What is the Cyber Kill Chain?

The Cyber Kill Chain model delineates the stages of a cyber attack, aiding organizations in fortifying their defenses against evolving threats. In the digital era, understanding and mitigating each phase, from reconnaissance to data exfiltration, is crucial for bolstering overall cybersecurity posture.

What is the Cyber Kill Chain?

The Cyber Kill Chain is a term coined by Lockheed Martin, which refers to a series of stages that a cyber attacker goes through to successfully carry out an attack. This framework is used to help organizations understand the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by attackers to infiltrate their systems and steal sensitive information. By understanding the various stages of the Cyber Kill Chain, security professionals can better prepare their defences, identify and respond to attacks, and prevent future breaches.

The Cyber Kill Chain is a valuable tool for understanding the methods used by attackers, but it is important to note that not all attacks follow this exact pattern. Attackers may skip or combine some stages, or use different techniques to achieve their objectives. However, the Cyber Kill Chain provides a useful framework for understanding the anatomy of a cyber attack and developing effective security strategies.

The 7 Phases of the Cyber Kill Chain

The Cyber Kill Chain` consists of seven distinct stages, each of which represents a different phase of the attack:

1. Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance is the first phase of the Cyber Kill Chain, which involves collecting information about the target system and organization. During this phase, cyber attackers use various techniques to gather the information that can help them plan and execute their attacks.

The reconnaissance phase includes two main activities: passive reconnaissance and active reconnaissance. Passive reconnaissance involves collecting information about the target system without actually interacting with it, using techniques such as open-source intelligence gathering, social engineering, and dumpster diving. Active reconnaissance, on the other hand, involves actively probing the target system to collect information, using techniques such as port scanning, network mapping, and vulnerability scanning.

The goal of reconnaissance is to gather as much information as possible about the target system and organization, including its network topology, operating systems, applications, and security measures. This information can help attackers identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses that can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to the system or steal sensitive data.

Reconnaissance is a critical phase of the Cyber Kill Chain because it sets the stage for the rest of the attack. The more information attackers can gather during this phase, the more likely they are to succeed in their attack. Therefore, organizations need to be vigilant and take steps to protect themselves against reconnaissance activities, such as monitoring their network for suspicious activity and limiting the amount of information that is publicly available about their systems and operations.

2. Weaponization

Weaponization is the second phase of the Cyber Kill Chain, which is used to describe the stages of a cyber attack. In this phase, the attacker starts to create a weapon or an exploit that will be used to carry out the attack.

During the weaponization phase, the attacker selects a vulnerability to exploit and develops a tool or technique to exploit it. This could involve developing a malware, virus, or another type of exploit. The attacker might use social engineering techniques to deliver the weapon, such as phishing emails, infected links, or attachments.

The weaponization phase requires a great deal of technical expertise and knowledge of the target system. The attacker may use various tools and techniques to ensure that the weapon is undetectable by antivirus software or other security measures.

Once the weapon has been developed, the attacker moves to the next phase of the Cyber Kill Chain, which is the delivery phase. The delivery phase is where the weapon is delivered to the target system or network.

It is important to note that the weaponization phase is only one part of the overall Cyber Kill Chain. It is a critical phase because it is where the attacker creates the tool that will be used to carry out the attack. By understanding the weaponization phase, organizations can take steps to mitigate the risk of a cyber attack by implementing security measures to prevent vulnerabilities from being exploited.

3. Delivery

Delivery is the third stage in the Cyber Kill Chain and involves the attacker delivering the weaponized payload to the targeted system. At this stage, the attacker has already conducted reconnaissance and weaponized the malware, and now needs to find a way to deliver it to the target system.

There are several ways attackers can deliver malware, including email attachments, drive-by downloads, social engineering, and spear phishing attacks. Email attachments are one of the most common delivery methods used by attackers. They typically attach a malicious file to an email that appears legitimate, such as an invoice or job application, and entice the user to download and open the attachment.

Drive-by downloads are another common delivery method used by attackers. In this method, the attacker infects a legitimate website with malware. When a user visits the website, the malware is automatically downloaded and installed onto their system without their knowledge. Social engineering is another common delivery method, where the attacker uses psychological manipulation to trick the victim into downloading the malware.

Spear phishing attacks are more targeted and sophisticated attacks that involve the attacker researching their target and crafting a highly personalized message that appears legitimate. This message often includes a link or attachment that, when clicked or downloaded, infects the system with malware.

4. Exploitation

Exploitation is the fourth stage in the Cyber Kill Chain. In this stage, the attacker tries to take advantage of the vulnerabilities that were identified in the previous stage, which is the Delivery stage. The attacker will try to exploit these vulnerabilities by delivering a specially crafted payload that can execute arbitrary code on the targeted system.

There are several methods that attackers can use to exploit vulnerabilities, including buffer overflow attacks, SQL injection attacks, and cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. Once the attacker has successfully exploited the vulnerability, they gain control of the system and can perform actions such as stealing data, installing malware, or using the system to launch further attacks.

5. Installation

Installation is the fifth phase of the Cyber Kill Chain. In this phase, the attacker executes the payload or the malware on the victim’s system. The payload is delivered through various methods like email attachments, web downloads, or social engineering techniques. Once the payload is executed, the malware takes control of the victim’s system, enabling the attacker to access and manipulate it.

The malware may be designed to perform various activities such as data theft, remote control of the system, and creating a backdoor to gain unauthorized access in the future. Attackers may also use rootkits to hide their presence on the system, making it difficult for security software to detect their activity.

The installation phase is critical as it allows the attacker to gain a foothold in the victim’s system and start exfiltrating data or launching further attacks. It is essential to have robust security measures in place to detect and prevent the installation of malware on the system. This includes deploying antivirus software, intrusion detection, and prevention systems, and restricting user privileges.

6. Command and Control

Command and Control (C2), also known as "C&C," is the fifth phase of the Cyber Kill Chain. After successfully installing the malware on the target system, the attacker needs to be able to remotely control and manage the malware. This is where the C2 phase comes in.

During this phase, the attacker establishes a remote connection with the compromised system to gain access and control over it. The attacker can use this connection to steal data, modify or delete files, and launch further attacks. The C2 phase involves setting up a command and control server or using a pre-existing server to send and receive commands.

The communication between the command and control server and the compromised system can be established using various methods such as HTTP, HTTPS, DNS, and IRC. The attacker can use these communication channels to send commands to the malware, receive data from the infected system, and manage the overall operation.

The C2 phase is critical to the success of the attack. If the attacker can maintain control over the infected system without being detected, they can continue to steal data or launch further attacks. Detecting and disrupting the command and control communication is a crucial step in stopping a cyber attack. This is why many security solutions focus on monitoring network traffic for any suspicious communication with known command and control servers.

7. Actions on Objectives

Actions on Objectives (AoO) is the final stage of the Cyber Kill Chain model, which is also referred to as the Post-Exploitation stage. At this stage, the attackers have successfully infiltrated the system and have achieved their ultimate goal.

The objective of this stage is to take specific actions to achieve the desired outcome, such as stealing sensitive data, corrupting data, disrupting services, or taking control of systems. The attackers may use different techniques to cover their tracks, such as deleting logs, hiding malware, or using encryption.

The Actions in the Objectives stage require a significant amount of planning and preparation on the part of the attackers. They must have a clear understanding of the target system's vulnerabilities and weaknesses, as well as the organization's security posture.

In this stage, the attackers may also perform the lateral movement, which involves moving from one system to another within the target network to gain access to additional resources or sensitive data. The attackers may use different techniques to achieve lateral movement, such as exploiting vulnerabilities in other systems or stealing login credentials.

Role of Cyber Kill Chain in Cybersecurity

The Cyber Kill Chain plays a vital role in cybersecurity as it provides a framework for detecting and preventing cyber-attacks. The phases of the Cyber Kill Chain help organizations understand how an attacker operates and provides a roadmap for defenders to identify, contain, and eradicate the threat.

By breaking down the attack into different stages, organizations can identify vulnerabilities in their systems and address them before an attack occurs. This proactive approach helps organizations stay ahead of the attackers and prevents them from achieving their objectives.

Moreover, the Cyber Kill Chain provides a common language for security teams to communicate and collaborate on incidents. This shared understanding ensures that all teams are working towards the same goal and taking appropriate actions to mitigate the threat. The Cyber Kill Chain is also helpful in incident response, as it allows organizations to quickly identify which phase of the attack has been successful and focus their efforts on containing the damage and preventing further infiltration.