CTS - Cyber Threat Simulation

Cyber Threat Simulation (CTS) is a fundamental practice for any company that intends to have continuous control over its exposure to cyber threats. Every business entity is at risk of being a victim of a cyber attack: no entity, small or large, can consider itself completely immune from the danger of intrusion by cybercriminals.

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Guarantee of a system compliant with international standards

Promotion of greater resilience and security of digital infrastructures

Protection of fundamental rights and privacy

ISGroup, an Italian cybersecurity company with ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certification, offers a high-level service to verify the level of awareness of its vulnerabilities and to train and instruct all company components to adopt the right behavior in the event of a real attack attempt.

WHAT IS CTS (CYBER THREAT SIMULATION)?

ISGroup's Cyber Threat Simulation is a management service, not just a tool, that ensures a personalized and comprehensive approach to corporate cybersecurity.

In the context of modern cybersecurity, preventing every intrusion attempt has become practically impossible.

For this reason, ISGroup has developed a service for risk analysis and control that involves testing a company's resilience through the execution of cyber attack simulations.

The company under analysis is examined from various aspects to identify potential vulnerabilities that could expose data, equipment, and the company's reputation to the risk of an attack. The purpose of CTS is to examine weaknesses and the company's ability to activate timely response processes as well as overall resilience during a negative event. These simulations can include a variety of attacks, such as phishing, malware, and Advanced Persistent Threats (APT), which are advanced and continuous attacks aimed at stealing information or causing damage.

Through CTS, the corporate organization is tested to verify its ability to detect, respond, and recover normalcy after an attack attempt.

Main Areas of Action of CTS

The types of cyber attacks are numerous and constantly evolving, considering the impact that artificial intelligence is having in the sector, however, we can define four main areas of interest in which CTS operates.

Social Engineering

Simulations of emails, phone calls, or other fraudulent actions that attempt to deceive employees to obtain sensitive information.

Malware

Introduction of malicious software to test defenses against viruses, trojans, ransomware, and other types of malware.

APT (Advanced Persistent Threat)

Targeted and persistent attacks that seek to penetrate and remain within systems to steal data long-term.

DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service)

Attacks aimed at overloading systems to make them inoperative.

WHY DOES YOUR COMPANY NEED IT?

To defend against and prepare for the threat of a cyber attack, it is no longer enough to have a reactive attitude aimed at limiting the damage of an already suffered blow; a proactive approach must be adopted to effectively protect oneself and be able to anticipate potential vulnerabilities and intrusion attempts.

Implementing a CTS program offers numerous advantages:

Identification of Vulnerabilities:By simulating real attacks, organizations can discover flaws in their security systems before they can be exploited by real attackers.
Staff Training:Simulations provide a practical learning opportunity for staff, improving their awareness and preparedness.

Improvement of Response Plans:Testing incident response plans in a controlled environment allows for refining procedures and increasing effectiveness.
Regulatory Compliance:Many security regulations require organizations to conduct regular tests of their cyber defenses.
Protection of Corporate Image:Preventing cyber attacks can safeguard the company's reputation and maintain the trust of customers and stakeholders.
Return on Investment (ROI):CTS attack simulations are a relatively inexpensive investment that can generate significant ROI in terms of reduced incident response costs and improved corporate reputation.

The entire CTS process actively involves the staff of a company or organization. Those who use and have access to IT resources are both a potential target and a potential entry point for malicious agents.

Attack simulations not only test the defenses installed within the IT infrastructure but also verify the level of awareness and reaction capability of the staff.

Company workers are the most vulnerable link in an IT structure: staff training is essential to strengthen defenses!!!

THE RISKS OF NOT SUBSCRIBING TO A CTS SERVICE

Ignoring the possibility and weight of the consequences of a cyber attack is no longer acceptable in 2024. Any entity or organization that decides to bury its head in the sand hoping not to be considered a target is destined to suffer significant damage and economic losses. National and international regulations recognize the importance of having a proactive behavior, sanctioning those who fail to align with international security standards.

Ignoring the importance of cyber threat simulations can lead to numerous significant risks:

Lack of Awareness

Without continuous screening that attests to the presence of potential vulnerabilities, an organization cannot perceive the real danger to which its corporate assets (understood as IT infrastructures, sensitive data, and know-how) are exposed. Without regular tests, incident response plans may be non-existent or ineffective, exposing the organization to serious consequences.
Unpreparedness in Incident Response

A CTS service helps test and refine incident response plans. Without the professional help of industry experts, a company may not have an effective plan to respond to a cyber attack, leading to delays in mitigation, confusion among team members, and increased overall damage. Constant support from specialists allows securing the company even from new generation threats such as zero-day vulnerabilities.

Financial Losses

Cyber attacks can generate significant financial losses due to multiple factors that arise as a consequence of an attack. Economic losses can result from service interruption, loss of confidential know-how through data theft, payment of damage claims, or fines imposed for non-compliance with security standards required by current regulations.
Increased Recovery Costs

The damages related to a cyber attack are not only reflected in immediate losses but also in the costs associated with recovery and restoration of the status quo before the critical event. Without adequate preparation obtained through simulations, companies may face significant expenses to restore systems, repair damages, and improve post-attack defenses.
Reputational Damage

Security incidents can undermine the trust of customers and business partners, breaking business relationships and damaging the company's image in the market. The loss of proprietary data or sensitive information can compromise trade secrets, business strategies, and sensitive data. More and more companies are paying more attention, in addition to their security measures, to the compliance of commercial suppliers with certain IT security standards. Soon, at the European level, companies will be required to verify that their business partners operate in compliance with security standards and requirements.
Legal and Regulatory Sanctions

Non-compliance with IT security regulations can result in significant sanctions and legal actions. Many IT security regulations require regular testing of corporate defenses. Using a CTS service ensures compliance with international security standards. This avoids sanctions and reputational damage by demonstrating that the company has operated with the utmost diligence required by international best practices.

In 2024, cyber threats will continue to evolve and become increasingly sophisticated. To protect their resources and ensure operational continuity, companies must adopt a proactive approach to cybersecurity, which includes the use of Cyber Threat Simulation services. Ignoring this need can expose companies to significant risks, compromising their security, reputation, and competitive position in the market.

WHAT DOES THE ISGROUP CTS SERVICE CONSIST OF?

By adopting ISGroup's CTS service, you can have the assistance of an Italian team composed of the best security experts with over 30 years of experience. The company, founded in 2013, can rely on the skills of a hacking team that has decided to make its know-how available to companies that truly want to be more secure.

ISGroup's CTS service focuses on simulating potential threats using the MITRE ATT&CK framework. This framework provides a comprehensive basis for understanding the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) used by real attackers.

The service includes continuous screening of corporate assets, potential attack targets, and the subsequent execution of attack simulations to verify the effectiveness of existing countermeasures and the ability to respond in the event of a critical event. The process involves several steps that are repeated regularly to monitor the company's ability to adapt to evolving threats.

Threat Profiling with Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI)Threat profiling is used to identify potential entities interested in carrying out aggressive actions against the company. An organization operating in the financial sector, for example, could be targeted by action groups interested in carrying out APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) actions to steal financial data and sensitive information from private individuals and companies. Analyzing potential attackers allows considering the possible attack tools usually used and the related countermeasures to be adopted.
Definition of the Scope of the Attack SimulationTo avoid disruptions and a controlled interruption of business activity, it is necessary to define in advance the boundaries within which to conduct the attack simulation. In this phase, possible targets and segments of the corporate network that can be useful during the attack simulation phase are identified without causing damage to business operations.
Definition of the Objective of the Attack SimulationEvery attacker has a specific goal, which can vary from financial gain to recognition in the hacker community. Simulations must have clear objectives to verify if the attack has correctly achieved the purpose for which it was perpetrated.
Attack Planning: Selection of Appropriate Tools and TechniquesDepending on the hypothesized malicious actor, the objective varies, and consequently, the tools and techniques to be used to launch an attack vary. In this phase, the security expert plans the attack strategy, selecting the most suitable tools and techniques. This may include third-party software for security testing or operating system utilities, and techniques such as malware injection or exploitation of known vulnerabilities.
Execution of the Attack Simulation - Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS)BAS (Breach and Attack Simulation) simulations offer a significant advantage in terms of scalability and continuity, allowing companies to maintain constant control over their defenses and react quickly to new threats. The execution of the simulation follows the strategy planned in advance but is granted a certain level of flexibility: the great variety present in network environments can present unexpected opportunities that can alter the attack path, making BAS simulations even more effective in demonstrating vulnerabilities.
Results and ReportingAfter the simulation, a detailed report is created summarizing the discovered vulnerabilities, potential attack paths, and threats to the organization's critical assets. The report also includes a detailed list of mitigation strategies that can help the organization strengthen its defenses.
TrainingISGroup offers practical training sessions for internal staff, simulating realistic attack scenarios and improving their threat detection and response capabilities. Attack simulations help develop a security culture within the company by leveraging increased employee awareness of cyber risks and best security practices.

This seven-step process ensures a comprehensive and continuous assessment of cybersecurity. ISGroup's service, in addition to providing valuable information to improve defense measures and the overall resilience of the organization, allows the company to comply with current regulations, demonstrating to potential business partners the seriousness and commitment of the company in the field of cybersecurity.

Examples of Successful Case Studies

ISGroup's CTS attack simulations have helped numerous companies improve their cybersecurity. Here are some examples of case studies of satisfied companies that have adopted our service:

Case Study 1: Financial Institution

An important financial institution used CTS attack simulations to assess its susceptibility to phishing attacks. The simulation identified several employees who were prone to clicking on suspicious links, allowing the institution to implement targeted training programs to reduce the risk of real attacks.

Case Study 2: Technology Company

A large technology company conducted a red team vs. blue team exercise using CTS attack simulations. The red team simulated a sophisticated network attack, while the blue team worked to defend the company. The exercise allowed the company to identify critical vulnerabilities and improve its incident response capabilities.

Case Study 3: Healthcare Organization

A healthcare organization used CTS attack simulations to test its response to a ransomware attack. The simulation revealed weaknesses in the company's backup and recovery processes, leading to improvements to better protect critical patient data.

WHAT ATTACKS ARE CARRIED OUT WITH THE CTS SERVICE?

ISGroup's CTS service allows simulating various types of attacks that reflect the techniques actually used by cybercriminal groups. No matter how sophisticated an attack may be, what matters is the actual damage it can cause to the business reality. A simple click on a malicious link by an inadequately trained employee can give free access to corporate systems with devastating consequences.

During a CTS campaign, various types of attacks are simulated to understand and strengthen corporate defenses. These include but are not limited to:

Network Infiltration Attacksthrough simulation, an attempt is made to gain unauthorized access to the network to exploit the resources of the network infrastructure.
Endpoint Attacksfocus on finding and exploiting potential vulnerabilities in devices connected to an organization's network, such as laptops, desktops, mobile devices, and servers.
Web Application Attacksanalyze the web applications used by the company to identify and exploit potential software weaknesses resulting from design flaws, misconfiguration, or lack of application of updated security patches.
Social Engineering Attacksthese simulations attempt to exploit vulnerabilities through phishing or other forms of social engineering, with the aim of inducing users to reveal sensitive information, provide remote access to alleged help desk staff, or unknowingly install malware.
Lateral Movement Attacksafter gaining initial access within a corporate network, an attacker can extend their presence by moving through an organization's network. Lateral movement attacks often involve privilege escalation that allows malicious agents to access increasingly sensitive and critical resources.
Data Exfiltration Attacksin these simulations, the targets are represented by corporate databases. Attempts are made to extract data through techniques aimed at exploiting weaknesses generated by incorrect software installations and configurations.

Cloud Attackscloud attacks target the resources that the company uses to manage its services. By acting on misconfigurations, weak access controls, or insecure APIs, attackers can gain unauthorized access to data and services present in the cloud.

CTS vs Penetration Test

Penetration tests are another valid tool that allows conducting cyber attack simulations similar to the CTS service. However, these two methods for assessing an organization's cybersecurity present fundamental differences that we have summarized in this table.

	Penetration Test	CTS
Scope	Focused on a specific system or application defined in advance to identify its vulnerabilities.	Aims to mimic a real cyber attack, covering the entire digital infrastructure of the organization.
Objective	Identify as many vulnerabilities as possible in the target system or application.	Understand how an attacker could exploit vulnerabilities to achieve specific objectives, such as data exfiltration or control of the corporate network.
Approach	More static and methodical approach, systematically analyzing all known vulnerabilities.	More dynamic, emulating the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) of real adversaries.
Timing and Frequency	Usually performed once or at regular intervals over time, providing only a snapshot of security at a given time.	Can be performed continuously, thus offering an always up-to-date view of the organization's security status.
Reporting	Provides a list of identified vulnerabilities and recommendations for correction.	Focuses on potential attack paths, demonstrating how vulnerabilities could be exploited in real scenarios and providing strategic recommendations to improve overall security.

We can summarize what is reported in the table by stating that CTS allows for continuous, wide-ranging protection of the entire corporate reality. Penetration tests focus on a single objective and allow for a snapshot at a given moment, while CTS services provide a constant overview of the security level.

Reliability, experience, and leadership.CTS by ISGroup to protect your company from digital threats

Conclusions

To delve into all the benefits of a CTS service like the one offered by ISGroup would require more time. However, it is necessary to adopt a proactive approach also because in the modern market context, business partners require certification of security measures to establish a collaboration or maintain pre-existing relationships.

To start adopting a proactive approach to risk management, request an appointment with one of our specialists and find out how to reduce risk exposure and limit losses in the event of an attack.