Exploit
In cybersecurity, an exploit is a piece of code, a sequence of commands, or a technique that attackers use to exploit a system or software vulnerability.
Here's a breakdown:
Vulnerability: A weakness or flaw in software, hardware, or a system's configuration. Vulnerabilities can include bugs, design errors, or misconfigurations.
Exploit Code is the specific code that an attacker writes or uses to leverage a vulnerability. It is crafted to cause the system or software to behave in a way it was not intended to, granting the attacker some level of control or access.
The Attack: When an attacker "exploits" a vulnerability, they use the exploit code to carry out their malicious intent. This could involve:
Gaining unauthorized access to a system
Executing malicious code
Stealing data
Disrupting system operations
Installing malware
Exploits are critical in cyberattacks because they allow attackers to move from finding a weakness to causing harm.
ThreatNG offers a robust platform to protect organizations from exploits by providing a comprehensive external view of their digital landscape. Here's how its key capabilities contribute:
ThreatNG's external discovery is the foundation of its protection. By performing purely external, unauthenticated discovery without using connectors, ThreatNG simulates an attacker's viewpoint. This is crucial because it reveals vulnerabilities that internal scans might miss. For example, ThreatNG can discover shadow IT assets or forgotten subdomains that attackers could exploit to gain initial access.
ThreatNG's external assessment capabilities provide various security ratings that pinpoint specific exploit risks:
Web Application Hijack Susceptibility: ThreatNG analyzes web applications to find potential entry points for attackers. For example, it can identify vulnerabilities in exploitable web application components. This helps an organization proactively harden its web applications and prevent attackers from hijacking them.
Subdomain Takeover Susceptibility: ThreatNG assesses the risk of subdomain takeovers by analyzing DNS records and other factors. For instance, it can detect subdomains with outdated or misconfigured DNS settings that attackers could claim and use for phishing or malware distribution. This prevents attackers from exploiting subdomains to damage the organization's reputation or launch attacks.
BEC & Phishing Susceptibility: ThreatNG helps organizations understand their susceptibility to Business Email Compromise (BEC) and phishing attacks by analyzing various factors. For example, it can analyze email security presence (DMARC, SPF, DKIM) and predict email formats, which can help attackers craft convincing phishing emails. It also leverages dark web presence to identify compromised credentials, a standard tool in phishing attacks. By understanding these vulnerabilities, organizations can implement stronger email security measures and train employees to recognize phishing attempts, thus reducing the risk of these attacks.
Brand Damage Susceptibility: It assesses the risk of damage through various attack surface intelligence. For example, it analyzes domain name permutations to find domains similar to the organization's that could be used for phishing or typosquatting. This helps organizations proactively register or monitor such domains.
Data Leak Susceptibility: ThreatNG identifies potential data leak weaknesses by analyzing cloud and SaaS exposure, dark web presence, and domain intelligence. For example, it can detect exposed cloud storage buckets, compromised credentials on the dark web, or domain vulnerabilities that could lead to data breaches. This enables organizations to secure their data and prevent costly leaks.
Cyber Risk Exposure: ThreatNG assesses cyber risk exposure by examining various domain intelligence parameters. For example, it analyzes certificates, subdomain headers, and exposed ports to identify potential vulnerabilities attackers could exploit. This gives organizations a comprehensive view of their attack surface.
Code Secret Exposure: ThreatNG discovers code repositories and their exposure level and investigates the contents for sensitive data. For example, it can find exposed API keys or credentials in code repositories, which attackers could use to gain unauthorized access. This helps organizations to secure their code and prevent attackers from exploiting exposed secrets.
Cloud and SaaS Exposure: It evaluates cloud services and SaaS solutions. For example, it can detect misconfigurations in cloud storage or insecure SaaS applications that could lead to data breaches, helping organizations secure their cloud environment.
Supply Chain & Third Party Exposure: It assesses the security of vendors and partners. For example, it can identify vulnerabilities in vendor technologies or exposed cloud services that could be exploited to attack the organization. This helps organizations to manage supply chain risks.
Breach & Ransomware Susceptibility: It assesses the likelihood of ransomware attacks by analyzing various factors. For example, it can detect exposed sensitive ports or compromised credentials that could be used to gain access and deploy ransomware. This helps organizations to protect themselves from ransomware.
Mobile App Exposure: It evaluates the security of mobile apps by discovering them in marketplaces and analyzing their content. For example, it can find hardcoded credentials or API keys within mobile apps, which attackers could exploit. This helps organizations to secure their mobile apps.
Positive Security Indicators: It also identifies and highlights an organization's security strengths. For example, it can detect the presence of a Web Application Firewall, which can help to reduce web application hijack susceptibility.
3. Reporting
ThreatNG provides various reports, including executive, technical, and prioritized reports. These reports help organizations understand their security posture and prioritize remediation efforts. For example, a prioritized report can highlight the most critical vulnerabilities that must be addressed immediately to prevent an exploit.
ThreatNG's continuous monitoring capability provides insights into an organization's external attack surface, digital risk, and security ratings. This is essential because the threat landscape is constantly evolving. For example, ThreatNG can detect new vulnerabilities or changes in an organization's attack surface that could increase its exploitation risk.
ThreatNG's investigation modules provide in-depth information to help security teams understand and address potential exploits:
Domain Intelligence: This module includes detailed information about an organization's domains, including DNS records, subdomains, and WHOIS information. For example, it can help security teams identify suspicious subdomains that could be used for phishing attacks or detect vulnerabilities in domain configurations that could be exploited.
IP Intelligence: This module provides information about IP addresses, including their location and associated organizations. It can help security teams identify malicious IP addresses attempting to exploit their systems' vulnerabilities.
Certificate Intelligence: This module provides information about TLS certificates, including their status and issuers. It can help security teams identify expired or invalid certificates that could be exploited for man-in-the-middle attacks.
Social Media: This module provides information about an organization's social media presence. While not directly related to exploits in the traditional sense, it can help identify social engineering attacks that often precede exploits.
Sensitive Code Exposure: This module discovers public code repositories and uncovers sensitive information, such as credentials or API keys. This is crucial because exposed secrets can be directly used to exploit systems.
Mobile Application Discovery: This module discovers mobile apps and analyzes their content for vulnerabilities. For example, it can find hardcoded credentials or API keys within mobile apps, which attackers could exploit.
Search Engine Exploitation: This module helps users investigate an organization’s susceptibility to exposing information via search engines. For example, it can discover sensitive files indexed by search engines, which attackers might find and exploit.
Cloud and SaaS Exposure: This module provides detailed visibility into an organization's cloud and SaaS usage, including sanctioned and unsanctioned services. This helps identify misconfigurations or unauthorized access points that can be exploited.
Online Sharing Exposure: This module identifies organizational entities within online code-sharing platforms like Pastebin or GitHub Gist. This is important because sensitive data or code snippets shared on these platforms can be exploited.
Sentiment and Financials: This module provides insights into organization-related lawsuits, SEC filings, and ESG violations. While seemingly indirect, this information can provide context for understanding potential attacker motivations or the impact of a successful exploit.
Archived Web Pages: This module discovers various files archived on the organization’s online presence. This can reveal older versions of web applications with known vulnerabilities that an attacker might try to exploit.
Dark Web Presence: This module monitors the dark web for mentions of the organization, compromised credentials, and ransomware activity. This proactive monitoring can help identify potential exploits or attacks early on.
Technology Stack: This module identifies the technologies used by the organization. This information is valuable because attackers often target known vulnerabilities in specific technologies.
6. Synergies with Complementary Solutions
ThreatNG's external focus and detailed findings can significantly enhance the effectiveness of other security solutions:
Vulnerability Management Solutions: ThreatNG can complement vulnerability management solutions by providing an external attacker's view of exploitable vulnerabilities. While vulnerability scanners focus on internal systems, ThreatNG identifies weaknesses in the external attack surface, ensuring a more comprehensive vulnerability management program.
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Systems: ThreatNG's findings can feed into SIEM systems to provide valuable context for security events. For example, if ThreatNG detects a compromised credential, the SIEM can correlate this information with login attempts to identify potential account takeovers.
Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS): ThreatNG can help tune IDS/IPS by identifying the most likely attack vectors. For instance, if ThreatNG highlights a subdomain takeover vulnerability, the IDS/IPS can be configured to monitor traffic to that subdomain more closely.
Web Application Firewalls (WAFs): ThreatNG's web application hijack susceptibility assessments can inform WAF rules. ThreatNG helps create more effective WAF rules to block exploit attempts by identifying specific web application vulnerabilities.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Systems: While EDR focuses on endpoint activity, ThreatNG provides the external context. For example, if EDR detects suspicious activity on an endpoint, ThreatNG data can reveal if this activity aligns with known external vulnerabilities being exploited.
ThreatNG's external discovery and assessment capabilities provide crucial insights into an organization's exploit susceptibility. Its reporting, continuous monitoring, and investigation modules empower security teams to proactively identify, understand, and mitigate these risks. Furthermore, ThreatNG's synergies with complementary security solutions create a more robust and comprehensive defense against cyberattacks.
