputational damage and loss of customer trust if a breach occurs.

6. Does it reveal a bigger trend?

• Yes, it highlights a trend of malware using trusted cloud services and communication platforms for stealthy operations.
• Growing use of Rust programming language for creating resilient and hard-to-detect malware.

7. What actions or communications are needed now?

• Communicate with IT and security teams to ensure awareness and readiness to handle potential threats.
• Notify relevant stakeholders about the risks associated with Discord and similar platforms.
• Review and update incident response plans to include scenarios involving covert C2 channels.