What is Cyber Kill Chain?

The cyber kill chain is also a variation of the military’s kill chain, which can be a step-by-step approach that identifies and stops the attacker’s activity. Originally factory-made by Lockheed Martin in 2011, the cyber kill chain outlines the various stages of many common cyberattacks and, by extension, the points wherever the data security team will Prevent, detect or intercept attackers.The cyber kill chain is meant to defend against sophisticated cyberattacks, also known as advanced persistent threats (APTs), whereby adversaries spend important time surveilling and planning an attack. most ordinarily these attacks involve a mix of malware, ransomware, Trojans, spoofing, and social engineering techniques to hold out their plan.

The phase of the Cyber Kill Chain Process

The cyber kill chain model contained 7 sequential steps:

Cyber Kill Chain Stages

Phase 1: Reconnaissance/ Preparation Stage

The preparation stage is when the attacker gathers information about the target. This includes researching the target’s website or social media profiles to identify potential vulnerabilities. The attacker also has to figure out how they will get access to the system they want to gain access too. This could be by sending phishing emails or creating fake websites that look like legitimate sites in order to steal login credentials.

Once the attacker has gathered all this information they then decide on what type of attack they want to use and what their goal is for that specific cyber attack.

During the reconnaissance part, a malicious actor identifies a target and explores vulnerabilities and weaknesses that may be exploited inside the network. As a part of this method, the attacker may harvest login credentials or gather various information, like email addresses, user IDs, physical locations, computer code applications, and OS details, all of which might be useful in phishing or spoofing attacks. usually speaking, the more information the attacker is able to gather during the reconnaissance part, the additional sophisticated and convincing the attack will be and, hence, the upper the probability of success.

Phase 2: Weaponization

During the Weaponization part, the attacker creates a cyber attack vector, like remote access malware, ransomware, virus or worm that can exploit a familiar vulnerability. during this part, the attacker can also set up back doors in order that they will still access the system if their original point of entry is known and closed by network administrators.

Phase 3: Delivery

In the Delivery step, the interloper launches the attack. the particular steps taken will depend on the type of attack they intend to carry out. as an example, the assaulter may send email attachments or a malicious link to spur user activity to advance the setup. This activity could also be combined with social engineering techniques to extend the effectiveness of the campaign.

Phase 4: Exploitation

In the Exploitation part, the malicious code is executed among the victim’s system.

Phase 5: Installation

Immediately following the Exploitation part, the malware or different cyber attack vector will be installed on the victim’s system. this is usually a turning point within the attack lifecycle as a result of the threat actor having entered the system and can currently assume control.

Phase 6: Command and Control

In Command & control, the attacker is ready to use the malware to assume remote control of a device or identity within the target network. during this stage, the attacker may also work to move laterally throughout the network, increasing their access and establishing a lot of points of entry for the future.

Phase 7: Actions on Objective

In this stage, the attacker takes steps to hold out their meant goals, which may include data stealing, destruction, encryption, or exfiltration. Over time, many information security specialists have expanded the kill chain to include an eighth step: monetization. during this section, the cyber criminal focuses on account financial gain from the attack, be it through some variety of ransom to be paid by the victim or selling sensitive data, like personal knowledge or trade secrets, on the dark web. Generally speaking, the earlier the organization will stop the threat within the cyber attack lifecycle, the less risk the organization can assume. Attacks that reach the Command and control section generally need much more advanced rectification efforts, together with in-depth sweeps of the network and endpoints to see the dimensions and depth of the attack. As such, organizations should take steps to identify and neutralize threats as early within the lifecycle as possible in order to reduce the danger of a cyber attack and also the value of resolving an incident.

Importance Role of the Cyber Kill Chain in Cyber Security

Despite some shortcomings, the Cyber Kill Chain plays a crucial role in helping organizations define their cybersecurity strategy. As a part of this model, organizations should adopt services and solutions that allow them to:-Detect attackers among every stage of the threat lifecycle with threat intelligence techniques.-Prevent access from unauthorized users- Stop sensitive information from being shared, saved, altered, exfiltrated or encrypted by unauthorized users-Respond to attacks in real-time-Stop lateral movement of an attacker within the network system