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Top 8 Indicators Of Compromise & How To Resolve Them

February 6, 2024

Indicators of Compromise (IOC) are forensic hints and proof of a possible breach within a network or system of a business. IOCs provide security teams with crucial context for identifying and stopping a cyberattack. Any signal of a prospective cyberattack that has been detected are indicators of compromise.

The top Indicators of Compromise are Exceptional outgoing network traffic, activity from odd geographical locations, Unusual behaviour from privileged user accounts, Significant increase in read volume from databases, Significant authentication errors, etc. You can resolve them by Network segments, Stop using command-line scripts, and Limit account privileges.

Rapid IOC identification is a crucial component of a multi-layered cybersecurity strategy. Close network monitoring is necessary to stop hackers from completely penetrating your system. A network monitoring tool that records and reports external and lateral traffic is necessary for organisations. Read below to learn more about the indicators of compromise.

Table of Contents

What Are Indicators of Compromise?

Indicators of compromise are “pieces of forensic evidence, including data contained in system logging entries or files, that detect potentially hostile activity on a system or network” (indicators of compromise). IT and information security professionals look for malware infections, data tracking software, and other behaviour using signs of compromise.

By stopping attacks in their early stages and acting quickly to prevent breaches from occurring or minimise losses, organisations can identify attacks and stop them in their tracks. This is done by keeping a lookout for indicators of compromise.

Top 8 Indicators Of Compromise

Enterprise organisations need to be aware of a few prevalent indicators of compromise to find and look into them. Here are the top Indicators of Compromise.

Exceptional Outgoing Network Traffic

One of the most typical indicators of a security compromise is an anomaly in the patterns and volumes of network traffic.

Although it is getting harder to prevent hackers from your network, according to some experts, keeping an eye on outbound local network traffic might be simpler for potential Indicators of Compromise.

When a hacker tries to collect data from your system or a compromised system transfers information to a command-and-control website and observes unusual outbound network traffic.

Activity From Odd Geographical Locations

User joins your network from a foreign location, particularly one with a negative reputation for international cybercrime. For instance, you should be if your entire business operation’s headquarter is in Los Angeles, California, in the United States.

Principal consultant for Rhino Security Benjamin Caudill states: “As for data-breach clues, one of the most helpful parts is the logs showing an account logging in from various IPs in a short amount of time, especially when combined with geolocation tagging. This is typically a sign that an attacker is accessing private systems using compromised credentials.”

To detect cyberattacks before they cause damage to your business and minimize cyber risks, use CISO tools and resources on the network.

Unusual Behaviour From Privileged User Accounts

Low-privileged user accounts are frequently compromised in sophisticated cyberattacks, such as advanced persistent threats before their privileges and authorizations are increased or exposed to new risks.

Complex cyberattacks for the indicators of compromise, such as advanced persistent threats, frequently start by compromising low-privileged user accounts before increasing their privileges and authorisations or disclosing the attack vector to accounts with more privileges.

Significant Increase In Read Volume From Databases

Most businesses keep their most private and sensitive information in database form. As a result, hackers will constantly pay special attention to your databases. An increased database read activity is a reliable sign that an intruder is attempting to access your data.

According to Kyle Adams, Chief cloning Software Architect for Juniper Networks’ Junos WebApp Secure: “The attacker will produce a huge amount of read volume, which will be much greater than you would ordinarily see for reads on the credit card tables when they attempt to extract the entire credit card database.”

Significant Authentication Errors

Attackers utilise automation to authenticate with phished credentials during account takeovers. Someone with stolen credentials may be searching for an account that gives them access to the network if they make excessive attempts to authenticate.

Numerous Demands For Crucial Files

An attacker without access to a high-privileged account must search through several resources for the correct vulnerability before they may access data for indicators of compromise.

Attackers frequently execute exploits using several permutations when they discover indicators that the vulnerability may be successful.

When a single IP or user typically makes a few calls for “join.php,” Kyle Adams said, “you might notice a single user or IP making 500 queries for that page.”

Doubtful Configuration Alterations

Changing the settings on files, servers, and other devices may give the attacker a second backdoor into the network, which you may not even be aware of. Changes may also introduce new openings for malware to take advantage of.

DDoS Attack Andicators (Distributed Denial of Service)

These attacks happen when a malicious actor tries to take down a service. By flooding it with traffic and demands from a network of controlled machines, or “botnet,” a system of controlled devices.

DDoS attacks are frequently used as smoke screens to conceal more harmful ones.

For unknown reasons, DDoS symptoms include slow network performance, website outage, firewall failover, and back-end systems running at full capacity.

How To Resolve Indicators Of Compromise

An organisation can better promptly and accurately identify issues by monitoring indicators of compromise. Additionally, it facilitates quick incident response to address the problem and helps with computer forensics. However, taking these precautions can lessen the impact of damage:

Network segments: Segmentation ensures that malware cannot spread laterally if a network is compromised.
Stop using command-line scripts: Command-line tools frequently distribute malware throughout a network.
Limit account privileges: IOCs frequently include accounts with strange actions and requests—time-based access limitations and permission control aid in sealing.

FAQs

What can you do with the compromise indicator?

This knowledge can be utilized to prevent future attacks, address current security incidents, and develop 'smarter' tools to recognize and quarantine suspicious files.

What indicators of compromise do you look for when assessing a system?

An indication that your system may be compromised includes unusually slow network activity, losing connectivity to network services, or unexpected network traffic—a warning from an intrusion detection instrument or a system alarm of a similar nature.

What benefit does spotting signs of compromise offer?

By stopping attacks in their early stages and acting quickly to prevent breaches from occurring or minimise losses, organisations can identify attacks and stop them in their tracks. Information security and IT professionals can identify malicious activities early in the attack chain thanks to indicators of compromise, which serve as breadcrumbs.

What kinds of host-based signs of compromise are there?

Host-based indicators include file origins, registry keys, process IDs, network services, and other system information. Security analysts utilise various techniques, such as manual analysis and automated scanning, to gather penetration indicators from hosts.

What are the advantages of IOC?

At runtime, switching between various implementations of a specific class is simple. It increases the program's modularity. It controls the setup and life cycle of an object.

What tells if an email has been compromised?

Any signal of a prospective cyberattack that has been detected are indicators of compromise. These are warning signs of malware assaults or data breaches on a network or system. The digital counterpart of evidence found at a crime scene is an IOC.

Conclusion

It is all about the top indicators of compromise and resolving them. IOCs are the digital equivalent of physical evidence found at a crime scene. They resemble digital versions of fingerprints, tyre prints, and broken windows in many ways. You can now easily identify and resolve the indicators of compromise.