Sherlocked Security – Command & Control (C2) Emulation

Simulate Advanced Command and Control Channels to Test Detection and Response Systems

1. Statement of Work (SOW)

Service Name: Command & Control (C2) Emulation
Client Type: Enterprises, MSSPs, Financial Institutions, Government, Critical Infrastructure
Service Model: Simulated Attack with C2 Channel Emulation and Detection Testing
Compliance Coverage: NIST 800-53, SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS

Simulation Types:

Command and Control Channel Emulation
Covert Channel Creation & Data Exfiltration Simulation
Beaconing & Evasion Techniques Testing
C2 Detection Mechanism Validation (IDS/IPS, Firewalls)
Bypass of Network Detection & Response (NDR) Solutions
Evasion of Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) Solutions

2. Our Approach

[Pre-engagement & Test Scope] → [C2 Channel Setup] → [Payload Development & C2 Emulation] → [Testing C2 Communication & Data Exfiltration] → [C2 Evasion Testing] → [Detection Analysis] → [Results Mapping & Reporting] → [Retesting & Validation]

3. Methodology

[Kickoff & Scope Agreement] → [Attack Scenario Design] → [C2 Infrastructure Setup] → [Payload & C2 Communication Testing] → [Evasion & Detection Testing] → [C2 Analysis & Reporting] → [Remediation Recommendations & Retesting]

4. Deliverables to the Client

C2 Emulation Plan: Detailed simulation of C2 infrastructure and attack vectors
Beaconing & Persistence Testing Report: Analysis of beaconing and persistence mechanisms
Detection Gap Analysis: Mapping of C2 detection failures (IDS/IPS, NDR, EDR)
Data Exfiltration Simulation Report: Assessment of exfiltration routes and techniques
Executive Summary: Overview of findings and recommendations
Technical Findings Report: In-depth analysis of C2 communication protocols and detection evasion
Remediation Plan: Steps to improve detection, blocking, and containment of C2 channels
Retesting & Certification: Validation of improved detection and containment mechanisms

5. What We Need from You (Client Requirements)

Access to the network for testing C2 channel emulation
Approval for simulated C2 communication to test security defenses
Information about current IDS/IPS, NDR, and EDR solutions in use
Collaboration with incident response team during testing
Access to logs and telemetry from security solutions for analysis
Understanding of any constraints related to network downtime or disruptions during testing

6. Tools & Technology Stack

Cobalt Strike / Brute Ratel
Empire (PowerShell-based attack framework)
Pupy (Remote access tool)
Metasploit Framework
Netcat / Socat
DNS Tunneling Tools (iodine, DNSCat2)
WebSocket and HTTP-based C2 channels
Custom Tools / Scripts

7. Engagement Lifecycle

1. Discovery Call → 2. Scope Definition & Strategy → 3. C2 Infrastructure Setup → 4. Testing Phase (2-3 Weeks) → 5. Detection & Evasion Testing → 6. Report Draft & Review → 7. Final Report + Remediation → 8. Retesting & Certification

8. Why Sherlocked Security?

Feature	Sherlocked Advantage
Advanced C2 Channel Simulation	Realistic emulation of multi-channel C2 techniques
Covert Data Exfiltration	Simulate exfiltration via DNS tunneling and encrypted channels
Evasion of Detection Systems	Test against IDS/IPS, NDR, and EDR detection systems
Beaconing & Persistence	Evaluate ability of C2 to maintain persistent access
Comprehensive Reporting	Actionable insights for improving detection and blocking capabilities
Retesting Included	1 round free, extra at a nominal cost

9. Real-World Case Studies

C2 Emulation for Financial Institution

Objective: Simulate a multi-stage APT campaign using C2 channels for exfiltration and persistence testing.
Outcome: Emulated C2 channels using DNS and HTTP tunneling methods. Evasion of network security controls was successful.
Fix: Strengthened DNS and HTTP filtering mechanisms. Implemented additional monitoring on outbound traffic.

Government Agency C2 Channel Bypass

Client: Government cybersecurity agency
Scenario: Test detection of C2 communication across multiple network layers (firewalls, IDS/IPS).
Findings: IDS/IPS missed several C2 communications over encrypted channels.
Result: IDS signatures were updated, and deep packet inspection (DPI) was configured to detect encrypted C2 traffic.

10. SOP – Standard Operating Procedure

Discovery call and scope agreement
Setup of test C2 infrastructure and communication channels
Simulate C2 communications and payload delivery
Test network-level detection (IDS/IPS) and endpoint detection (EDR)
Conduct data exfiltration testing via covert channels
Analyze detection gaps and persistence failures
Collaborate with the security team to review findings
Final report creation with remediation advice
Retest after remediation and validation

11. C2 Emulation Checklist

1. C2 Channel Setup

Set up DNS tunneling (T1071)
Create HTTP/HTTPS-based C2 channels (T1071)
Use WebSocket and other covert channels for communication
Test beaconing with varied intervals and persistence (T1070)
Set up secure socket layer (SSL) encrypted C2 traffic (T1071)

2. Payload Delivery & Execution

Test payload delivery via HTTP/HTTPS, DNS, SMB
Create custom payloads for C2 communication
Simulate implant persistence and data exfiltration routes (T1105)
Test for evasion of endpoint detection during C2 emulation

3. Detection Evasion Testing

Test bypass of IDS/IPS for C2 channels (T1070)
Evaluate effectiveness of NDR and firewall configurations
Simulate encrypted payloads and test decryption evasion
Test the ability of EDR solutions to detect C2 communication

4. Data Exfiltration Simulation

Simulate data exfiltration over C2 channels (T1041)
Test DNS-based data exfiltration (T1071)
Evaluate encrypted and encoded exfiltration methods
Test file transfer methods (e.g., FTP, SMB) over C2 channels

5. Reporting & Remediation

Detail successful detection gaps and evasion techniques
Map C2 communication types to MITRE ATT&CK framework (T1071)
Provide remediation suggestions for blocking C2 channels
Recommend detection rule improvements for encrypted C2 traffic
Retest after remediation and confirm blocking measures

Command & Control (C2) Emulation