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Reconnaissance is the research phase  attackers use to learn everything they can about a target before they strike. It’s low-risk for the attacker but high-value: the more they know (people, tech stack, suppliers, exposures), the better their chances of a successful compromise. Think of it as the map-making stage of an attack — and good maps make for efficient, targeted operations. 🧭 What does Reconnaissance look like? Reconnaissance includes any activity that helps an adver

Impact  is the phase where adversaries intentionally disrupt, degrade, or destroy  systems and data to achieve their objectives — whether that’s financial gain (ransom), sabotage, or a show of force. Unlike earlier stages that focus on access and stealth, Impact is loud, visible, and often costly. You might be wondering why the jump from TA0011 to TA0040, it's because the MITRE has recently added new Tactics TA0040, TA0042 & TA0043. TA0040 is the post-attack phase, while TA0

Once attackers infiltrate a network, they need a way to control compromised systems remotely  — this is where Command and Control (C2)  comes in. Through this channel, adversaries send commands, exfiltrate data, and pivot to other systems — all while staying under the radar. ⚙️ Types of Command & Control Techniques Application Layer Protocol (T1071) Attackers use common web protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, or DNS to disguise C2 traffic as normal web communication. 💡 Example:  Usi

When attackers reach the Exfiltration  stage in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, they’ve already won half the battle. 😈This is the phase where valuable data is packaged, encrypted, and whisked away  — silently slipping past your defenses. Think of it as the digital getaway  after the cyber heist. 🚨 🔍 What Is Exfiltration? Exfiltration (Tactic ID: TA0010) refers to unauthorized transfer of data  from a compromised network to an external destination controlled by attackers. Attac

In the Cyber World, attackers not just go after the money, they collect whatever data they can . Once inside a network, their mission shifts from intrusion to information harvesting  — capturing sensitive data, files, credentials, screenshots, or even keystrokes that could unlock more secrets. The Collection (TA0009)  tactic in the MITRE ATT&CK framework covers all the techniques adversaries use to gather data before exfiltrating  it out of the environment. 🔍 Common Techniqu

Lateral Movement  is the stage where an attacker, already inside a network, starts to move deeper across systems  — quietly expanding their reach to access critical data or higher privileges. This tactic (TA0008) is part of the MITRE ATT&CK framework  and represents an intruder’s stealthy path from one compromised machine to another — all without raising alarms 🚨. ⚙️ Types / Techniques under TA0008 Below are the common techniques adversaries use to laterally move across netw

“Know your target — before striking.” Once attackers enter a network, their next mission isn’t immediate destruction — it’s information gathering . This phase, called Discovery , is where adversaries map the environment, users, systems, and defenses to plan their next moves like privilege escalation, lateral movement, or data theft. 💡 What Happens in Discovery Attackers use legitimate tools like PowerShell, CMD, Bash, cloud consoles, or scripts  to explore the environment —

When an attacker gets your credentials, it’s game over. The MITRE ATT&CK Tactic TA0006 – Credential Access  focuses on how adversaries capture usernames, passwords, and tokens to move deeper into systems and networks. This is the phase where they turn a single compromise into complete control. 🧠💀 🧩 What Is Credential Access? Credential Access covers all methods used by attackers to steal or manipulate login data.Instead of breaking through firewalls, they simply log in l

Cyber attackers, they no longer sneak into your systems — they live within them, unseen and unnoticed. The MITRE ATT&CK tactic TA0005: Defense Evasion  focuses on how adversaries dodge security tools, act legitimate, delete traces, and disguise their activities to stay undetected. ⚙️ Common Evasion Tricks 🧰 Living Off the Land (LOTL):  Using built-in tools like PowerShell, certutil, or mshta instead of malware to blend in. 🎭 Masquerading & DLL Side-Loading:  Renaming files

Privilege Escalation (TA0004)  covers techniques adversaries use to gain higher-level permissions on a system or network so they can access protected resources, change configurations, or perform actions normally reserved for administrators. In practice it’s what attackers do when they’ve landed with low privileges but need more power to reach their goals. 🎯 High-level objective Gain elevated permissions (local or domain) so the adversary can move laterally, access sensitive

Persistence  (TA0003) is the set of techniques adversaries use to keep access to systems  across reboots, password changes, or other interruptions that might otherwise kick them out. In short: persistence is how attackers make sure they can come back later — even if you clean up the initial foothold. Why it matters: if an adversary successfully implements persistence, they can return after patching, rebooting, or credential rotation — giving time to escalate privileges, move

In the MITRE ATT&CK framework, Execution (TA0002)  represents one of the core tactics  adversaries use after gaining initial access  — it’s the phase where they run malicious code  on the target system. Simply put: 🎯 Execution = How attackers make their code run on your machine. Once executed, attackers can install backdoors, steal data, move laterally, or maintain persistence. This makes Execution  one of the most critical stages in any attack chain. 🧠 Objective of the Exe

Initial Access  (TA0001) is the very first step attackers take — gaining a foothold inside your environment so they can run the rest of their playbook. Below I list the common Initial Access techniques from the MITRE ATT&CK framework, explain each briefly, and give concrete prevention, detection, and response recommendations you can apply today. What counts as “Initial Access”? Initial Access = any technique an adversary uses to get into your network or systems in the first p

In the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity, defenders need more than just tools — they need a structured way to think like attackers . That’s where the MITRE ATT&CK Framework  comes in. 🔍 What Is the MITRE ATT&CK Framework? MITRE ATT&CK (Adversarial Tactics, Techniques, and Common Knowledge)  is a globally recognized knowledge base  of real-world cyberattacks. It maps out the steps adversaries take  — from the moment they gain access to a system to when they achieve their g

In recent weeks, cybersecurity teams have uncovered a clever and dangerous malware campaign hiding behind what looks like a harmless “free PDF editor.” The application, once downloaded, silently installs extra software components and creates a secret backdoor that allows attackers to steal data and maintain remote access. Let’s break down how this attack works, what happens behind the scenes, and how to remove it safely. 🚨 The Trap: A Fake Utility That Looks Real The infecti

In today’s cyber battleground, even the strongest firewalls and AI-driven defenses  can crumble if your people aren’t alert. 🛑 One careless click, one reused password, or one fake invoice can invite chaos into your digital world. That’s why Security Awareness Training (SAT)  isn’t just an annual checkbox — it’s your organization’s human firewall . 🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️🔥 Let’s dive into how to make it truly work  — not just another boring slideshow! 🚀 🧩 1. Make It Relatable Cyberse

In today’s digital battlefield, healthcare has become the #1 target for cybercriminals  — and it’s no surprise why. From patient records to connected medical devices, hospitals are treasure chests of sensitive data 💳🧬. ⚠️ Why Healthcare Is So Vulnerable Data Goldmine 💰 Medical records contain everything — personal IDs, financial info, and health details. On the dark web, a single patient file can sell for 10x more than a credit card number . Legacy Systems 🖥️ Many hospita

In today’s digital race, businesses are no longer relying on one cloud . Instead, they’re going multi-cloud  — blending AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and private clouds to boost agility and resilience. 🌐✨But while multi-cloud brings flexibility, it also multiplies security headaches . Let’s break it down 👇 🌩️ Types of Multi-Cloud Setups Hybrid Cloud  – Mix of on-premises + public cloud. Common for regulated industries. Poly Cloud  – Different clouds for different tasks (e.g.,

In today’s cloud-driven world, organizations are rapidly adopting SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS  solutions to boost productivity and scalability 🚀. But as data moves beyond traditional perimeters, security blind spots  emerge — that’s where Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASBs)  step in as digital guardians 👮‍♂️☁️. 💡 What is a CASB? A Cloud Access Security Broker  acts as a security checkpoint  between users and cloud applications. Whether your team is using Office 365, Salesforce,

In today’s digital age, cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud have become the backbone of modern businesses. But beneath the...