A security analyst has concerns about malware on an endpoint. The malware is unable to detonate by modifying the kernel response to various system calls. As a test, the analyst modifies a Windows server to respond to system calls as if it was a Linux server. In another test, the analyst modifies the operating system to prevent the malware from identifying target files. Which of the following techniques is the analyst MOST likely using?
The analyst is employing deception techniques. In cybersecurity, deception techniques involve setting up a controlled environment that misleads or confuses malware, making it difficult for the malware to execute its intended actions. By modifying a Windows server to respond to system calls as if it were a Linux server and altering the OS to prevent the malware from identifying target files, the analyst is creating a deceptive environment aimed at confusing the malware and disrupting its functionality. These actions align with the principles of cybersecurity deception, where false information is introduced to protect the system and hinder malicious activities.
Deception involves creating a false reality that attackers or malware will interact with, in order to detect and respond to threats
Going with Sandboxing (D) on this one. Only other option would be (B) Deception, but that doesn't quite fit this scenario according to the definition below: "Deception technology is a category of incident detection and response technology that helps security teams detect, analyze, and defend against advanced threats by enticing attackers to interact with false IT assets deployed within your network." https://www.rapid7.com/fundamentals/deception-technology/
Sandbox
B. Deception The analyst is most likely using deception techniques to deceive the malware and hinder its functionality. Deception involves creating an environment that misleads or confuses attackers or malware, making it harder for them to carry out their malicious activities. In the given scenario, the analyst modifies the Windows server to respond to system calls as if it was a Linux server. This deceptive modification aims to confuse the malware, which might be specifically designed to target Windows systems. By presenting a different system environment, the analyst disrupts the malware's ability to execute its intended functionality. Additionally, the analyst modifies the operating system to prevent the malware from identifying target files. This manipulation further adds to the deception strategy by hiding or altering the expected system behavior, making it challenging for the malware to locate and access its intended targets. Overall, these actions align with the concept of deception as a defensive technique to mislead and impede the functionality of malware.
Deception techniques involve altering the environment to mislead malware or attackers, making them believe they are in a different environment than they are. By "modifying the Windows server to respond like a Linux server and preventing the malware from identifying target files", this use to confuse and potentially neutralize the malware’s effectiveness.
deception is the best answer from the scenario
Im going with sandboxing here. From reading, it seems deception is a more in-depth and automated version of honey-potting, which can be scaled up to a mimic of a production network to be used to monitor advanced cyber threats.
Here's one of the better explainations I've seen: "At a high level, sandboxing involves installing and allowing malware to run for behavioral observation, while honeypots and nets focus on the analysis of threat actors conducting reconnaissance on an infiltrated network, and security deception is the more recent conception of advanced intrusion detection and prevention. Deception technologies offer more realistic honeynets that are easier to deploy and provide more information to users, but they come with higher budgetary and expertise requirements that typically restrict their use to large enterprises ... at least for the moment." Further research shows a lot of pairing of honeynets and security deception technologies and descriptions, and expanded upon together. In summary, "Deception" here, I believe, is to be tricky and invoke a human understanding of deception (lying), rather than a security understanding (advanced honeynet).
B. This is the definition of Deception.
D sand boxing since deception is used to mislead hackers but here it looks like they are just testing out malware and denoting them
I was torn between C and D, but sandboxing is more specific to security analysts so that's what I'll go with.
No where in the question does it state that the analyst is doing this in a separate environment isolated form the current environment. So it can't be a sandbox. In the question it even tells us " As a test, the analyst modifies a Windows server to respond to system calls as if it was a Linux server" This means he is doing it on an actual sever to SIMULATE a linux sever.
It comes down to B and D. No where in the scenario talks about isolating and modifying files on a server. So it would be deception, the analyst is deliberately modifying the system to respond falsely to system calls, creating deception for the malware
Changing to C
Deception technology is used to observe how an attacker moves through the network and exploits an asset. I haven't read on deceptive technology being actively modified to test malware. This sounds more like a sandbox.