Risk Chaining
In cybersecurity, risk chaining describes a scenario where multiple vulnerabilities, each potentially minor on its own, combine to create a significantly greater risk. An attacker exploits these vulnerabilities in a specific sequence, using the successful exploitation of one to enable the exploitation of the next.
Here's an analogy: Imagine a series of doors. One door might have a weak lock (minor vulnerability). Another might have a slightly ajar window (another minor vulnerability). Neither alone is a huge problem. However, if an attacker can pick the weak lock and then use that access to reach and open the ajar window, they can enter the building (significant risk). The attacker "chained" the exploitation of the weak lock with the ajar window to achieve a result neither vulnerability would have allowed on its own.
In cybersecurity, risk chaining can involve:
Combining vulnerabilities in different systems: For example, exploiting a vulnerability in a web server to gain access to credentials that allow access to a database server.
Using a vulnerability to bypass a security control: For example, using a social engineering attack to obtain credentials that bypass multi-factor authentication.
Exploiting a sequence of misconfigurations: For example, manipulating a file upload vulnerability to place a malicious file on a server and exploiting a file inclusion vulnerability to execute that file.
Understanding risk chaining is crucial for security professionals because it highlights the importance of considering the interactions between vulnerabilities, not just individual risks.
Here's how ThreatNG can help in identifying and mitigating risk chaining scenarios:
ThreatNG's external discovery is the foundation for identifying potential risk chains. Mapping out all externally accessible assets it reveals how an attacker might initially penetrate an organization's defenses and what other systems they could reach.
ThreatNG's external assessments are crucial for spotting individual vulnerabilities that could be chained together:
Web Application Hijack Susceptibility: A vulnerable web application can be the first link in a chain. An attacker might exploit it to gain initial access and then move on to other systems.
Subdomain Takeover Susceptibility: A compromised subdomain could similarly serve as an initial entry point, leading to further compromise of the main domain or other internal systems.
Cyber Risk Exposure: This assessment reveals various vulnerabilities, such as exposed ports or outdated software. Attackers often chain these vulnerabilities to gain deeper access. For example, they might exploit an exposed port to gain initial access and then exploit a software vulnerability to escalate privileges.
Code Secret Exposure: Exposed credentials are a critical risk chaining element. An attacker might find credentials in a code repository and then use them to access a database or cloud service.
Mobile App Exposure: Vulnerabilities or exposed credentials in mobile apps can be the starting point of a chain, leading to the compromise of backend systems.
3. Reporting
ThreatNG's reporting can highlight potential risk chains by correlating different vulnerabilities. For example, a report might show a web application with high hijack susceptibility and exposed credentials in a related code repository, indicating a severe risk chain.
Risk chains can emerge as new vulnerabilities are discovered or systems are misconfigured. ThreatNG's continuous monitoring helps detect these changes, allowing security teams to respond before attackers exploit them.
ThreatNG's investigation modules provide detailed information for analyzing potential risk chains:
Domain Intelligence: This module can reveal connections between domains and subdomains, showing how an attacker might move from one to another.
Sensitive Code Exposure: This module is essential for identifying the presence of credentials that can be used to compromise other systems.
Cloud and SaaS Exposure: This module can reveal misconfigurations in cloud services that could lead to a significant breach when combined with other vulnerabilities.
ThreatNG's intelligence repositories provide context for assessing the likelihood and impact of risk chaining:
Dark Web Presence: Information about compromised credentials can indicate whether attackers already possess a key element of a potential risk chain.
7. Working with Complementary Solutions
While the document does not explicitly detail integrations, ThreatNG's capabilities would be enhanced by working with other security solutions:
SIEM systems: ThreatNG's findings can be fed into a SIEM to correlate external vulnerabilities with internal events, helping to detect and respond to risk chaining attacks.
Vulnerability management tools: ThreatNG's external view can complement internal vulnerability scans to provide a complete picture of potential risk chains.
Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems: ThreatNG's detection of exposed credentials can inform IAM policies and help prevent attackers from using those credentials to move laterally.
ThreatNG helps identify and mitigate risk chaining by providing external visibility, assessing individual vulnerabilities, and offering detailed intelligence that reveals how those vulnerabilities could be combined to create more severe risks.
