Speaker 1: Welcome to another deep dive, and this time we're tackling
Speaker 1: something that's been making headlines way too often. Ransomware. You know,
Speaker 1: I'm a little nervous about this one because we're diving
Speaker 1: deep into Windows Ransomware Detection and Protection. That's a whole
Speaker 1: book by Matt Davidson and Niddish Nund And let me
Speaker 1: tell you, just skimming through these excerpts, it's pretty intense.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a real wake of call. These authors. They
Speaker 2: don't sugarcoat anything. They've seen how devastating ransomware can be firsthand.
Speaker 1: You know, I used to think ransomware was just about
Speaker 1: like some loan hacker and a basement, locking up your
Speaker 1: files and demanding money.
Speaker 2: Right, almost like a Hollywood movie.
Speaker 1: Yeah, But this book, it pays a much bigger picture. Right.
Speaker 1: We're talking financial losses, operational downtime, and the possibility of
Speaker 1: companies going bankrupt after an attack.
Speaker 2: It's scary stuff. And what's even more alarming is how
Speaker 2: ransomware itself has evolved. It's not just about encrypting data anymore.
Speaker 2: Attackers are stealing it too, using the threat of leaking
Speaker 2: sensitive information to us. You're victims into paying up.
Speaker 1: Oh, Yeah, like that case with JBS Foods. They mentioned
Speaker 1: in the book, the Sodinokuburvil group hit them with a
Speaker 1: massive ransomware attack and just walked away with eleven million dollars.
Speaker 1: That's a lot of stakes.
Speaker 2: That's the point, right. Attacks are becoming increasingly targeted. They're
Speaker 2: even hitting critical infrastructure. It's not just your personal files
Speaker 2: at risk anymore. It's about disrupting essential services. So understanding
Speaker 2: how these attacks happen that's crucial.
Speaker 1: Okay. So the book uses this term attack vectors, which
Speaker 1: I gotta say sounds a little intimidating. What are those exactly?
Speaker 2: Okay? So think of it like breaking into a house.
Speaker 2: You could pick a lock, find a hidden key, or
Speaker 2: even smash a window. Each of those methods, those would
Speaker 2: be an attack vector, a path that an attacker uses
Speaker 2: to gain access to your systems. Got it?
Speaker 1: Okay? So what are the most common entry points for
Speaker 1: these ransomware attacks.
Speaker 2: It often starts with something deceptively simple, like compromise credentials
Speaker 2: or phishing emails. You know those emails that trick you
Speaker 2: into clicking a bad link or opening it in face
Speaker 2: to attachment.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I know those all too well. I almost
Speaker 1: fell for one a few weeks ago. It looked exactly
Speaker 1: like an email from my bank exactly.
Speaker 2: That's why awareness is so crucial. Phishing attacks are getting
Speaker 2: incredibly sophisticated. Once attackers gain that initial access, they start
Speaker 2: moving through your network like digital ninjas, looking for vulnerabilities
Speaker 2: to exploit. They try to establish a persistent presence. Think
Speaker 2: of it like setting up back doors, and then finally
Speaker 2: they execute the payload, which is the actual ransomware that
Speaker 2: encrypts your data.
Speaker 1: It's almost like a military operation with different phases and objectives.
Speaker 2: That's a good way to think about it, and this
Speaker 2: book it does a great job of explaining those phases
Speaker 2: in detail, especially when it comes to Windows environments.
Speaker 1: Right, So, what are some of the specific vulnerabilities that
Speaker 1: attackers target in Windows?
Speaker 2: There are a lot, but this book highlights a few
Speaker 2: key areas, things like Citrix, ADC, Microsoft Exchange, fortin Net, POLSEVPN,
Speaker 2: even Sonic Wall. These are all systems is that if
Speaker 2: they're not properly configured, can provide an opening for attackers.
Speaker 1: So it's not just about having these systems in place,
Speaker 1: it's about making sure they're properly secured.
Speaker 2: Exactly, and The problem is these vulnerabilities are constantly evolving.
Speaker 2: Attackers are always finding new ways to exploit weaknesses in
Speaker 2: software and hardware. That's why staying informed about the latest
Speaker 2: vulnerabilities is so important.
Speaker 1: So where do we even start with all of this?
Speaker 1: It feels like a never ending battle.
Speaker 2: It can feel that way, But there's a fundamental shift
Speaker 2: in how we think about security that can really help,
Speaker 2: and this book dives right into it. The concept of
Speaker 2: zero trust.
Speaker 1: Zero trust. That sounds pretty intense.
Speaker 2: It is a big change. It's about moving away from
Speaker 2: that old way of thinking where we assumed everything inside
Speaker 2: our network was safe. Instead, zero trust says we should
Speaker 2: verify every user and device every single time.
Speaker 1: So no more trusting just because something is inside our
Speaker 1: network perimeter.
Speaker 2: Exactly. It's like having a security checkpoint at every door
Speaker 2: in your house instead of just relying on a lock
Speaker 2: on the front door.
Speaker 1: Okay, I like that analogy. But how do we actually
Speaker 1: put zero trust into practice? It seems like a pretty
Speaker 1: abstract concept.
Speaker 2: It's not just theory. This book breaks it down into
Speaker 2: five key pillars that you can actually apply in a
Speaker 2: real world setting.
Speaker 1: Okay, let's hear those five pillars first.
Speaker 2: There's identity, making sure we know exactly who was accessing
Speaker 2: our systems and that their credentials are secure. Then there's
Speaker 2: device ensuring that only trusted and compliant devices are allowed in.
Speaker 1: So it's not enough to just have a username and password.
Speaker 1: The device itself needs to be secure exactly.
Speaker 2: And then we have the network environment pillar, which is
Speaker 2: all about segmenting our networks to limit the spread of
Speaker 2: an attack. Think of it like compartmentalizing a ship. If
Speaker 2: one compartment is breached, the entire ship doesn't.
Speaker 1: Sink, right, It's about containing the damage.
Speaker 2: Now for the application pillar, which focuses on securing the
Speaker 2: applications themselves, ensuring they're not vulnerable to attack. And finally,
Speaker 2: there's data, protecting the most valuable asset of all. This
Speaker 2: involves encrypting sensitive information and controlling who has access.
Speaker 1: It's like a multi layered defense system with checks and
Speaker 1: balances at every level exactly.
Speaker 2: And this book argues that zero trust it's essential in
Speaker 2: today's threat landscape, especially as we deal with increasingly sophisticated
Speaker 2: ransomware attacks.
Speaker 1: Yeah, makes sense, So how does zero trust actually translate
Speaker 1: into practical steps, especially for Windows users?
Speaker 2: Well, for starters, Windows has a feature called attax surface
Speaker 2: Reduction rules or ASR rules. These rules are built into
Speaker 2: Windows ten and later editions, and they are a fantastic
Speaker 2: way to harden your endpoints against attacks.
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm intrigued. Give me an example of what these
Speaker 1: ASR rules can actually do.
Speaker 2: They can control which applications are allowed to run on
Speaker 2: your system, restrict access to sensitive folders, and even protect
Speaker 2: against exploits that attackers might use to gain control.
Speaker 1: It sounds like they're putting up roadblocks at every turn.
Speaker 2: They are, and the best part is they're built right
Speaker 2: into Windows. This book goes into detail about setting up
Speaker 2: ASR rules using Endpoint Manager, which is a powerful tool
Speaker 2: for managing security settings across your organization.
Speaker 1: So they're not just for like tech savvy users. Anyone
Speaker 1: can implement these protections.
Speaker 2: That's the goal, make security accessible and effective for everyone.
Speaker 1: I like it. The book also mentioned some additional protections
Speaker 1: like Microsoft Defender, Application Guard and Credential Guard. What are
Speaker 1: those all about?
Speaker 2: Those are designed to protect against attacks that specifically target
Speaker 2: your credentials. Application Guard it basically isolates untrusted websites and
Speaker 2: files in a secure container like a virtual sandbox, so
Speaker 2: even if they contain malicious code, they can't harm your
Speaker 2: main system.
Speaker 1: It's like giving them a safe space to play without
Speaker 1: causing any real damage exactly.
Speaker 2: And Credential Guard takes a similar approach, but focuses on
Speaker 2: protecting your log in credentials. It uses virtualization based security
Speaker 2: to prevent attackers from stealing passwords and other sensitive information
Speaker 2: even if they manage to get onto your device.
Speaker 1: So even if they breach the perimeter, they can't get
Speaker 1: their hands on the keys to the kingdom.
Speaker 2: That's the idea. It adds another layer of protection.
Speaker 1: Okay, this is all starting to come together. We've got
Speaker 1: our perimeter defenses with zero trust, and now we're layering
Speaker 1: on additional protections like ASR rules and credential Guard. What
Speaker 1: else should we have on our radar when it comes
Speaker 1: to protecting our Windows end points?
Speaker 2: DNS filtering is another important piece of the puzzle. It's
Speaker 2: like having a security guard at the entrance to your network,
Speaker 2: checking everyone's ID before they're allowed in.
Speaker 1: But how does that work? Exactly? I mean, isn't the
Speaker 1: Internet just a bunch of websites?
Speaker 2: It is, but every website has a unique address like
Speaker 2: a phone number called a DNS name, and DNS filtering
Speaker 2: basically blocks access to known malicious websites by checking those
Speaker 2: names against the list of bad actors, So.
Speaker 1: It stops you from accidentally stumbling onto a dangerous website.
Speaker 2: Precisely, and it can block a lot of malicious traffic
Speaker 2: before it even reaches your computer. This book highlights the
Speaker 2: fact that over two hundred thousand new domains are registered
Speaker 2: every month, and most of them are malicious, so having
Speaker 2: that extra layer of protection can make a big difference.
Speaker 1: It's amazing how much is going on behind the scenes
Speaker 1: that we don't even realize it is.
Speaker 2: And there's another powerful tool built into Windows that we
Speaker 2: need to talk about, securing PowerShell.
Speaker 1: PowerShell that sounds familiar, but I'm not exactly sure what
Speaker 1: it is.
Speaker 2: It's a powerful scripting language that's built into Windows that
Speaker 2: administrators use to automate tasks and manage systems, but unfortunately,
Speaker 2: attackers can use it for malicious purposes too.
Speaker 1: Oh no, another double edged sword, you got it.
Speaker 2: That's why securing PowerShell is so crucial, and this book
Speaker 2: gives some practical advice on how to do that.
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm all ears, what are the key things we
Speaker 1: should be doing to protect ourselves. When it comes to PowerShell.
Speaker 2: Enabling logging is a must. It helps track suspicious PowerShell
Speaker 2: activity so you can investigate if something fishy is going on.
Speaker 2: You can even use a security information and event management
Speaker 2: system or see them like Microsoft Sentinel to monitor those
Speaker 2: logs and alert you to potential threats.
Speaker 1: So it's like having a security camera recording all PowerShell
Speaker 1: activity just in case you need to review the footage
Speaker 1: later exactly.
Speaker 2: And speaking of reviewing footage, there's another protocol we should
Speaker 2: talk about, securing the SMB protocol SMB.
Speaker 1: That one rings a bell, but refresh my memory.
Speaker 2: SMB is used for file sharing in Windows networks. It's
Speaker 2: how you access files on a shared drive, for example.
Speaker 2: But older versions of SMB, especially SMBv one, are outdated
Speaker 2: and vulnerable to attack.
Speaker 1: So what do we do about that? Just disable it
Speaker 1: altogether if possible.
Speaker 2: Yes, this book has specific constructions on how to disable
Speaker 2: SMBv one on different versions of Windows. It's a relatively
Speaker 2: simple step that can significantly improve your security posture.
Speaker 1: It's incredible how many things we need to consider to
Speaker 1: stay secure these days.
Speaker 2: It is. And there's one more concept I want to
Speaker 2: introduce that might surprise you ol BAILES, which stands for
Speaker 2: Living off the Land Binaries and Scripts LLLBS.
Speaker 1: Now that's a mouthful. What is that all about?
Speaker 2: It basically means that attackers are using legit intimate system tools,
Speaker 2: the ones that are already on your computer to carry
Speaker 2: out their attacks. They're blending in making it harder to
Speaker 2: detect their malicious activity.
Speaker 1: So they're using our own tools against us.
Speaker 2: Exactly. They might use something like PowerShell or a system
Speaker 2: utility to download malware, execute commands, or even steal data.
Speaker 2: It's a stealthy tactic that's becoming increasingly popular.
Speaker 1: That's seriously sneaky. So how do we even defend against that.
Speaker 2: Well, awareness is key. Knowing that this tactic exists is
Speaker 2: the first step. Then you can use tools like cisman
Speaker 2: to monitor for suspicious use of these legitimate binaries.
Speaker 1: Sismon tell me more.
Speaker 2: It's a free tool from Microsoft that monitors and logs
Speaker 2: system activity, including the use of system binaries. So if
Speaker 2: an attacker tries to use a legitimate tool for malicious purposes,
Speaker 2: cismin can catch it and alert you.
Speaker 1: So it's like having a detective on your computer or
Speaker 1: watching for any suspicious behavior.
Speaker 2: That's a great way to put it, and the beauty
Speaker 2: of Cisman is that it's very configurable. You can fine
Speaker 2: tune it to monitor specific events and alert you to
Speaker 2: specific threats. This book even provides some example configurations that
Speaker 2: you can use.
Speaker 1: This is all incredibly helpful information, but I have to
Speaker 1: admit I'm starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. There are
Speaker 1: so many things to consider.
Speaker 2: I understand it can be a lot to take in,
Speaker 2: but don't worry. We're going to break it all down
Speaker 2: into manageable steps. And remember, the goal isn't to implement
Speaker 2: every single security measure out there. It's about finding the
Speaker 2: right balance for your specific needs and resources.
Speaker 1: That's reassuring. So we've covered a lot about securing our
Speaker 1: Windows end points and understanding the tactics tackers use, But
Speaker 1: what about protecting our actual user identities? I mean, that
Speaker 1: feels like the first line of defense, right.
Speaker 2: You're absolutely right, and that's where we'll pick things up.
Speaker 2: In the next part of our deep dive. We'll delve
Speaker 2: into the world of multi factor authentication, strong passwords, and
Speaker 2: other essential strategies for protecting user identities in the age
Speaker 2: of ransomware.
Speaker 1: Okay, can't wait, all right, So let's dive into protecting
Speaker 1: those user identities. This feels especially crucial now that so
Speaker 1: much of our lives are you online.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and this book it stresses that multi factor authentication,
Speaker 2: or MFA, it's non negotiable. It's surprisingly easy to set
Speaker 2: up and incredibly effective at stopping attacks.
Speaker 1: I've heard it mentioned a lot, but honestly, I'm still
Speaker 1: a little fuzzy on how it actually works. Can you
Speaker 1: break it down for me?
Speaker 2: Sure? Think of it like this, MFA is like adding
Speaker 2: an extra lock to your front door. Even if someone
Speaker 2: gets their hands on your house key, they still can't
Speaker 2: get in without that second lock.
Speaker 1: So it's about having multiple layers of security for our accounts.
Speaker 2: Exactly. With MFA, you need to prove your identity in
Speaker 2: more than one way. So in addition to your passwords,
Speaker 2: you might need to enter a code sent to your phone,
Speaker 2: use a fingerprint scam, or prove a notification on a
Speaker 2: trusted device.
Speaker 1: That makes sense. So even if someone steals your password,
Speaker 1: they can't get in without that second factor, right.
Speaker 2: And what's great is that this book walks you through
Speaker 2: setting up MFA using Azure ad Conditional Access, which lets
Speaker 2: you manage it all in one central location. They also
Speaker 2: talk about the Windows NPS extension for Azure MFA for
Speaker 2: those using radius based authentication on their on premises systems.
Speaker 1: That's good to know, especially for folks who might be
Speaker 1: dealing with a mix of cloud and on premises systems.
Speaker 1: But what about passwords themselves? Any tips on creating those
Speaker 1: super strong ones?
Speaker 2: Here's where things get interesting. This book actually challenges those
Speaker 2: traditional password complexity rules that we all kind of grew
Speaker 2: up with, you know, the ones that force you to
Speaker 2: use uppercase, lowercase numbers and symbols.
Speaker 1: Wait, really, I thought those were like the gold standard
Speaker 1: for password security.
Speaker 2: Turns out, it's not so much about complexity as it
Speaker 2: is about length. The longer your password, the harder it
Speaker 2: is to crack. I think passphrase is easy to remember
Speaker 2: sentences or combinations of words. The book even suggests checking
Speaker 2: out the nord pass list of common passwords. It's eye
Speaker 2: opening to see how easily weak passwords are cracked.
Speaker 1: Oh, I'll definitely check that out. Knowledge is power, as
Speaker 1: they say, But what about managing all these long pass phrases,
Speaker 1: especially within an organization? Active directory is still the king
Speaker 1: for that right.
Speaker 2: Yes, and for good reason. It lets you enforce password
Speaker 2: policies and monitor for brute force attacks where someone tries
Speaker 2: to guess passwords by trying tons of combinations. This book
Speaker 2: explains how to do that in both active directory and
Speaker 2: to azure AD.
Speaker 1: So it's not just about having strong passwords, it's about
Speaker 1: having the systems in place to manage them effectively.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and there are some really advanced tools out there too.
Speaker 2: The book highlights azure ad Identity Protection, or a DIP.
Speaker 2: It uses machine learning to detect risky sign ins, like
Speaker 2: someone logging in from an unusual location or advice they've
Speaker 2: never used before.
Speaker 1: It's like having a security guard for your logins, always
Speaker 1: on the lookout for anything suspicious.
Speaker 2: A very smart security guard. The book also suggests taking
Speaker 2: some additional steps, like restricting Internet access to your domain
Speaker 2: controllers and disabling non critical services. Every little bit helps
Speaker 2: to reduce your attack surface.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we've covered a lot about securing Windows endpoints,
Speaker 1: protecting user identity, which is clearly a huge deal. But
Speaker 1: what about email that feels like a major gateway for
Speaker 1: these attacks.
Speaker 2: You're hitting on a crucial point. Email is often that
Speaker 2: first line of defense, but it's also a prime target
Speaker 2: for phishing attacks, which is how a lot of ransomware
Speaker 2: infections start.
Speaker 1: I feel like I'm pretty good at spotting phishing emails,
Speaker 1: but sometimes they are just so convincing.
Speaker 2: That's why it's so important to understand that different types
Speaker 2: of phishing attacks and how to protect against them.
Speaker 1: Okay, what kinds of phishing emails are we talking about here?
Speaker 2: Well, some use malicious domains websites that are specifically designed
Speaker 2: to steal your information. Others spoof legitimate domains, making you
Speaker 2: look like the emails coming from your bank or a
Speaker 2: trusted colleague.
Speaker 1: Those are the ones that really get me. I'm always
Speaker 1: double checking the center address now.
Speaker 2: And then there are emails that contain malicious content, either
Speaker 2: in the body of the email itself or hidden within attachments.
Speaker 2: These could be links that download malware onto your computer
Speaker 2: or attachments that unleash the ransomware when you open them.
Speaker 1: Yikes, that's terrifying. So what are the best defenses against
Speaker 1: these sneaky attacks.
Speaker 2: One major step is protecting your domain, and this book
Speaker 2: goes into detail about three technologies that are key for this, SBF, DTM,
Speaker 2: and DRC. I know more acronyms, but they're really powerful tools.
Speaker 1: Hit me with the breakdown. What do those even stand for?
Speaker 2: Okay? So SBS stands for Sender Policy Framework, and it
Speaker 2: helps prevent email spoofing by verifying that the sender is
Speaker 2: actually authorized to send email from that particular domain. It's
Speaker 2: like a digital signature for your email domain.
Speaker 1: So it's a way to make sure the email is
Speaker 1: actually coming from who it says it's coming from.
Speaker 2: Right. Then there's DCAM, which stands for Domain Keys Identified Mail.
Speaker 2: This adds a digital signature to each email, ensuring it
Speaker 2: hasn't been tampered with while traveling across the Internet. Think
Speaker 2: of it like a seal of authenticity.
Speaker 1: Okay, So SBS confirms the sender and DCAM makes sure
Speaker 1: the message itself hasn't been messed with. What about this
Speaker 1: DMRX thing.
Speaker 2: Dmr RC, or Domain based Message Authentic Reporting and Conformance
Speaker 2: builds on those other two by telling email providers what
Speaker 2: to do with the emails that fail those SPF and
Speaker 2: DCAM checks.
Speaker 1: So it's like setting the rules of engagement for your
Speaker 1: email domain.
Speaker 2: You got it, and thankfully, implementing these is pretty straightforward,
Speaker 2: especially in Office three sixty five. The book even recommends
Speaker 2: using mxtoolbox dot com to check if your domain's SPF,
Speaker 2: DKM and DBR settings are configured correctly. It's a free tool,
Speaker 2: so no excuses.
Speaker 1: That's a great tip. But what about protecting the actual
Speaker 1: content of emails, those links and attachments. How can we
Speaker 1: be sure we're not clicking on something dangerous?
Speaker 2: This is where Microsoft Exchange Online Protection comes into play,
Speaker 2: especially if you're an Office three sixty five user. It's
Speaker 2: like having a whole team of security experts analyzing your
Speaker 2: emails for threats.
Speaker 1: I'm listening. What kind of protection does it offer? Well?
Speaker 2: It includes features like safe Attachments, which scans attachments form
Speaker 2: malicious code before they even reach your inbox.
Speaker 1: It's like having a bomb squad check each attachment before
Speaker 1: you open it exactly.
Speaker 2: And then there's safe Links, which lies links in emails
Speaker 2: and blocks you from accessing dangerous websites. Plus, it has
Speaker 2: anti phishing and anti spoofing protection that use machine learning
Speaker 2: to identify and block suspicious emails based on things like
Speaker 2: the content, the sender and other factors.
Speaker 1: Wow, so they're really throwing everything they've got at protecting
Speaker 1: our inboxes.
Speaker 2: They are, And this book even mentions a cool new
Speaker 2: senter called zero hour Autoperge or ZAP, which lets you
Speaker 2: neutralize those malicious emails retroactively. So even if a bad
Speaker 2: email slips through the cracks, ZAP can find it later
Speaker 2: and remove it from your inbox before it can cause
Speaker 2: any harm.
Speaker 1: That's amazing. It's like having a time machine for your email,
Speaker 1: going back and fixing any mistakes.
Speaker 2: It's a pretty slick feature. And the book even tells
Speaker 2: you how to use PowerShell to extend safe attachments protection
Speaker 2: to share point in on drive, so those file sharing
Speaker 2: platforms are covered too.
Speaker 1: That's good to know. It seems like we have a
Speaker 1: lot of tools to secure email, but what about accessing
Speaker 1: all those resources behind the company firewall. What's the best
Speaker 1: way to do that securely? Especially with so many people
Speaker 1: working remotely these days.
Speaker 2: That's where traditional VPNs start to show their limitations. You see,
Speaker 2: VPNs often operate on the idea of a trusted network,
Speaker 2: which goes against that whole zero trust principle we talked
Speaker 2: about earlier.
Speaker 1: Right, Well, a VPN, you're basically given access to the
Speaker 1: entire network, even if you just need one specific resource.
Speaker 1: It's like being given the keys to every room in
Speaker 1: a hotel when you only booked one.
Speaker 2: That's a great analogy, and that's why ZTNA or zero
Speaker 2: trust Network Access is becoming so popular. ZTNA solutions they
Speaker 2: provide granular, secure access to specific resources, regardless of where
Speaker 2: the user or the resource is located.
Speaker 1: So it's like having a custom tailored security tunnel for
Speaker 1: each application.
Speaker 2: Precisely, ZTNA ensures that users are only granted access to
Speaker 2: the resources they need and only after their identity and
Speaker 2: device have been verified. This book dives into some of
Speaker 2: the vendors and their specific solutions, which can get a
Speaker 2: little technical, but the takeaways that there are options out
Speaker 2: there to fit different needs.
Speaker 1: Okay, so ZTNA is definitely something to explore. But before
Speaker 1: we move on, I want to circle back to DDAs attacks.
Speaker 1: I know we touched on them earlier, but I'm still
Speaker 1: a bit unclear on how they connect to the ransomware threat. Ah.
Speaker 2: Yes, dedos attacks. They're like the digital equivalent of a
Speaker 2: traffic jam, designed to overwhelm your systems and bring everything
Speaker 2: to a grinding halt, and they're often used as a
Speaker 2: smokescreen while deploying ransomware, or as leverage to pressure victims
Speaker 2: into paying the ransom.
Speaker 1: So it's like they're saying pay up or we'll keep
Speaker 1: your website offline.
Speaker 2: Exactly, And this book emphasizes that DDAs attacks are more
Speaker 2: common than you might think. They can be incredibly disruptive
Speaker 2: and costly, with some attacks lasting for days days.
Speaker 1: Wow, that's a long time to be offline. What are
Speaker 1: the different types of dados attacks we need to be
Speaker 1: aware of?
Speaker 2: Well, to keep it simple, you can think of them
Speaker 2: in a few categories. There are volumetric attacks that flood
Speaker 2: your network with tons of traffic, protocol attacks that exploit
Speaker 2: weaknesses and network protocols, and application layer attacks that target
Speaker 2: specif aps so.
Speaker 1: They can attack at different levels of your online infrastructure exactly.
Speaker 2: And then there are amplification attacks which magnify the amount
Speaker 2: of traffic being sent to your system, making it even
Speaker 2: harder to defend against. The good news is that there
Speaker 2: are strategies to mitigate these attacks.
Speaker 1: Okay, so what can we do to protect ourselves?
Speaker 2: One key strategy is using a web application firewall or waveaff.
Speaker 2: It acts like a bouncer for your website, filtering out
Speaker 2: that malicious traffic before it can reach your systems.
Speaker 1: Because it's stopping those floods of traffic before they can
Speaker 1: cause any damage exactly.
Speaker 2: And luckily, with the rise of cloud computing, DDoS protection
Speaker 2: is becoming more accessible. Cloud providers often have the infrastructure
Speaker 2: and tools to handle these large scale attacks.
Speaker 1: That's definitely reassuring. It sounds like d DOS attacks are
Speaker 1: a serious threat, but with the right tools and strategies,
Speaker 1: we can protect ourselves. Now let's shift gears again and
Speaker 1: talk about data protection. We know ransomware is all about
Speaker 1: encrypting data, but this book talks about how attackers are
Speaker 1: now focusing on stealing the data, not just locking it up.
Speaker 2: That's a crucial point. It's no longer just about preventing
Speaker 2: your data from being encrypted. It's about preventing it from
Speaker 2: walking out the door.
Speaker 1: So even if we have strong encryption, we still need
Speaker 1: to think about data exfiltration.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and that's where data classification becomes essential. It's about
Speaker 2: understanding what data is most sensitive and needs that top
Speaker 2: tier protection.
Speaker 1: Okay, so how do we go about classifying data effectively?
Speaker 2: You can think about it in terms of sensitivity levels, low, medium,
Speaker 2: and high.
Speaker 1: Can you give me some examples.
Speaker 2: Sure, Public websites and press releases might fall into the
Speaker 2: low sensitivity category. Emails and documents without any confidential data
Speaker 2: might be medium sensitivity, and then things like financial records,
Speaker 2: intellectual property, customer data, that's all high sensitivity information that
Speaker 2: needs the strongest protection.
Speaker 1: That makes sense, but how do we actually put this
Speaker 1: classification system into practice.
Speaker 2: That's where Azure Information Protection or AIP comes in. It's
Speaker 2: a cloud based service that helps you classify and protect
Speaker 2: sensit data like a digital vault for your most important information.
Speaker 1: So it's not just about encrypting everything, it's about applying
Speaker 1: the right level of protection based on the data sensitivity exactly.
Speaker 2: AIP lets you define labels that reflect how sensitive the
Speaker 2: data is. Then you can use those labels to encrypt,
Speaker 2: watermark and control access. And the great part is that
Speaker 2: it integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office. You can apply those
Speaker 2: sensitivity labels right within word, Excel, PowerPoint, no extra steps needed.
Speaker 1: That's incredibly convenient. But what if you need to encrypt
Speaker 1: data that's not in an Office document.
Speaker 2: AIP handles that too. It works with a wide variety
Speaker 2: of file types and can even protect data in SQL
Speaker 2: server databases. This book even highlights how Microsoft is shifting
Speaker 2: towards built in labeling in Office, making it even easier
Speaker 2: to use.
Speaker 1: This is great information, but what about SQL server specifically?
Speaker 1: Are there like special things we need to do to
Speaker 1: encrypt those databases?
Speaker 2: Seqle server has a couple of powerful tools for this,
Speaker 2: Transparent Data Encryption or TD and always encrypted.
Speaker 1: Okay, those both sound pretty intense. Can you explain what
Speaker 1: they do?
Speaker 2: Sure KDE encrypts your databases at rest, meaning the data
Speaker 2: is encrypted right on the storage device itself. Think of
Speaker 2: it like having a lock on your hard drive, preventing
Speaker 2: unauthorized access.
Speaker 1: So even if someone stole the physical drive, they couldn't
Speaker 1: access the data exactly.
Speaker 2: And always encrypted takes things a step further by encrypting
Speaker 2: the data while it's being used or in memory, so
Speaker 2: even if an attacker got into your server, they couldn't
Speaker 2: read that sensitive data.
Speaker 1: Wow that's impressive, But is there a downside to using
Speaker 1: always encrypted?
Speaker 2: It can be a bit more complex to implement since
Speaker 2: it needs specific drivers and application support, So for those
Speaker 2: handling incredibly sensitive data, it's worth considering.
Speaker 1: This has been a deep dive into data protection. We've
Speaker 1: covered everything from classifying our data and using Azure information
Speaker 1: protection to encrypting SQL server databases. What's next on our
Speaker 1: ransomware protection checklist.
Speaker 2: Now we need to face the music and talk about
Speaker 2: what to do if you've already been attacked. Forensics and
Speaker 2: incident response they're critical.
Speaker 1: Okay, this feels like we're stepping into a CSI episode.
Speaker 1: What are the first steps if we suspect a ransomware attack?
Speaker 2: The book emphasizes the importance of staying calm and following
Speaker 2: a systematic approach. First, isolate those affected systems, think damage controls,
Speaker 2: stop the spread makes sense.
Speaker 1: Contain the situation before it gets worse exactly.
Speaker 2: Then secure your backups and don't forget to determine the
Speaker 2: scope of the attack, what systems are affected, what data
Speaker 2: is at risk.
Speaker 1: So it's like containing a fire and then assessing the damage.
Speaker 2: A perfect analogy. Once you've got to handle on the situation,
Speaker 2: you need to figure out what you're dealing with. This
Speaker 2: book recommends using resources like id Ransomware, a website that
Speaker 2: helps you identify the specific ransomware variant that hit you.
Speaker 1: That's incredibly useful. Knowing the enemy is half the battle, right,
Speaker 1: But what happens after we've identified the ransomware? What's next
Speaker 1: in the investigation.
Speaker 2: Now it's time for some digital detective work. We need
Speaker 2: to start looking for indicators of compromise, those clues that
Speaker 2: help you understand how the attack happened and what the
Speaker 2: attackers did once they were inside.
Speaker 1: So we're piecing together the puzzle of the attack exactly.
Speaker 2: The book suggests looking for clues in the file system,
Speaker 2: the registry, and the event logs. Think of it like
Speaker 2: searching for fingerprints or DNA evidence at a crime scene.
Speaker 1: What kinds of clues should we be looking for.
Speaker 2: You might find suspicious files that were downloaded or executed,
Speaker 2: registry keys that were modified, or event log entries that
Speaker 2: just don't look right. It's all about looking for anything
Speaker 2: out of the ordinary.
Speaker 1: So we need to become digital detectives. What are some
Speaker 1: key areas we should focus on during this investigation?
Speaker 2: This book highlights a few important ones. You need to
Speaker 2: figure out how the attackers got in. Was it a
Speaker 2: phishing email and exploited vulnerability. Once you identify that initial
Speaker 2: access point, you can start tracing their movement through.
Speaker 1: Your systems, like following breadcrumbs back to.
Speaker 2: Precisely, the book recommends looking for signs of lateral movement
Speaker 2: where they jumped from one system to another, and persistence
Speaker 2: where they established a back door to maintain access.
Speaker 1: This is fascinating stuff but also incredibly complex. Are there
Speaker 1: any tools that can help with this? Like digital detective work?
Speaker 2: There are. The book talks about Microsoft Defender for endpoint.
Speaker 2: It can help you investigate things like process activity, registry changes,
Speaker 2: and scheduled tasks. Think of it like a digital forensics lab,
Speaker 2: all in one tool.
Speaker 1: That's incredible. It sounds like something only the pros would use.
Speaker 2: It is powerful, but it's becoming more and more accessible
Speaker 2: to organizations of all sizes. And there are other tools
Speaker 2: out there too, like Bloodhound, which this book mentions as
Speaker 2: being helpful for analyzing active directory relationships and identifying potential
Speaker 2: attack paths.
Speaker 1: So it's like a map showing how attackers might have
Speaker 1: moved through the network exactly.
Speaker 2: Forensics and incident response are complex, but having the right
Speaker 2: tools and techniques can make a world of difference.
Speaker 1: Okay, we've covered a ton of ground securing Windows, endpoints,
Speaker 1: protecting user identity, email security, mitigating dido ASI attacks, protecting data,
Speaker 1: and even responding to an attack. What other advanced protection
Speaker 1: strategies are out there for those who want to go
Speaker 1: the extra mile?
Speaker 2: Let's talk about mimicats. A post exploitation tool that attackers
Speaker 2: love to.
Speaker 1: Use, mimicats. That sounds kind of cute. Is it as
Speaker 1: dangerous as it sounds?
Speaker 2: Don't let the name fool you.
Speaker 1: You.
Speaker 2: Mimicats can extract credentials from memory, manipulate Carbaro's tickets, and
Speaker 2: even perform past the hash attacks where they reuse stolen
Speaker 2: password hashes to access other systems.
Speaker 1: So it's like a master key for attackers.
Speaker 2: It can be. And what makes it so dangerous is
Speaker 2: that it can bypass standard credential protection mechanisms.
Speaker 1: Okay, now I'm really worried. What can we do to
Speaker 1: protect ourselves from this mimicats thing?
Speaker 2: This book recommends using Attack Surface Production rules, which we
Speaker 2: talked about earlier. Yeah, these rules can specifically target and
Speaker 2: block credential stealing from the Windows Local Security Authority subsystem,
Speaker 2: which mimicats often targets.
Speaker 1: So ASR rules to the rescue.
Speaker 2: Again, they're a versatile tool. And speaking of protection, let's
Speaker 2: talk about remote desktop management. Remote Desktop Protocol or RDP
Speaker 2: is super convenient for accessing computers remotely, but it can
Speaker 2: also be a big security risk if not properly configured.
Speaker 1: What are the best practices for securing RDP.
Speaker 2: Enabling Network level authentication or NLA is a must. It
Speaker 2: requires users to authenticate before connection is even established, making
Speaker 2: it much harder for attackers to brute force their way in.
Speaker 1: So it's like having a security guard at the entrance,
Speaker 1: checking everyone's credentials before letting them in exactly.
Speaker 2: The book also mentions a newer feature called Remote Credential Guard,
Speaker 2: which enhances RDP security by isolating credentials and preventing them
Speaker 2: from being stolen during those remote sessions.
Speaker 1: It sounds like Microsoft is really taking RDP security seriously.
Speaker 2: They are, and it's not just about RDP. The book
Speaker 2: also emphasizes the importance of Windows Firewall best practices. They
Speaker 2: suggest sticking to the default settings, blocking incoming connections by default,
Speaker 2: and enabling logging for dropped.
Speaker 1: Packets, so it's like having a security log that records
Speaker 1: any suspicious activity precisely.
Speaker 2: And here's another interesting technique, canary tokens.
Speaker 1: Canary tokens like those birds they used to use in
Speaker 1: coal mines.
Speaker 2: Exactly. They're decoy files or systems designed to alert you
Speaker 2: if they're accessed. So if an attacker stumbles upon a
Speaker 2: canary token, it's like setting off an alarm.
Speaker 1: That's a really clever way to detect suspicious activity. Okay,
Speaker 1: so we've covered a lot of ground with these advanced
Speaker 1: protection strategies, but are there any common threads, any overarching
Speaker 1: themes that tie this all together.
Speaker 2: Absolutely. One key takeaway is that security is all about layers.
Speaker 2: You're not just relying on one single defense. You're building
Speaker 2: multiple layers of protection to make it as difficult as
Speaker 2: possible for attackers to succeed.
Speaker 1: It's like building a castle with moats, walls and guard
Speaker 1: towers exactly.
Speaker 2: And another important theme is vigilance. The threat landscape is
Speaker 2: constantly changing, so you need to stay informed about the
Speaker 2: latest threats and vulnerabilities. This book is a great resource
Speaker 2: for that, but also tons of other resources available online
Speaker 2: and through industry organizations.
Speaker 1: Right, it's about staying ahead of the curve and always learning.
Speaker 2: And don't forget about the human element. We've talked about
Speaker 2: technical solutions, but security awareness is just as important, if
Speaker 2: not more so.
Speaker 1: You're right, technology can only take us so far. We
Speaker 1: need to educate our users about the threats and how
Speaker 1: to stay safe.
Speaker 2: Exactly because at the end of the day, security is
Speaker 2: everyone's responsibility. It's a team effort, and we all need
Speaker 2: to work together to stay protected.
Speaker 1: Well said, this deep dive into ransomware protection has been
Speaker 1: incredibly eye opening. I feel like I've learned so much,
Speaker 1: but I also realize that there's always more to learn.
Speaker 2: That's the beauty of security. It's a constantly evolving field,
Speaker 2: but by staying informed and proactive, we can stay ahead
Speaker 2: of the threats and protect ourselves and our organizations.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we've covered a ton in this episode, from
Speaker 1: understanding ransomware tactics and securing Windows, to the importance of
Speaker 1: user education and you know, having rock solid backups.
Speaker 2: In quite a journey it has.
Speaker 1: But before we wrap things up, I'm curious about something.
Speaker 1: This book focuses on Windows, but what about the cloud?
Speaker 1: How does that impact our approach to ransomware protection.
Speaker 2: That's a great question and something more and more organizations
Speaker 2: are grappling with as they move their operations to the cloud.
Speaker 1: It seems like the cloud would offer more security since
Speaker 1: those providers have such vast resources and expertise.
Speaker 2: There are definitely advantages. Cloud providers often have robust security
Speaker 2: features and economies of scale that can enhance.
Speaker 1: Protection, like those massive dds mitigation capability as we talked
Speaker 1: about earlier, exactly, but.
Speaker 2: The cloud also introduces new challenges shared responsibility models, complex configurations,
Speaker 2: and the sheer scale of cloud environments it can make
Speaker 2: securing everything effectively quite tricky.
Speaker 1: So it's not a magic bullet. We can't just assume
Speaker 1: everything is safe just because it's in the cloud.
Speaker 2: Definitely not. You need to be just as strategic about
Speaker 2: your cloud security as you would with any on premises environment.
Speaker 1: So what are the key things to keep in mind
Speaker 1: when securing cloud environments against ransomware?
Speaker 2: This book mentions Azure specifically, and Microsoft has been putting
Speaker 2: a lot of effort into cloud security.
Speaker 1: That makes sense. They're a major player in both the
Speaker 1: cloud and security spaces they are.
Speaker 2: Azure offers a whole suite of security features, things like
Speaker 2: as your Security Center, as your Sentinel, and Azure Information Protection,
Speaker 2: all of which can play a part in your ransomware
Speaker 2: protection strategy.
Speaker 1: So it's about understanding those cloud specific tools and using
Speaker 1: them to our advantage.
Speaker 2: Exactly, And don't forget the fundamentals. Strong passwords, multi factor authentication,
Speaker 2: regular security updates. Those are all just as critical in
Speaker 2: the cloud as they are on premises.
Speaker 1: It's like those security basics are universal regardless of where
Speaker 1: our data lives exactly.
Speaker 2: And remember, the threat landscape is constantly evolving, so stay
Speaker 2: informed about new threats and strategies.
Speaker 1: It's a never ending learning process.
Speaker 2: It is, but it's essential for staying ahead of the curve.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we've talked about the cloud and the importance
Speaker 1: of continuous learning, but what about emerging technologies? Are there
Speaker 1: any on the horizon that could help us fight ransomware
Speaker 1: even more effectively?
Speaker 2: There are some exciting developments to keep an eye on.
Speaker 2: Artificial intelligence and machine learning are playing a bigger role
Speaker 2: in threat detection and response.
Speaker 1: So it's like having an army of AI powered security
Speaker 1: analysts constantly analyzing data for.
Speaker 2: Threats, a very smart army. And then there's blockchain technology,
Speaker 2: which is being explored for its potential to secure backups
Speaker 2: and prevent data tampering.
Speaker 1: Wait blockchain, the technology behind cryptocurrencies, could that really help
Speaker 1: protect against ransomware?
Speaker 2: Still early days, but the potential is there. Blockchains, immutability
Speaker 2: and decentralization could be game changers for data security. And
Speaker 2: then there's quantum computing, which has the potential to completely
Speaker 2: revolutionize cryptography and cybersecurity as we know it.
Speaker 1: Quantum computing. Now that sounds like something straight out of
Speaker 1: a science fiction movie does.
Speaker 2: But it's becoming a reality and it will have a
Speaker 2: huge impact on how we protect our data in the future.
Speaker 1: It's both exciting and a little bit daunting to think about.
Speaker 1: But for our listeners who are dealing with the very
Speaker 1: real threat of ransomware today, what's the single most important
Speaker 1: piece of advice you can give them.
Speaker 2: Don't wait until you're a victim to take action. Start
Speaker 2: building your defenses now. Implement a layered security approach, educate
Speaker 2: your users, and have that solid backup and recovery plan
Speaker 2: in place.
Speaker 1: So it all comes back to those fundamentals we've been
Speaker 1: talking about, being proactive, informed, and prepared exactly.
Speaker 2: Security is a journey, not a destination.
Speaker 1: Well said, This deep dive into ransomware protection has been
Speaker 1: truly insightful. We've learned so much from the tactics attackers
Speaker 1: use and the layers of defense we need to build,
Speaker 1: to the critical role of user education and those emerging
Speaker 1: technologies that could change the game entirely.
Speaker 2: It's been a place you're sharing this information.
Speaker 1: A huge thank you to our expert for guiding us
Speaker 1: through this complex topic, and to our listeners, thank you
Speaker 1: for joining us on this deep dive. Remember knowledge is
Speaker 1: power when it comes to cybersecurity. Stay vigilant, stay informed,
Speaker 1: and stay safe out there alone