Privilege escalation is a term used in cybersecurity that describes an attacker’s actions to gain unauthorized access to resources or perform unauthorized actions within a computer system or network.
This type of attack can occur in any organization’s environment, from individual machines to large-scale network infrastructures. There are two primary types of privilege escalation:
- Vertical Privilege Escalation: Also known as “privilege elevation,” this occurs when an attacker gains higher privileges when targeting administrative or root access. This allows the attacker to perform virtually any operation on the system, such as accessing confidential data, modifying system configurations, or deploying malicious software.
- Horizontal Privilege Escalation: In this scenario, an attacker expands their access across a network by assuming the identity of other users with similar privilege levels. Although not elevating their privilege vertically, the attacker gains unauthorized access to additional resources, which can be exploited for information theft or further attacks within the network.
Common Scenarios of Privilege Escalation
Exploiting Software Vulnerabilities: Attackers often exploit flaws in software or operating systems that allow them to elevate their privileges. These vulnerabilities can stem from inadequate testing, legacy code, or unpatched systems.
Configuration Errors: Misconfigured systems and services with overly permissive rights can inadvertently grant low-privileged users access to sensitive functions or data.
Shadow Admins: Shadow admins are user accounts that have been inadvertently assigned full or partial admin privileges, or configuration/reset privileges over admin accounts. Compromising a shadow admin enables an attacker to control an account that has high access and configuration privileges, paving the way to further access and compromise of additional resources.
Unconstrained Delegation: it’s the insecure legacy version of delegation. It allows a compromised account to access all the same resources as the delegating account. This capability is mostly required for machine accounts that access other machines on behalf of a user; for example, when an app server accesses a database to fetch data for an app user. When an admin account logs in to a machine that has unconstrained delegation, its TGT remains stored in the machine’s memory. This allows the attacker to establish a new session with the privileges of the user account’s TGT.
Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks: By deceiving legitimate users or administrators into executing malicious actions, attackers can gain elevated privileges.
Use of Stolen Credentials: Attackers may use various methods to steal credentials, such as keylogging or exploiting a data breach. These credentials are then used to access systems as a legitimate user, bypassing security measures.
Lateral Movement: Privilege escalation often precedes lateral movement in an attack chain. Initially, attackers may gain access to a network with limited privileges. Through privilege escalation, they acquire higher-level permissions necessary to access more secure areas of the network or execute specific tasks, such as installing malware or extracting sensitive data.
Detecting Privilege Escalation Attempts
Privilege escalation detection is a critical component of a comprehensive cybersecurity defense strategy. By identifying these attempts early, IT and security professionals can mitigate potential damage and prevent attackers’ efforts to gain unauthorized access. This section outlines key indicators of compromise (IoCs) and the tools and techniques used for effective detection.
Indicators of Compromise (IoCs)
Unusual Account Activity: This includes repeated login failures, use of privileged commands by non-administrative users, or sudden changes in user permissions. Such activities may indicate an attacker’s attempt to gain or exploit elevated privileges.
Unexpected System Changes: Modifications to system files, installation of new software, or alterations in system configuration settings without prior approval or notification can signal an ongoing privilege escalation attack.
Anomalies in Network Traffic: Unusual outbound traffic patterns, especially to known malicious IP addresses or domains, might suggest that an attacker is exfiltrating data after gaining elevated access.
Security Log Tampering: Attackers often try to cover their tracks by deleting or altering security logs. Unexplained gaps in log files or inconsistencies in log entries can be a telltale sign of manipulation to hide unauthorized actions.
Mitigation Strategies and Best Practices
A combination of preventive measures, robust security policies, and a culture of cybersecurity awareness within the organization is required to effectively mitigate the risk of privilege escalation. Below are key strategies and best practices designed to minimize the exposure to privilege escalation attacks and bolster security posture.
Preventive Measures
- Regular Software Updates and Patch Management: One of the simplest yet most effective defenses against privilege escalation involves keeping all systems and software up to date. Regularly applying patches closes vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit to gain elevated privileges.
- Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP): Enforce the principle of least privilege by ensuring that users have only the access rights necessary for their roles. Regular reviews and audits of user privileges help prevent the accumulation of unnecessary access rights that could be exploited.
- Strong Authentication and Access Control Measures: Implement multi factor authentication (MFA) and robust access policies to secure user accounts against unauthorized access attempts. For sensitive systems and high-privilege accounts, consider using advanced authentication methods, such as biometrics or hardware tokens.
- Segregation of Duties (SoD): Divide critical tasks and permissions among multiple users or departments to reduce the risk of a single point of compromise. This approach limits the potential damage an attacker can inflict if they manage to escalate privileges within one segment of the organization.
Response Strategies
- Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR): To detect threats related to identity compromise and abuse in real-time. By analyzing access patterns and behaviors, ITDR solutions can identify suspicious activities that may indicate a privilege escalation attempt and respond accordingly.
- Incident Response Planning: Develop and regularly update a comprehensive incident response plan that includes specific procedures for handling privilege escalation incidents. This plan should outline roles, responsibilities, communication protocols, and steps for containment, eradication, and recovery.
- Proactive Monitoring and Alerting: Utilize SIEM, EDR, identity security and UEBA solutions to continuously monitor for signs of privilege escalation. Configure alerts for anomalous activities indicative of an escalation attempt, enabling rapid response before attackers can cause significant damage.
- Forensic Analysis and Remediation: Following a privilege escalation incident, conduct a thorough forensic analysis to understand the attack vectors, exploited vulnerabilities, and the scope of the breach. Use this information to strengthen security measures and prevent future occurrences.
Best Practices for a Secure Environment
- Security Awareness Training: Regularly train all employees on cybersecurity best practices, the dangers of social engineering, and the importance of maintaining operational security. Educated users are less likely to fall victim to attacks that could lead to privilege escalation.
- Secure Configuration and Hardening: Apply secure configuration guidelines and hardening standards to all systems and applications. Remove unnecessary services, close unused ports, and enforce security settings to reduce the attack surface.
- Vulnerability Scanning and Penetration Testing: Periodically perform vulnerability assessments and penetration tests to identify and remediate security weaknesses. These exercises can uncover potential privilege escalation pathways before they are exploited by attackers.
As a result of implementing these mitigation strategies and adhering to cybersecurity best practices, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of privilege escalation attacks. Defending against such threats requires both technical solutions and a proactive security culture that places vigilance, education, and continuous improvement at the forefront.
Privilege Escalation in Cloud Environments
Due to the shift towards cloud computing, preventing privilege escalation has become more complex and challenging. As a result of the inherent scalability, flexibility, and shared responsibility models of cloud environments, security must be approached differently. This section highlights the distinctive challenges of cloud-based infrastructure and offers best practices for securing cloud environments against privilege escalation threats.
Unique Challenges in Cloud Environments
- Complex Identity and Access Management (IAM) Configurations: Cloud platforms offer granular IAM capabilities, which, if misconfigured, can inadvertently grant excessive permissions, leading to privilege escalation opportunities.
- Shared Responsibility Model: The division of security responsibilities between the cloud service provider (CSP) and the customer can lead to gaps in coverage, especially if there is ambiguity about who is responsible for securing IAM configurations.
- API Security: Cloud services are often accessed and managed through APIs, which, if not secured properly, can become vectors for privilege escalation attacks.
- Ephemeral Resources and Dynamic Access: The dynamic nature of cloud environments, with resources being spun up and down, requires adaptive and continuously updated access controls to prevent excessive permissions.
Best Practices for Securing Cloud Environments
- Implement Least Privilege Access for Cloud Resources: Similar to on-premises practices, ensure that cloud IAM policies strictly adhere to the principle of least privilege. Regularly audit IAM policies and roles to eliminate unnecessary permissions that could be exploited.
- Utilize Cloud-native IAM Tools: Leverage tools provided by CSPs, such as AWS IAM Access Analyzer or Azure AD Privileged Identity Management, to analyze permissions and detect potential privilege escalation paths.
- Secure Management Interfaces and APIs: Enforce MFA and strong authentication methods for accessing cloud management interfaces and APIs. Apply network restrictions, such as IP whitelisting, to limit access to these critical endpoints.
- Automate Detection and Remediation: Use cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools to automate the detection of misconfigurations and IAM anomalies. Implement automated remediation workflows to quickly address identified issues.
- Educate and Train Cloud Teams: Ensure that teams working with cloud environments are knowledgeable about cloud security best practices and the specific security features of your CSP. Regular training can help prevent accidental misconfigurations that lead to privilege escalation.
- Continuous Monitoring and Logging: Enable and monitor cloud service logs to detect unusual access patterns or changes to IAM configurations. Use cloud-native or third-party SIEM solutions to aggregate and analyze log data for signs of potential privilege escalation.
- Adopt a DevSecOps Approach: Integrate security into the CI/CD pipeline to ensure that IAM policies and cloud configurations are evaluated as part of the development and deployment process. This proactive approach helps catch and remediate security issues before they reach production.
Securing cloud environments against privilege escalation requires a proactive, layered approach that combines technical controls, continuous monitoring, and a strong security culture. By addressing the unique challenges of cloud IAM and leveraging cloud-native security tools, organizations can enhance their defense against privilege escalation attacks in the cloud.
Silverfort: Your One-Stop MFA Solution for Cyber Insurance Compliance
Re-Evaluate Your MFA Protection – eBook
