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October 3, 2024

Introducing real-time multi-cloud detection & response powered by AI

This blog announces the general availability of Microsoft Azure support for Darktrace / CLOUD, enabling real-time cloud detection and response across dynamic multi-cloud environments. Read more to discover how Darktrace is pioneering AI-led real-time cloud detection and response.
Inside the SOC
Darktrace cyber analysts are world-class experts in threat intelligence, threat hunting and incident response, and provide 24/7 SOC support to thousands of Darktrace customers around the globe. Inside the SOC is exclusively authored by these experts, providing analysis of cyber incidents and threat trends, based on real-world experience in the field.
Written by
Adam Stevens
Director of Product, Cloud Security
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03
Oct 2024

We are delighted to announce the general availability of Microsoft Azure support for Darktrace / CLOUD, enabling real-time cloud detection and response across dynamic multi-cloud environments. Built on Self-Learning AI, Darktrace / CLOUD leverages Microsoft’s new virtual network flow logs (VNet flow) to offer an agentless-first approach that dramatically simplifies detection and response within Azure, unifying cloud-native security with Darktrace’s innovative ActiveAI Security Platform.

As organizations increasingly adopt multi-cloud architectures, the need for advanced, real-time threat detection and response is critical to keep pace with evolving cloud threats. Security teams face significant challenges, including increased complexity, limited visibility, and siloed tools. The dynamic nature of multi-cloud environments introduces ever-changing blind spots, while traditional security tools struggle to provide real-time insights, often offering static snapshots of risk. Additionally, cloud security teams frequently operate in isolation from SOC teams, leading to fragmented visibility and delayed responses. This lack of coordination, especially in hybrid environments, hinders effective threat detection and response. Compounding these challenges, current security solutions are split between agent-based and agentless approaches, with agentless solutions often lacking real-time awareness and agent-based options adding complexity and scalability concerns. Darktrace / CLOUD helps to solve these challenges with real-time detection and response designed specifically for dynamic cloud environments like Azure and AWS.

Pioneering AI-led real-time cloud detection & response

Darktrace has been at the forefront of real-time detection and response for over a decade, continually pushing the boundaries of AI-driven cybersecurity. Our Self-Learning AI uniquely positions Darktrace with the ability to automatically understand and instantly adapt to changing cloud environments. This is critical in today’s landscape, where cloud infrastructures are highly dynamic and ever-changing.  

Built on years of market-leading network visibility, Darktrace / CLOUD understands ‘normal’ for your unique business across clouds and networks to instantly reveal known, unknown, and novel cloud threats with confidence. Darktrace Self-Learning AI continuously monitors activity across cloud assets, containers, and users, and correlates it with detailed identity and network context to rapidly detect malicious activity. Platform-native identity and network monitoring capabilities allow Darktrace / CLOUD to deeply understand normal patterns of life for every user and device, enabling instant, precise and proportionate response to abnormal behavior - without business disruption.

Leveraging platform-native Autonomous Response, AI-driven behavioral containment neutralizes malicious activity with surgical accuracy while preventing disruption to cloud infrastructure or services. As malicious behavior escalates, Darktrace correlates thousands of data points to identify and instantly respond to unusual activity by blocking specific connections and enforcing normal behavior.

Figure 1: AI-driven behavioral containment neutralizes malicious activity with surgical accuracy while preventing disruption to cloud infrastructure or services.

Unparalleled agentless visibility into Azure

As a long-term trusted partner of Microsoft, Darktrace leverages Azure VNet flow logs to provide agentless, high-fidelity visibility into cloud environments, ensuring comprehensive monitoring without disrupting workflows. By integrating seamlessly with Azure, Darktrace / CLOUD continues to push the envelope of innovation in cloud security. Our Self-learning AI not only improves the detection of traditional and novel threats, but also enhances real-time response capabilities and demonstrates our commitment to delivering cutting-edge, AI-powered multi-cloud security solutions.

  • Integration with Microsoft Virtual network flow logs for enhanced visibility
    Darktrace / CLOUD integrates seamlessly with Azure to provide agentless, high-fidelity visibility into cloud environments. VNet flow logs capture critical network traffic data, allowing Darktrace to monitor Azure workloads in real time without disrupting existing workflows. This integration significantly reduces deployment time by 95%1 and cloud security operational costs by up to 80%2 compared to traditional agent-based solutions. Organizations benefit from enhanced visibility across dynamic cloud infrastructures, scaling security measures effortlessly while minimizing blind spots, particularly in ephemeral resources or serverless functions.
  • High-fidelity agentless deployment
    Agentless deployment allows security teams to monitor and secure cloud environments without installing software agents on individual workloads. By using cloud-native APIs like AWS VPC flow logs or Azure VNet flow logs, security teams can quickly deploy and scale security measures across dynamic, multi-cloud environments without the complexity and performance overhead of agents. This approach delivers real-time insights, improving incident detection and response while reducing disruptions. For organizations, agentless visibility simplifies cloud security management, lowers operational costs, and minimizes blind spots, especially in ephemeral resources or serverless functions.
  • Real-time visibility into cloud assets and architectures
    With real-time Cloud Asset Enumeration and Dynamic Architecture Modeling, Darktrace / CLOUD generates up-to-date architecture diagrams, giving SecOps and DevOps teams a unified view of cloud infrastructures. This shared context enhances collaboration and accelerates threat detection and response, especially in complex environments like Kubernetes. Additionally, Cyber AI Analyst automates the investigation process, correlating data across networks, identities, and cloud assets to save security teams valuable time, ensuring continuous protection and efficient cloud migrations.
Figure 2: Real-time visibility into Azure assets and architectures built from network, configuration and identity and access roles.

Unified multi-cloud security at scale

As organizations increasingly adopt multi-cloud strategies, the complexity of managing security across different cloud providers introduces gaps in visibility. Darktrace / CLOUD simplifies this by offering agentless, real-time monitoring across multi-cloud environments. Building on our innovative approach to securing AWS environments, our customers can now take full advantage of robust real-time detection and response capabilities for Azure. Darktrace is one of the first vendors to leverage Microsoft’s virtual network flow logs to provide agentless deployment in Azure, enabling unparalleled visibility without the need for installing agents. In addition, Darktrace / CLOUD offers automated Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) that continuously assesses cloud configurations against industry standards.  Security teams can identify and prioritize misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and policy violations in real-time. These capabilities give security teams a complete, live understanding of their cloud environments and help them focus their limited time and resources where they are needed most.

This approach offers seamless integration into existing workflows, reducing configuration efforts and enabling fast, flexible deployment across cloud environments. By extending its capabilities across multiple clouds, Darktrace / CLOUD ensures that no blind spots are left uncovered, providing holistic, multi-cloud security that scales effortlessly with your cloud infrastructure. diagrams, visualizes cloud assets, and prioritizes risks across cloud environments.

Figure 3: Unified view of AWS and Azure cloud posture and compliance over time.

The future of cloud security: Real-time defense in an unpredictable world

Darktrace / CLOUD’s support for Microsoft Azure, powered by Self-Learning AI and agentless deployment, sets a new standard in multi-cloud security. With real-time detection and autonomous response, organizations can confidently secure their Azure environments, leveraging innovation to stay ahead of the constantly evolving threat landscape. By combining Azure VNet flow logs with Darktrace’s AI-driven platform, we can provide customers with a unified, intelligent solution that transforms how security is managed across the cloud.

Unlock advanced cloud protection

Darktrace / CLOUD solution brief screenshot

Download the Darktrace / CLOUD solution brief to discover how autonomous, AI-driven defense can secure your environment in real-time.

  • Achieve 60% more accurate detection of unknown and novel cloud threats.
  • Respond instantly with autonomous threat response, cutting response time by 90%.
  • Streamline investigations with automated analysis, improving ROI by 85%.
  • Gain a 30% boost in cloud asset visibility with real-time architecture modeling.
  • Learn More:

    References

    1. Based on internal research and customer data

    2. Based on internal research

    Inside the SOC
    Darktrace cyber analysts are world-class experts in threat intelligence, threat hunting and incident response, and provide 24/7 SOC support to thousands of Darktrace customers around the globe. Inside the SOC is exclusively authored by these experts, providing analysis of cyber incidents and threat trends, based on real-world experience in the field.
    Written by
    Adam Stevens
    Director of Product, Cloud Security

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    June 9, 2025

    Modernising UK Cyber Regulation: Implications of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill

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    The need for security and continued cyber resilience

    The UK government has made national security a key priority, and the new Cyber Security and Resilience Bill (CSRB) is a direct reflection of that focus. In introducing the Bill, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, recognised that the UK is “desperately exposed” to cyber threats—from criminal groups to hostile nation-states that are increasingly targeting the UK's digital systems and critical infrastructure[1].

    Context and timeline for the new legislation

    First announced during the King’s Speech of July 2024, and elaborated in a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) policy statement published in April 2025, the CSRB is expected to be introduced in Parliament during the 2025-26 legislative session.

    For now, organisations in the UK remain subject to the 2018 Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations – an EU-derived law which was drafted before today’s increasing digitisation of critical services, rise in cloud adoption and emergence of AI-powered threats.

    Why modernisation is critical

    Without modernisation, the Government believes UK’s infrastructure and economy risks falling behind international peers. The EU, which revised its cybersecurity regulation under the NIS2 Directive, already imposes stricter requirements on a broader set of sectors.

    The urgency of the Bill is also underscored by recent high-impact incidents, including the Synnovis attack which targeted the National Health Service (NHS) suppliers and disrupted thousands of patient appointments and procedures[2]. The Government has argued that such events highlight a systemic failure to keep pace with a rapidly evolving threat landscape[3].

    What the Bill aims to achieve

    This Bill represents a decisive shift. According to the Government, it will modernise and future‑proof the UK’s cyber laws, extending oversight to areas where risk has grown but regulation has not kept pace[4]. While the legislation builds on previous consultations and draws lessons from international frameworks like the EU’s NIS2 directive, it also aims to tailor solutions to the UK’s unique threat environment.

    Importantly, the Government is framing cybersecurity not as a barrier to growth, but as a foundation for it. The policy statement emphasises that strong digital resilience will create the stability businesses need to thrive, innovate, and invest[5]. Therefore, the goals of the Bill will not only be to enhance security but also act as an enabler to innovation and economic growth.

    Recognition that AI changes cyber threats

    The CSRB policy statement recognises that AI is fundamentally reshaping the threat landscape, with adversaries now leveraging AI and commercial cyber tools to exploit vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure and supply chains. Indeed, the NCSC has recently assessed that AI will almost certainly lead to “an increase in the frequency and intensity of cyber threats”[6]. Accordingly, the policy statement insists that the UK’s regulatory framework “must keep pace and provide flexibility to respond to future threats as and when they emerge”[7].

    To address the threat, the Bill signals new obligations for MSPs and data centres, timely incident reporting and dynamic guidance that can be refreshed without fresh primary legislation, making it essential for firms to follow best practices.

    What might change in day-to-day practice?

    New organisations in scope of regulation

    Under the existing Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations[8], the UK already supervises operators in five critical sectors—energy, transport, drinking water, health (Operators of Essential Services, OES) and digital infrastructure (Relevant Digital Service Providers, RDSPs).

    The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill retains this foundation and adds Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and data centres to the scope of regulation to “better recognise the increasing reliance on digital services and the vulnerabilities posed by supply chains”[9]. It also grants the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology the power to add new sectors or sub‑sectors via secondary legislation, following consultation with Parliament and industry.

    Managed service providers (MSPs)

    MSPs occupy a central position within the UK’s enterprise information‑technology infrastructure. Because they remotely run or monitor clients’ systems, networks and data, they hold privileged, often continuous access to multiple environments. This foothold makes them an attractive target for malicious actors.

    The Bill aims to bring MSPs in scope of regulation by making them subject to the same duties as those placed on firms that provide digital services under the 2018 NIS Regulations. By doing so, the Bill seeks to raise baseline security across thousands of customer environments and to provide regulators with better visibility of supply‑chain risk.

    The proposed definition for MSPs is a service which:

    1. Is provided to another organisation
    2. Relies on the use of network and information systems to deliver the service
    3. Relates to ongoing management support, active administration and/or monitoring of AI systems, IT infrastructure, applications, and/or IT networks, including for the purpose of activities relating to cyber security.
    4. Involves a network connection and/or access to the customer’s network and information systems.

    Data centres

    Building on the September 2024 designation of data centres as critical national infrastructure, the CSRB will fold data infrastructure into the NIS-style regime by naming it an “relevant sector" and data centres as “essential service”[10].

    About 182 colocation facilities run by 64 operators will therefore come under statutory duties to notify the regulator, maintain proportionate CAF-aligned controls and report significant incidents, regardless of who owns them or what workloads they host.

    New requirements for regulated organisations

    Incident reporting processes

    There could be stricter timelines or broader definitions of what counts as a reportable incident. This might nudge organisations to formalise detection, triage, and escalation procedures.

    The Government is proposing to introduce a new two-stage incident reporting process. This would include an initial notification which would be submitted within 24 hours of becoming aware of a significant incident, followed by a full incident report which should be submitted within 72 hours of the same.

    Supply chain assurance requirements

    Supply chains for the UK's most critical services are becoming increasingly complex and present new and serious vulnerabilities for cyber-attacks. The recent Synnovis ransomware attacks on the NHS[11] exemplify the danger posed by attacks against the supply chains of important services and organisations. This is concerning when reflecting on the latest Cyber Security Breaches survey conducted by DSIT, which highlights that fewer than 25% of large businesses review their supply chain risks[12].

    Despite these risks, the UK’s legacy cybersecurity regulatory regime does not explicitly cover supply chain risk management. The UK instead relies on supporting and non-statutory guidance to close this gap, such as the NCSC’s Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF)[13].

    The CSRB policy statement acts on this regulatory shortcoming and recognises that “a single supplier’s disruption can have far-reaching impacts on the delivery of essential or digital services”[14].

    To address this, the Bill would make in-scope organisations (OES and RDPS) directly accountable for the cybersecurity of their supply chains. Secondary legislation would spell out these duties in detail, ensuring that OES and RDSPs systematically assess and mitigate third-party cyber risks.

    Updated and strengthened security requirements

    By placing the CAF into a firmer footing and backing it with a statutory Code of Practice, the Government is setting clearer expectations about government expectations on technical standards and methods organisations will need to follow to prove their resilience.

    How Darktrace can help support affected organizations

    Demonstrate resilience

    Darktrace’s Self-Learning AITM continuously monitors your digital estate across cloud, network, OT, email, and endpoint to detect, investigate, and autonomously respond to emerging threats in real time. This persistent visibility and defense posture helps organizations demonstrate cyber resilience to regulators with confidence.

    Streamline incident reporting and compliance

    Darktrace surfaces clear alerts and automated investigation reports, complete with timeline views and root cause analysis. These insights reduce the time and complexity of regulatory incident reporting and support internal compliance workflows with auditable, AI-generated evidence.

    Improve supply chain visibility

    With full visibility across connected systems and third-party activity, Darktrace detects early indicators of lateral movement, account compromise, and unusual behavior stemming from vendor or partner access, reducing the risk of supply chain-originated cyber-attacks.

    Ensure MSPs can meet new standards

    For managed service providers, Darktrace offers native multi-tenant support and autonomous threat response that can be embedded directly into customer environments. This ensures consistent, scalable security standards across clients—helping MSPs address increasing regulatory obligations.

    [related-resource]

    References

    [1] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jul/29/uk-desperately-exposed-to-cyber-threats-and-pandemics-says-minister

    [2] https://www.england.nhs.uk/2024/06/synnovis-cyber-attack-statement-from-nhs-england/

    [3] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement

    [4] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement

    [5] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement

    [6] https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/report/impact-ai-cyber-threat-now-2027

    [7] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement

    [8] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/nis-directive-and-nis-regulations-2018

    [9] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement

    [10] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement

    [11] https://www.england.nhs.uk/2024/06/synnovis-cyber-attack-statement-from-nhs-england/

    [12] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2025/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2025

    [13] https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/cyber-assessment-framework

    [14] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement/cyber-security-and-resilience-bill-policy-statement

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    June 5, 2025

    Unpacking ClickFix: Darktrace’s detection of a prolific social engineering tactic

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    What is ClickFix and how does it work?

    Amid heightened security awareness, threat actors continue to seek stealthy methods to infiltrate target networks, often finding the human end user to be the most vulnerable and easily exploited entry point.

    ClickFix baiting is an exploitation of the end user, making use of social engineering techniques masquerading as error messages or routine verification processes, that can result in malicious code execution.

    Since March 2024, the simplicity of this technique has drawn attention from a range of threat actors, from individual cybercriminals to Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups such as APT28 and MuddyWater, linked to Russia and Iran respectively, introducing security threats on a broader scale [1]. ClickFix campaigns have been observed affecting organizations in across multiple industries, including healthcare, hospitality, automotive and government [2][3].

    Actors carrying out these targeted attacks typically utilize similar techniques, tools and procedures (TTPs) to gain initial access. These include spear phishing attacks, drive-by compromises, or exploiting trust in familiar online platforms, such as GitHub, to deliver malicious payloads [2][3]. Often, a hidden link within an email or malvertisements on compromised legitimate websites redirect the end user to a malicious URL [4]. These take the form of ‘Fix It’ or fake CAPTCHA prompts [4].

    From there, users are misled into believing they are completing a human verification step, registering a device, or fixing a non-existent issue such as a webpage display error. As a result, they are guided through a three-step process that ultimately enables the execution of malicious PowerShell commands:

    1. Open a Windows Run dialog box [press Windows Key + R]
    2. Automatically or manually copy and paste a malicious PowerShell command into the terminal [press CTRL+V]
    3. And run the prompt [press ‘Enter’] [2]

    Once the malicious PowerShell command is executed, threat actors then establish command and control (C2) communication within the targeted environment before moving laterally through the network with the intent of obtaining and stealing sensitive data [4]. Malicious payloads associated with various malware families, such as XWorm, Lumma, and AsyncRAT, are often deployed [2][3].

    Attack timeline of ClickFix cyber attack

    Based on investigations conducted by Darktrace’s Threat Research team in early 2025, this blog highlights Darktrace’s capability to detect ClickFix baiting activity following initial access.

    Darktrace’s coverage of a ClickFix attack chain

    Darktrace identified multiple ClickFix attacks across customer environments in both Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and the United States. The following incident details a specific attack on a customer network that occurred on April 9, 2025.

    Although the initial access phase of this specific attack occurred outside Darktrace’s visibility, other affected networks showed compromise beginning with phishing emails or fake CAPTCHA prompts that led users to execute malicious PowerShell commands.

    Darktrace’s visibility into the compromise began when the threat actor initiated external communication with their C2 infrastructure, with Darktrace / NETWORK detecting the use of a new PowerShell user agent, indicating an attempt at remote code execution.

    Darktrace / NETWORK's detection of a device making an HTTP connection with new PowerShell user agent, indicating PowerShell abuse for C2 communications.
    Figure 1: Darktrace / NETWORK's detection of a device making an HTTP connection with new PowerShell user agent, indicating PowerShell abuse for C2 communications.

    Download of Malicious Files for Lateral Movement

    A few minutes later, the compromised device was observed downloading a numerically named file. Numeric files like this are often intentionally nondescript and associated with malware. In this case, the file name adhered to a specific pattern, matching the regular expression: /174(\d){7}/. Further investigation into the file revealed that it contained additional malicious code designed to further exploit remote services and gather device information.

    Darktrace / NETWORK's detection of a numeric file, one minute after the new PowerShell User Agent alert.
    Figure 2: Darktrace / NETWORK's detection of a numeric file, one minute after the new PowerShell User Agent alert.

    The file contained a script that sent system information to a specified IP address using an HTTP POST request, which also processed the response. This process was verified through packet capture (PCAP) analysis conducted by the Darktrace Threat Research team.

    By analyzing the body content of the HTTP GET request, it was observed that the command converts the current time to Unix epoch time format (i.e., 9 April 2025 13:26:40 GMT), resulting in an additional numeric file observed in the URI: /1744205200.

    PCAP highlighting the HTTP GET request that sends information to the specific IP, 193.36.38[.]237, which then generates another numeric file titled per the current time.
    Figure 3: PCAP highlighting the HTTP GET request that sends information to the specific IP, 193.36.38[.]237, which then generates another numeric file titled per the current time.

    Across Darktrace’s investigations into other customers' affected by ClickFix campaigns, both internal information discovery events and further execution of malicious code were observed.

    Data Exfiltration

    By following the HTTP stream in the same PCAP, the Darktrace Threat Research Team assessed the activity as indicative of data exfiltration involving system and device information to the same command-and-control (C2) endpoint, , 193.36.38[.]237. This endpoint was flagged as malicious by multiple open-source intelligence (OSINT) vendors [5].

    PCAP highlighting HTTP POST connection with the numeric file per the URI /1744205200 that indicates data exfiltration to 193.36.38[.]237.
    Figure 4: PCAP highlighting HTTP POST connection with the numeric file per the URI /1744205200 that indicates data exfiltration to 193.36.38[.]237.

    Further analysis of Darktrace’s Advanced Search logs showed that the attacker’s malicious code scanned for internal system information, which was then sent to a C2 server via an HTTP POST request, indicating data exfiltration

    Advanced Search further highlights Darktrace's observation of the HTTP POST request, with the second numeric file representing data exfiltration.
    Figure 5: Advanced Search further highlights Darktrace's observation of the HTTP POST request, with the second numeric file representing data exfiltration.

    Actions on objectives

    Around ten minutes after the initial C2 communications, the compromised device was observed connecting to an additional rare endpoint, 188.34.195[.]44. Further analysis of this endpoint confirmed its association with ClickFix campaigns, with several OSINT vendors linking it to previously reported attacks [6].

    In the final HTTP POST request made by the device, Darktrace detected a file at the URI /init1234 in the connection logs to the malicious endpoint 188.34.195[.]44, likely depicting the successful completion of the attack’s objective, automated data egress to a ClickFix C2 server.

    Darktrace / NETWORK grouped together the observed indicators of compromise (IoCs) on the compromised device and triggered an Enhanced Monitoring model alert, a high-priority detection model designed to identify activity indicative of the early stages of an attack. These models are monitored and triaged 24/7 by Darktrace’s Security Operations Center (SOC) as part of the Managed Threat Detection service, ensuring customers are promptly notified of malicious activity as soon as it emerges.

    Darktrace correlated the separate malicious connections that pertained to a single campaign.
    Figure 6: Darktrace correlated the separate malicious connections that pertained to a single campaign.

    Darktrace Autonomous Response

    In the incident outlined above, Darktrace was not configured in Autonomous Response mode. As a result, while actions to block specific connections were suggested, they had to be manually implemented by the customer’s security team. Due to the speed of the attack, this need for manual intervention allowed the threat to escalate without interruption.

    However, in a different example, Autonomous Response was fully enabled, allowing Darktrace to immediately block connections to the malicious endpoint (138.199.156[.]22) just one second after the initial connection in which a numerically named file was downloaded [7].

    Darktrace Autonomous Response blocked connections to a suspicious endpoint following the observation of the numeric file download.
    Figure 7: Darktrace Autonomous Response blocked connections to a suspicious endpoint following the observation of the numeric file download.

    This customer was also subscribed to our Managed Detection and Response service, Darktrace’s SOC extended a ‘Quarantine Device’ action that had already been autonomously applied in order to buy their security team additional time for remediation.

    Autonomous Response blocked connections to malicious endpoints, including 138.199.156[.]22, 185.250.151[.]155, and rkuagqnmnypetvf[.]top, and also quarantined the affected device. These actions were later manually reinforced by the Darktrace SOC.
    Figure 8: Autonomous Response blocked connections to malicious endpoints, including 138.199.156[.]22, 185.250.151[.]155, and rkuagqnmnypetvf[.]top, and also quarantined the affected device. These actions were later manually reinforced by the Darktrace SOC.

    Conclusion

    ClickFix baiting is a widely used tactic in which threat actors exploit human error to bypass security defenses. By tricking end point users into performing seemingly harmless, everyday actions, attackers gain initial access to systems where they can access and exfiltrate sensitive data.

    Darktrace’s anomaly-based approach to threat detection identifies early indicators of targeted attacks without relying on prior knowledge or IoCs. By continuously learning each device’s unique pattern of life, Darktrace detects subtle deviations that may signal a compromise. In this case, Darktrace's Autonomous Response, when operating in a fully autonomous mode, was able to swiftly contain the threat before it could progress further along the attack lifecycle.

    Credit to Keanna Grelicha (Cyber Analyst) and Jennifer Beckett (Cyber Analyst)

    Appendices

    NETWORK Models

    • Device / New PowerShell User Agent
    • Anomalous Connection / New User Agent to IP Without Hostname
    • Anomalous Connection / Posting HTTP to IP Without Hostname
    • Anomalous Connection / Powershell to Rare External
    • Device / Suspicious Domain
    • Device / New User Agent and New IP
    • Anomalous File / New User Agent Followed By Numeric File Download (Enhanced Monitoring Model)
    • Device / Initial Attack Chain Activity (Enhanced Monitoring Model)

    Autonomous Response Models

    • Antigena / Network::Significant Anomaly::Antigena Significant Anomaly from Client Block
    • Antigena / Network::Significant Anomaly::Antigena Enhanced Monitoring from Client Block
    • Antigena / Network::External Threat::Antigena File then New Outbound Block
    • Antigena / Network::External Threat::Antigena Suspicious File Block
    • Antigena / Network::Significant Anomaly::Antigena Alerts Over Time Block
    • Antigena / Network::External Threat::Antigena Suspicious File Block

    IoC - Type - Description + Confidence

    ·       141.193.213[.]11 – IP address – Possible C2 Infrastructure

    ·       141.193.213[.]10 – IP address – Possible C2 Infrastructure

    ·       64.94.84[.]217 – IP address – Possible C2 Infrastructure

    ·       138.199.156[.]22 – IP address – C2 server

    ·       94.181.229[.]250 – IP address – Possible C2 Infrastructure

    ·       216.245.184[.]181 – IP address – Possible C2 Infrastructure

    ·       212.237.217[.]182 – IP address – Possible C2 Infrastructure

    ·       168.119.96[.]41 – IP address – Possible C2 Infrastructure

    ·       193.36.38[.]237 – IP address – C2 server

    ·       188.34.195[.]44 – IP address – C2 server

    ·       205.196.186[.]70 – IP address – Possible C2 Infrastructure

    ·       rkuagqnmnypetvf[.]top – Hostname – C2 server

    ·       shorturl[.]at/UB6E6 – Hostname – Possible C2 Infrastructure

    ·       tlgrm-redirect[.]icu – Hostname – Possible C2 Infrastructure

    ·       diagnostics.medgenome[.]com – Hostname – Compromised Website

    ·       /1741714208 – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /1741718928 – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /1743871488 – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /1741200416 – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /1741356624 – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /ttt – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /1741965536 – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /1.txt – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /1744205184 – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /1744139920 – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /1744134352 – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /1744125600 – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       /1[.]php?s=527 – URI – Possible malicious file

    ·       34ff2f72c191434ce5f20ebc1a7e823794ac69bba9df70721829d66e7196b044 – SHA-256 Hash – Possible malicious file

    ·       10a5eab3eef36e75bd3139fe3a3c760f54be33e3 – SHA-1 Hash – Possible malicious file

    MITRE ATT&CK Mapping

    Tactic – Technique – Sub-Technique  

    Spearphishing Link - INITIAL ACCESS - T1566.002 - T1566

    Drive-by Compromise - INITIAL ACCESS - T1189

    PowerShell - EXECUTION - T1059.001 - T1059

    Exploitation of Remote Services - LATERAL MOVEMENT - T1210

    Web Protocols - COMMAND AND CONTROL - T1071.001 - T1071

    Automated Exfiltration - EXFILTRATION - T1020 - T1020.001

    References

    [1] https://www.logpoint.com/en/blog/emerging-threats/clickfix-another-deceptive-social-engineering-technique/

    [2] https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/security-brief-clickfix-social-engineering-technique-floods-threat-landscape

    [3] https://cyberresilience.com/threatonomics/understanding-the-clickfix-attack/

    [4] https://www.group-ib.com/blog/clickfix-the-social-engineering-technique-hackers-use-to-manipulate-victims/

    [5] https://www.virustotal.com/gui/ip-address/193.36.38.237/detection

    [6] https://www.virustotal.com/gui/ip-address/188.34.195.44/community

    [7] https://www.virustotal.com/gui/ip-address/138.199.156.22/detection

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    About the author
    Keanna Grelicha
    Cyber Analyst
    Your data. Our AI.
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