Lockheed Martin - The Cyber Kill Chain

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The Cyber Kill Chain is a framework developed by Lockheed Martin to describe the various stages of a cyber attack. It helps organizations understand and defend against advanced persistent threats (APTs).

The Cyber Kill Chain consists of the following stages:

1. Reconnaissance: In this stage, attackers gather information about their targets. They may use publicly available sources, such as social media or websites, to collect information on potential vulnerabilities or targets.

2. Weaponization: Attackers create an exploit or malware to exploit the identified vulnerability. This could include creating a malicious document or leveraging an existing exploit.

3. Delivery: The attacker delivers the weaponized payload to the target. This can be done through email attachments, malicious websites, or other means.

4. Exploitation: The weaponized payload is executed on the target system, taking advantage of the identified vulnerability. This stage can involve various techniques, such as phishing, social engineering, or exploiting software vulnerabilities.

5. Installation: Once the exploit is successful, the attacker installs a backdoor, rootkit, or other malware on the compromised system. This allows them to maintain access and control over the target system.

6. Command and Control (C2): The attacker establishes a communication channel to control the compromised system and exfiltrate data or further execute commands. This can involve communicating with a remote server or using other covert means to maintain control.

7. Actions on Objectives: In this final stage, the attacker achieves their primary objective, which could be stealing sensitive information, disrupting operations, or causing other damage.

By understanding each stage of the Cyber Kill Chain, organizations can implement effective security controls and detection mechanisms at each stage to detect, prevent, or mitigate cyber attacks. This includes measures such as network monitoring, intrusion detection systems, vulnerability management, and user awareness training.