How Can Disrupting DNS Communications Thwart a Malware Attack?

Question: How does a threat actor utilize DNS communications in malware attacks?

Dave Mitchell, CTO, Hyas: The idea that you can protect yourself from all malware is unrealistic, especially considering malware is an umbrella term that does not refer to any specific exploit, vector, goal, or methodology. Because the range of cyber threats is so wide and varied, there is no magic bullet that will repel every attack. So it’s really only a matter of time before your network environment is compromised, forcing you to make some very hard decisions.

For instance, in the medical field, successful cyber attacks don’t just affect an organization’s ability to function; they also have major legal and reputational repercussions. Because of these circumstances, medical industry victims end up paying out ransomware demands at a higher rate than any other industry. If they were able to detect indicators of problems before they become full-blown attacks, healthcare organizations could save an average of $10.1 million per incident averted.

Most security solutions address a specific subsection of malware and/or infiltration vectors, but none of them can stop all threats at the gate. Even if they could, sometimes the gate is bypassed altogether. As we saw with the Log4J exploit and the recent compromise of the popular Ctx Python package, “trusted” resource libraries hosted on places like GitHub can be compromised by outside entities and used to deliver payloads of malware to thousands of endpoints without immediately triggering a red flag.

Not all threats lurk solely in cyberspace. Returning to the healthcare industry as an example highlights another attack vector that can get around all of your perimeter security — physical access. Most hospitals, physician’s offices, pharmacies, and other medical facilities rely on networked terminals and devices located (or accidently left) in places where they can be accessed by patients, visitors, or other unauthorized users. In situations like these, it doesn’t matter how well-defended your network is from outside attacks because the bad actor can simply insert a USB stick or use a logged-in device to access malware, compromising the network from within.

This may…