Microsoft’s Vulnerability: How the Storm-0558 APT Penetrated the Tech Giant

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are insidious cyberattacks that pose severe threats to organizations. What makes APTs uniquely dangerous is their stealthy nature; attackers gain unauthorized access to an organization’s network and maintain their presence undetected for extended durations. This prolonged stealth mode allows them to delve deep into the organization’s infrastructure, often remaining embedded for an alarming average of 146 days before being detected, as highlighted by a study from Centraleyes. During this time, they have the autonomy to navigate the system, extract sensitive information, and manipulate data, all without raising immediate alarms.

Storm-0558 Targets Microsoft

An APT attack occurred in June 2023. The Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agency spotted suspicious activity within their Microsoft 365 cloud environment. Upon investigation and reporting to Microsoft and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), they revealed that APT actors had successfully accessed and exfiltrated unclassified data from the Exchange Online Outlook platform. This unauthorized access enabled them to extract vital information, causing significant security concerns for the affected organizations.

The method of this attack was quite sophisticated. The APT actors manipulated a Microsoft account (MSA) consumer key to forge tokens, impersonating consumer and enterprise users. By doing so, they managed to exfiltrate data from a select number of accounts without raising immediate alarms. Microsoft responded by blocking tokens issued with the compromised key and replacing them to prevent continued misuse. An essential aspect of this attack was that it was part of a more extensive, targeted campaign affecting multiple organizations. 

Large Attacks Build on a Foundation

Attacks like this show the need for enhanced monitoring and robust cybersecurity measures to detect and prevent such malicious activities. But, more straightforward approaches target the root of the attack. The cybercriminals needed to access Microsoft’s sensitive data, which required an authorized account. The attackers likely accomplished this by stealing credentials. 

Credential threats represent one of the most insidious forms of cyberattacks. The crux of the issue lies in how attackers gain access to these credentials. A typical starting point for many identity theft attacks involves downloading malicious data, which can facilitate tools like keyloggers once on the user’s device. These tools discreetly record and transmit the user’s keystrokes, capturing passwords and other sensitive data without the user’s knowledge or consent.

For instance, consider a scenario where a cybercriminal intends to obtain a specific username. The attacker might craft a phishing email, deceiving the individual into logging into a fraudulent website. Once this occurs, the credentials are immediately compromised. If the attacker goes further and installs a keylogger, they can capture every typed password. With this level of access, they can move laterally within an organization, compromising systems and data as they proceed. The critical challenge for cybersecurity is preventing the initial breach halting malicious files and phishing attempts before they can unleash damage.

Breaking The Attack Chain

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) represent a calculated and prolonged cyber offensive. Yet, before an APT can establish its hold, a series of more minor, preliminary attacks usually occur. Many of these come from hidden threats in files that, when launched, install keyloggers, rootkits, ransomware, and other dangerous applications, allowing cybercriminals direct access to sensitive data. These initial breaches serve as the foundation for the APT, allowing attackers to infiltrate the target system, establish a foothold, and expand their access. Recognizing and interrupting these precursor attacks is essential for thwarting the full force of an APT, preventing extensive damage, and maintaining the integrity of digital systems.

Raising the Bar for Attackers

Organizations must prioritize eliminating hidden threats in files that often serve as precursors to larger APT attacks. The initial line of defense involves Antivirus (AV) products, which are proficient at detecting and neutralizing well-known threats before they compromise the system. Along with this, following best practices and ensuring patches remain up-to-date closes vulnerabilities that attackers use as easy leverage. Phishing awareness builds on this, helping make end-users less likely to open high-risk files and links, turning them into harder targets rather than the weakest link in security. 

However, with cyber attackers constantly innovating, producing approximately 560k new malicious strains daily, the conventional AV solutions sometimes lag, leaving vulnerabilities. Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) helps to bridge this gap. Unlike traditional methods, CDR operates on a zero-trust model, meticulously deconstructing incoming files and reconstructing them using only verified safe components. This ensures that while the potential threats get eliminated, the core functionality and integrity of the files remain intact.

Retrospective analysis complements the CDR process to ensure thoroughness and address any visibility gaps. After the CDR rebuilds files, the original versions get isolated for future scrutiny by AV tools. As these tools update their threat signatures, they can retrospectively detect threats that might have been missed earlier, thereby validating the effectiveness of CDR and enabling consistent threat monitoring.

By removing the attack vector of hidden threats, cybercriminals lose a critical set of tools in their quest to attack a company. By making it harder to conduct the attack, many will move on to easier targets. 

Votiro is an Early Defense Against APTs

Votiro specializes in thwarting APTs by targeting the hidden threats that serve as their foundation. More than just offering a CDR solution, Votiro presents a holistic approach that amalgamates detection, protection, and analysis. By harmoniously integrating AV, CDR, and retrospective analysis, Votiro crafts a formidable defense platform that neutralizes concealed malicious entities. Moreover, with its API-centric design, Votiro seamlessly embeds into existing business operations, granting organizations instant and efficient protection against lurking file malware threats.

Contact us today to learn how Votiro sets the bar to prevent hidden threats in files so that your employees and systems remain secure while maintaining productivity. And if you’re ready to try Votiro for yourself, start today with a free 30-day trial.