Enhancing Cyber Threat Intelligence: Five Techniques for Effective Investigations

In an era where cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, organizations must adopt a proactive approach to defend against potential attacks. Understanding the current threat landscape is crucial, which involves continuously expanding knowledge about new and ongoing threats. Cyber threat intelligence (CTI) is a vital component of this strategy, enabling organizations to anticipate, detect, and respond to threats effectively. This article explores five techniques that can significantly enhance your threat investigations.

1. Pivoting on C2 IP Addresses to Pinpoint Malware

Command and Control (C2) servers are crucial for malware operations, allowing attackers to communicate with compromised systems. By analyzing IP addresses associated with these servers, analysts can gather valuable insights into malware behavior and infrastructure. The pivoting method allows investigators to use existing indicators, such as C2 IP addresses, to uncover additional context about the threat.

Analysts can leverage threat intelligence databases, such as ANY.RUN’s Threat Intelligence Lookup, which offers over 40 query parameters, including network indicators, registry paths, and specific threat names. This tool enables analysts to correlate indicators with sandbox sessions, providing a comprehensive view of the threat landscape.

For instance, querying the IP address 162.254.34.31 reveals its association with the AgentTesla malware, along with related domains and ports used for communication. This information is invaluable for updating defenses and understanding the attack’s context.

2. Using URLs to Expose Threat Actors’ Infrastructure

URLs play a critical role in cyber threats, particularly in malware distribution and phishing attacks. By analyzing domains and subdomains, analysts can identify malicious URLs and uncover the infrastructure used by attackers. For example, the Lumma malware utilizes URLs ending in ".shop" to host its payloads. By submitting this indicator to the Threat Intelligence Lookup, analysts can track the latest domains associated with Lumma’s attacks.

3. Identifying Threats by Specific MITRE TTPs

The MITRE ATT&CK framework provides a comprehensive knowledge base of adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). By incorporating specific TTPs into investigations, analysts can identify emerging threats and enhance their preparedness against potential attacks. ANY.RUN offers a live ranking of the most popular TTPs detected across thousands of malware and phishing samples analyzed in its sandbox.

By searching for a specific TTP, such as T1552.001 (Credentials in Files), analysts can find sandbox sessions where these techniques were employed, allowing for a deeper understanding of the threat landscape.

4. Collecting Samples with YARA Rules

YARA is a powerful tool for identifying malware families based on specific patterns. By creating YARA rules that target known malware characteristics, analysts can automate the detection of threats and quickly identify new variants. ANY.RUN’s Threat Intelligence Lookup includes built-in YARA Search, allowing users to upload and utilize custom rules to find relevant samples.

For example, using a YARA rule for XenoRAT, a popular remote access Trojan, can reveal the latest samples associated with this threat, along with sandbox sessions for further analysis.

5. Discovering Malware with Command Line Artifacts and Process Names

Identifying malware through command line artifacts and process names is a less common but effective technique. ANY.RUN’s threat intelligence database provides access to real command line data, processes, and registry modifications recorded during malware execution in the sandbox. This unique capability allows analysts to uncover threats that may not be detected through traditional methods.

For instance, querying a command line string used by the Strela stealer can yield numerous samples and events, providing valuable insights into the threat’s behavior.

Integrate Threat Intelligence Lookup from ANY.RUN

To enhance the quality and speed of your threat research efforts, consider integrating TI Lookup. With access to a vast database sourced from over 500,000 researchers worldwide, you can utilize more than 40 search parameters to uncover critical threat intelligence.

To learn more about improving your threat investigations with TI Lookup, join ANY.RUN’s live webinar on October 23, 02:00 PM GMT (UTC +0) here.

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