The most probable subsequent action from the attacker based on the Cyber Kill Chain Methodology is to exploit the malicious payload delivered to the target organization and establish a foothold. This option works as follows:
The Cyber Kill Chain Methodology is a framework that describes the stages of a cyberattack from the perspective of the attacker. It helps defenders to understand the attacker’s objectives, tactics, and techniques, and to design effective countermeasures. The Cyber Kill Chain Methodology consists of seven stages: reconnaissance, weaponization, delivery, exploitation, installation, command and control, and actions on objectives12.
The delivery stage is the third stage in the Cyber Kill Chain Methodology, and it involves sending or transmitting the weaponized payload to the target system. The delivery stage can use various methods, such as email attachments, web links, removable media, or network protocols. The delivery stage aims to reach the target system and bypass any security controls, such as firewalls, antivirus, or email filters12.
The exploitation stage is the fourth stage in the Cyber Kill Chain Methodology, and it involves executing the malicious payload on the target system. The exploitation stage can use various techniques, such as buffer overflows, code injection, or privilege escalation. The exploitation stage aims to exploit a vulnerability or a weakness in the target system and gain access to its resources, such as files, processes, or memory12.
The installation stage is the fifth stage in the Cyber Kill Chain Methodology, and it involves installing a backdoor or a malware on the target system. The installation stage can use various tools, such as rootkits, trojans, or ransomware. The installation stage aims to establish a foothold on the target system and maintain persistence, which means to survive reboots, updates, or scans12.
Therefore, the most probable subsequent action from the attacker based on the Cyber Kill Chain Methodology is to exploit the malicious payload delivered to the target organization and establish a foothold, because:
This action follows the logical sequence of the Cyber Kill Chain Methodology, as it is the next stage after the delivery stage.
This action is consistent with the attacker’s goal, as it allows the attacker to gain access and control over the target system and prepare for further actions.
This action is feasible, as the attacker has already delivered the malicious payload to the target system and may have bypassed some security controls.
The other options are not as probable as option B for the following reasons:
A. The attacker will attempt to escalate privileges to gain complete control of the compromised system: This option is possible, but not the most probable, because it is not the next stage in the Cyber Kill Chain Methodology, but rather a technique that can be used in the exploitation stage or the installation stage. Privilege escalation is a method of increasing the level of access or permissions on a system, such as from a normal user to an administrator. Privilege escalation can help the attacker to gain complete control of the compromised system, but it is not a mandatory step, as the attacker may already have sufficient privileges or may use other techniques to achieve the same goal12.
C. The attacker will initiate an active connection to the target system to gather more data: This option is possible, but not the most probable, because it is not the next stage in the Cyber Kill Chain Methodology, but rather a technique that can be used in the command and control stage or the actions on objectives stage. An active connection is a communication channel that allows the attacker to send commands or receive data from the target system, such as a remote shell or a botnet. An active connection can help the attacker to gather more data from the target system, but it is not a necessary step, as the attacker may already have enough data or may use other techniques to obtain more data12.
D. The attacker will start reconnaissance to gather as much information as possible about the target: This option is not probable, because it is not the next stage in the Cyber Kill Chain Methodology, but rather the first stage. Reconnaissance is the process of collecting information about the target, such as its IP address, domain name, network structure, services, vulnerabilities, or employees. Reconnaissance is usually done before the delivery stage, as it helps the attacker to identify the target and plan the attack. Reconnaissance can be done again after the delivery stage, but it is not the most likely action, as the attacker may already have enough information or may focus on other actions12.
References:
1: The Cyber Kill Chain: The Seven Steps of a Cyberattack - EC-Council
2: Cyber Kill Chain® | Lockheed Martin
