Build Image on Host

Detection Strategy for Build Image on Host

Limit Access to Resource Over Network: Restrict access to network resources, such as file shares, remote systems, and services, to only those users, accounts, or systems with a legitimate business requirement. This can include employing technologies like network concentrators, RDP gateways, and zero-trust network access (ZTNA) models, alongside hardening services and protocols. This mitigation can be implemented through the following measures:

Audit and Restrict Access:

• Regularly audit permissions for file shares, network services, and remote access tools.
• Remove unnecessary access and enforce least privilege principles for users and services.
• Use Active Directory and IAM tools to restrict access based on roles and attributes.

Deploy Secure Remote Access Solutions:

• Use RDP gateways, VPN concentrators, and ZTNA solutions to aggregate and secure remote access connections.
• Configure access controls to restrict connections based on time, device, and user identity.
• Enforce MFA for all remote access mechanisms.

Disable Unnecessary Services:

• Identify running services using tools like netstat (Windows/Linux) or Nmap.
• Disable unused services, such as Telnet, FTP, and legacy SMB, to reduce the attack surface.
• Use firewall rules to block traffic on unused ports and protocols.

Network Segmentation and Isolation:

• Use VLANs, firewalls, or micro-segmentation to isolate critical network resources from general access.
• Restrict communication between subnets to prevent lateral movement.

Monitor and Log Access:

• Monitor access attempts to file shares, RDP, and remote network resources using SIEM tools.
• Enable auditing and logging for successful and failed attempts to access restricted resources.

Tools for Implementation

File Share Management:

• Microsoft Active Directory Group Policies
• Samba (Linux/Unix file share management)
• AccessEnum (Windows access auditing tool)

Secure Remote Access:

• Microsoft Remote Desktop Gateway
• Apache Guacamole (open-source RDP/VNC gateway)
• Zero Trust solutions: Tailscale, Cloudflare Zero Trust

Service and Protocol Hardening:

• Nmap or Nessus for network service discovery
• Windows Group Policy Editor for disabling SMBv1, Telnet, and legacy protocols
• iptables or firewalld (Linux) for blocking unnecessary traffic

Network Segmentation:

• pfSense for open-source network isolation

Privileged Account Management: Privileged Account Management focuses on implementing policies, controls, and tools to securely manage privileged accounts (e.g., SYSTEM, root, or administrative accounts). This includes restricting access, limiting the scope of permissions, monitoring privileged account usage, and ensuring accountability through logging and auditing.This mitigation can be implemented through the following measures:

Account Permissions and Roles:

• Implement RBAC and least privilege principles to allocate permissions securely.
• Use tools like Active Directory Group Policies to enforce access restrictions.

Credential Security:

• Deploy password vaulting tools like CyberArk, HashiCorp Vault, or KeePass for secure storage and rotation of credentials.
• Enforce password policies for complexity, uniqueness, and expiration using tools like Microsoft Group Policy Objects (GPO).

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):

• Enforce MFA for all privileged accounts using Duo Security, Okta, or Microsoft Azure AD MFA.

Privileged Access Management (PAM):

• Use PAM solutions like CyberArk, BeyondTrust, or Thycotic to manage, monitor, and audit privileged access.

Auditing and Monitoring:

• Integrate activity monitoring into your SIEM (e.g., Splunk or QRadar) to detect and alert on anomalous privileged account usage.

Just-In-Time Access:

• Deploy JIT solutions like Azure Privileged Identity Management (PIM) or configure ephemeral roles in AWS and GCP to grant time-limited elevated permissions.

Tools for Implementation

Privileged Access Management (PAM):

• CyberArk, BeyondTrust, Thycotic, HashiCorp Vault.

Credential Management:

• Microsoft LAPS (Local Admin Password Solution), Password Safe, HashiCorp Vault, KeePass.

Multi-Factor Authentication:

• Duo Security, Okta, Microsoft Azure MFA, Google Authenticator.

Linux Privilege Management:

• sudo configuration, SELinux, AppArmor.

Just-In-Time Access:

• Azure Privileged Identity Management (PIM), AWS IAM Roles with session constraints, GCP Identity-Aware Proxy.

Network Segmentation: Network segmentation involves dividing a network into smaller, isolated segments to control and limit the flow of traffic between devices, systems, and applications. By segmenting networks, organizations can reduce the attack surface, restrict lateral movement by adversaries, and protect critical assets from compromise.

Effective network segmentation leverages a combination of physical boundaries, logical separation through VLANs, and access control policies enforced by network appliances like firewalls, routers, and cloud-based configurations. This mitigation can be implemented through the following measures:

Segment Critical Systems:

• Identify and group systems based on their function, sensitivity, and risk. Examples include payment systems, HR databases, production systems, and internet-facing servers.
• Use VLANs, firewalls, or routers to enforce logical separation.

Implement DMZ for Public-Facing Services:

• Host web servers, DNS servers, and email servers in a DMZ to limit their access to internal systems.
• Apply strict firewall rules to filter traffic between the DMZ and internal networks.

Use Cloud-Based Segmentation:

• In cloud environments, use VPCs, subnets, and security groups to isolate applications and enforce traffic rules.
• Apply AWS Transit Gateway or Azure VNet peering for controlled connectivity between cloud segments.

Apply Microsegmentation for Workloads:

• Use software-defined networking (SDN) tools to implement workload-level segmentation and prevent lateral movement.

Restrict Traffic with ACLs and Firewalls:

• Apply Access Control Lists (ACLs) to network devices to enforce "deny by default" policies.
• Use firewalls to restrict both north-south (external-internal) and east-west (internal-internal) traffic.

Monitor and Audit Segmented Networks:

• Regularly review firewall rules, ACLs, and segmentation policies.
• Monitor network flows for anomalies to ensure segmentation is effective.

Test Segmentation Effectiveness:

• Perform periodic penetration tests to verify that unauthorized access is blocked between network segments.

Audit: Auditing is the process of recording activity and systematically reviewing and analyzing the activity and system configurations. The primary purpose of auditing is to detect anomalies and identify potential threats or weaknesses in the environment. Proper auditing configurations can also help to meet compliance requirements. The process of auditing encompasses regular analysis of user behaviors and system logs in support of proactive security measures.

Auditing is applicable to all systems used within an organization, from the front door of a building to accessing a file on a fileserver. It is considered more critical for regulated industries such as, healthcare, finance and government where compliance requirements demand stringent tracking of user and system activates.This mitigation can be implemented through the following measures:

System Audit:

• Use Case: Regularly assess system configurations to ensure compliance with organizational security policies.
• Implementation: Use tools to scan for deviations from established benchmarks.

Permission Audits:

• Use Case: Review file and folder permissions to minimize the risk of unauthorized access or privilege escalation.
• Implementation: Run access reviews to identify users or groups with excessive permissions.

Software Audits:

• Use Case: Identify outdated, unsupported, or insecure software that could serve as an attack vector.
• Implementation: Use inventory and vulnerability scanning tools to detect outdated versions and recommend secure alternatives.

Configuration Audits:

• Use Case: Evaluate system and network configurations to ensure secure settings (e.g., disabled SMBv1, enabled MFA).
• Implementation: Implement automated configuration scanning tools like SCAP (Security Content Automation Protocol) to identify non-compliant systems.

Network Audits:

• Use Case: Examine network traffic, firewall rules, and endpoint communications to identify unauthorized or insecure connections.
• Implementation: Utilize tools such as Wireshark, or Zeek to monitor and log suspicious network behavior.