What is Cyber Kill Chain?

The Cyber Kill Chain is a framework developed by Lockheed Martin to understand and prevent cyber attacks. It breaks down a typical cyber attack into several phases, allowing security teams to identify and stop attacks at various stages.

The seven phases of the Cyber Kill Chain are:

1. Reconnaissance: The attacker gathers information about the target.

2. Weaponization: Malware or tools are developed based on the gathered information.

3. Delivery: Malware is delivered to the target, for example, via phishing emails.

4. Exploitation: The attacker exploits vulnerabilities to gain access to the system.

5. Installation: Malware is installed on the target’s system.

6. Command and control: The attacker establishes a communication channel to remotely control the infected system.

7. Actions on objectives: The attacker performs their objectives, which may include data theft or damage to the system.

How can you resist an attack in the seven different phases of a Cyber Kill Chain?

To resist a cyber-attack at the seven different stages of the Cyber Kill Chain, you can take the following measures:

1. Reconnaissance:

• Use security tools to monitor and detect unusual activity.

• Conduct regular vulnerability scans to identify and fix weaknesses.

2. Weaponization:

• Keep software and systems updated with the latest security patches.

• Use antivirus and antimalware programs to detect and block malicious software.

3. Delivery:

• Implement email filters and security solutions to block phishing emails and malicious attachments.

• Train employees to recognize and report suspicious emails and links.

4. Exploitation:

• Use firewalls and intrusion detection systems (IDS) to protect against unauthorized access.

• Conduct regular penetration tests to identify and fix vulnerabilities.

5. Installation:

• Limit administrative rights to only those who need them.

• Use application whitelisting to prevent the installation of unauthorized software.

6. Command and control:

• Monitor network traffic to detect and block suspicious connections.

• Use network segmentation to limit the spread of malware.

7. Actions on objectives:

• Implement data encryption to protect sensitive information.

• Have an incident response plan in place to quickly respond to and mitigate damage from an attack.

Sicra and Cyber Kill Chain

The Cyber Kill Chain describes various phases of a cyber attack, and each phase requires different countermeasures. This involves both implementing technical solutions such as firewalls, SOC, and email filtering, as well as training employees in secure data handling.

Sicra can provide both security specialists with extensive experience and security consulting through our CISO-for-hire service.

Services:

Read about our "security monitoring and incident management (SOC)" service here >

Read about our "firewall" service here >

Read about our "CISO-for-Hire" service here >

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