Sherlocked Security – Supply-Chain Attack Simulation
Simulate Supply-Chain Attacks to Identify Vulnerabilities in Third-Party Interactions
1. Statement of Work (SOW)
Service Name: Supply-Chain Attack Simulation
Client Type: Enterprises, Manufacturing, Financial Institutions, Government, eCommerce
Service Model: Simulated Attack Focusing on Third-Party Interactions and Vendor Relationships
Compliance Coverage: NIST 800-53, SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS
Simulation Types:
- Third-Party Vendor Attack Simulation
- Software Distribution and Update Chain Simulation
- Social Engineering Targeting Vendor Employees
- Compromising Trusted Software/Hardware Providers
- Simulating Malicious Updates and Backdoors
- Exfiltration through Compromised Vendor Channels
- Insider Threats via Compromised Vendor Access
2. Our Approach
[Pre-engagement & Test Scope] → [Vendor/Partner Selection] → [Simulating Vendor Compromise] → [Attacking via Vendor Software] → [Exfiltration Simulation] → [Detection Testing] → [Results Mapping & Reporting] → [Retesting & Validation]
3. Methodology
[Kickoff & Scope Agreement] → [Vendor Identification] → [Third-Party Attack Simulation] → [Simulate Malicious Software Distribution] → [Test for Insider Threats] → [Exfiltration & Data Leakage Testing] → [Detection & Response Testing] → [Results Analysis & Reporting] → [Remediation Recommendations & Retesting]
4. Deliverables to the Client
- Supply-Chain Attack Simulation Plan: Detailed strategy for testing vendor and third-party vulnerabilities
- Compromised Vendor Simulation Report: Findings from the simulated attack on vendor relationships and supply chain
- Exfiltration Path Report: Detailed mapping of how data was exfiltrated through compromised third-party channels
- Insider Threat Report: Assessment of risks related to compromised vendor access
- Executive Summary: High-level overview of findings and business risks
- Technical Findings Report: In-depth analysis of the attack vectors used and vulnerabilities exploited
- Remediation Recommendations: Guidance on mitigating supply-chain attack risks
- Retesting & Certification: Validation of improvements and security fixes
5. What We Need from You (Client Requirements)
- A list of critical third-party vendors and software/hardware providers
- Access to vendor-related contracts and any relevant security policies
- Collaboration with security teams on current third-party risk management protocols
- Information about any third-party penetration testing already conducted
- Access to logs and telemetry data from third-party communications
- Understanding of any constraints around testing vendor software/hardware
- Availability of key contacts for vendor-related social engineering testing
6. Tools & Technology Stack
- Custom Tools / Scripts for simulating supply-chain attacks
- Metasploit Framework for exploitation and backdoor installation
- Cobalt Strike for advanced attack simulation and post-exploitation
- Burp Suite for web application testing on third-party vendors
- Empire for PowerShell-based attack simulations
- DNS Tunneling Tools for exfiltration through third-party channels
- Nmap for network discovery and vulnerability scanning
- Social Engineering Tools for phishing and vishing simulations
- RATs (Remote Access Tools) like Pupy and Quasar for post-exploitation
7. Engagement Lifecycle
1. Discovery Call → 2. Scope Definition & Strategy → 3. Vendor Identification → 4. Third-Party Attack Simulation → 5. Exfiltration & Insider Threat Testing → 6. Report Draft & Review → 7. Final Report + Remediation → 8. Retesting & Certification
8. Why Sherlocked Security?
| Feature | Sherlocked Advantage |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive Attack Simulation | Realistic simulation of both external and insider attacks via supply-chain channels |
| Vendor-Focused Strategy | In-depth focus on third-party vendor security risks |
| Social Engineering Expertise | Targeted social engineering attacks against vendor employees |
| Custom Tools for Supply-Chain Attacks | Tailored tools for simulating real-world vendor compromise scenarios |
| Remediation Recommendations | Actionable insights for hardening supply-chain security |
| Retesting Included | 1 round free, extra at nominal cost |
9. Real-World Case Studies
Supply-Chain Attack on eCommerce Platform
Client: Large eCommerce Retailer
Scenario: Simulation of a compromise in a third-party payment gateway provider, followed by data exfiltration.
Findings: Vendor’s software update mechanism was exploited to insert malicious code. Data exfiltrated through compromised payment channels.
Fix: Strengthened vendor vetting process, reviewed software distribution mechanisms, and added multi-factor authentication for vendor access.
Insider Threat Simulation in Financial Services
Client: Global Financial Institution
Scenario: Simulated insider threat via a compromised vendor employee accessing sensitive customer data.
Findings: The vendor employee was able to bypass network security controls due to lack of monitoring and access restrictions.
Fix: Enhanced insider threat detection, restricted access levels for vendors, and implemented strict data access auditing.
10. SOP – Standard Operating Procedure
- Discovery call and scope agreement
- Identify critical vendors and third-party relationships
- Simulate vendor compromise through different attack vectors (social engineering, software distribution)
- Test for exfiltration through compromised channels
- Perform insider threat testing on vendor employees with privileged access
- Analyze detection gaps in vendor communications and data exfiltration mechanisms
- Collaborate with security teams to review findings
- Provide remediation advice and risk mitigation steps
- Retest and validate improvements post-fix
11. Supply-Chain Attack Checklist
1. Vendor Identification & Compromise
- List critical third-party vendors (payment processors, software suppliers, etc.)
- Simulate compromise via vendor software updates (T1071, T1105)
- Test malicious update distribution (T1071)
- Test vulnerabilities in vendor access management systems
2. Social Engineering Attacks on Vendors
- Simulate phishing and spear-phishing attacks targeting vendor employees (T1071)
- Simulate vishing and impersonation techniques to gain vendor access (T1071)
- Test vendor employees’ awareness of security policies (T1071)
3. Supply-Chain Exfiltration Simulation
- Test exfiltration of data via compromised vendor communications (T1071)
- Simulate data exfiltration over DNS, HTTP, and email (T1041)
- Test covert exfiltration channels via third-party applications (T1071)
4. Insider Threat Simulation
- Simulate vendor employee compromise (T1071)
- Test access control and monitoring mechanisms for vendor interactions (T1071)
- Evaluate monitoring tools for detecting insider threats via vendors
5. Detection & Response Testing
- Test network detection mechanisms for identifying vendor-based compromises (T1071, T1105)
- Test endpoint protection tools for detecting vendor compromise artifacts
- Validate incident response capability for vendor-based security incidents