Incident Response & Digital Forensics

Threat Actor Attribution

  • May 9, 2025
  • 0

Sherlocked Security – Threat Actor Attribution

Identifying and Profiling Threat Actors to Understand the Adversary Behind Cyber Incidents

1. Statement of Work (SOW)

Service Name: Threat Actor Attribution
Client Type: Enterprises, Government Agencies, Critical Infrastructure, Cloud Providers
Service Model: On-Demand Engagement & Retainer Support
Compliance Alignment: NIST 800-53, ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2, GDPR, HIPAA

Threat Actor Attribution Includes:

  • Identifying the adversaries responsible for cyber incidents (e.g., nation-states, cybercriminals, hacktivists).
  • Investigating motives, tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
  • Profiling threat actors through technical and non-technical methods (e.g., IP address analysis, social media analysis, metadata).
  • Correlating IOCs (Indicators of Compromise) to known threat actors.
  • Attribution to specific threat groups using threat intelligence sources (e.g., APT groups).

2. Our Approach

[Preparation] → [Data Collection] → [IOC Analysis] → [TTP Mapping] → [OSINT Collection] → [Human Intelligence] → [Reporting & Attribution]

3. Methodology

  • Pre-Incident Setup: Ensure that detailed logging mechanisms are in place across all systems, applications, and networks.
  • Data Collection: Collect logs from all systems, network traffic data, and relevant artifacts (files, network activity, and emails).
  • IOC Analysis: Correlate IOCs like IP addresses, file hashes, URLs, and domains against known threat actor intelligence.
  • TTP Mapping: Investigate and map the adversary’s tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to known threat actors (e.g., APT groups).
  • OSINT Collection: Use open-source intelligence tools to gather additional data about the adversary’s infrastructure, motivations, and affiliations.
  • Human Intelligence (HUMINT): In certain cases, collaborate with law enforcement or other security organizations to gather further intelligence.
  • Reporting & Attribution: Provide a comprehensive report detailing the threat actor’s identity, behavior, tools, techniques, and potential motivations.

4. Deliverables to the Client

  1. Detailed Attribution Report: A comprehensive analysis of the identified threat actor, including their tactics, techniques, and motivations.
  2. IOC List: A list of IOCs tied to the attack, such as IP addresses, file hashes, and URLs.
  3. TTPs Profile: A detailed profile of the adversary’s tactics, techniques, and procedures used during the attack.
  4. Intelligence Analysis: An overview of the threat actor’s affiliations, previous activities, and likely objectives.
  5. Attribution to Threat Groups: Correlation of the identified TTPs to known threat actor groups (e.g., APT29, FIN7).
  6. Recommendations: Actionable steps for improving defenses, tailored to the identified threat actor’s methods.

5. What We Need from You (Client Requirements)

  • Access to Logs: Full access to relevant logs, including system logs, firewall logs, IDS/IPS logs, and application logs.
  • Access to Forensic Artifacts: Files, memory dumps, and registry entries that could help in profiling the threat actor.
  • Network & System Configuration: Network architecture details, critical assets, and access control policies for analysis.
  • Incident Information: Any initial observations, alerts, or reports related to the cybersecurity incident.
  • Threat Intelligence Feeds: If available, provide any external threat intelligence sources or previous engagement data.

6. Tools & Technology Stack

  • Threat Intelligence Platforms:
    • MISP (Malware Information Sharing Platform) for IOC sharing and correlation.
    • ThreatConnect and Anomali for gathering and processing threat actor intelligence.
  • OSINT Tools:
    • Maltego for mapping adversary infrastructure and connections.
    • Shodan and Spiderfoot for uncovering details about the adversary’s digital footprint.
  • Social Media Intelligence:
    • Use tools like X1 Social Discovery to analyze metadata from social media platforms for additional intelligence.

7. Engagement Lifecycle

  1. Client Onboarding: Gather the client’s access credentials and initial incident details.
  2. Log & Data Collection: Collect relevant logs, network traffic, and forensic artifacts for analysis.
  3. IOC and TTP Analysis: Analyze IOCs and map out the threat actor’s tactics, techniques, and procedures.
  4. OSINT & HUMINT Gathering: Collect open-source and human intelligence to build a profile of the threat actor.
  5. Attribution & Reporting: Generate a comprehensive report attributing the attack to specific threat actor(s) and provide recommendations.
  6. Post-Incident Review: Offer advice for future defense strategies and post-incident mitigation steps.

8. Why Sherlocked Security?

Feature Sherlocked Advantage
Advanced Attribution Techniques Use a combination of IOCs, TTPs, and open-source intelligence to identify and profile adversaries.
Comprehensive Intelligence Analyze both technical and non-technical data sources to build a complete picture of the threat actor.
Global Threat Intelligence Leverage private and public threat intelligence feeds to enhance attribution accuracy.
Actionable Recommendations Provide tailored defense strategies based on the specific threat actor identified.
Proven Track Record Extensive experience in identifying and profiling threat actors, enhancing security posture for clients.

9. Real-World Case Studies

Cyber Espionage – Nation-State Attribution

Client: A government agency experienced a sophisticated cyber espionage attack.
Findings: Using TTPs from known APT groups and correlating IOCs across multiple sources, we identified the threat actor as a nation-state group (APT28).
Outcome: The attribution enabled the client to take proactive defensive measures, including enhancing cybersecurity protocols and improving threat detection capabilities.

Ransomware – Cybercriminal Attribution

Client: A healthcare provider was hit with a ransomware attack.
Findings: By analyzing the ransomware’s behavior, mapping its delivery method, and correlating IOCs, we attributed the attack to a well-known cybercriminal group (REvil).
Outcome: The attribution helped the client to better understand the attack vector, mitigate future risks, and enhance their ransomware defense strategy.

10. SOP – Standard Operating Procedure

  1. Log Collection: Ensure detailed logs are collected across all systems (firewalls, IDS/IPS, endpoints).
  2. Artifact Analysis: Collect relevant forensic artifacts such as files, memory dumps, and registry entries.
  3. IOC Correlation: Cross-reference IOCs with known threat actor databases and intelligence platforms.
  4. TTP Mapping: Map adversary behavior to known TTPs and correlate with threat intelligence groups.
  5. Attribution: Profile the threat actor based on IOCs, TTPs, and external intelligence.
  6. Reporting: Generate a detailed attribution report, including threat actor analysis, IOCs, TTPs, and recommendations.
  7. Mitigation & Defense: Provide actionable mitigation steps and defense strategies to prevent future attacks.

11. Threat Actor Attribution – Readiness Checklist

1. Pre-Incident Setup

  • [ ] Comprehensive Logging: Ensure systems are configured to capture detailed logs for analysis.
  • [ ] Threat Intelligence Feeds: Subscribe to threat intelligence feeds for real-time updates on known adversaries.
  • [ ] Access Control: Define clear access control policies for critical systems to minimize initial access risks.

2. During Threat Actor Attribution

  • [ ] Log Collection: Collect logs from relevant systems, firewalls, IDS/IPS, and network traffic.
  • [ ] Artifact Collection: Gather forensic artifacts that may provide insights into the threat actor’s methods.
  • [ ] IOC Correlation: Cross-reference collected IOCs with known databases and threat intelligence sources.
  • [ ] TTP Mapping: Identify and map the threat actor’s TTPs to known threat groups.

3. Post-Incident Response

  • [ ] Attribution Report: Document the attribution process, including the identification of the threat actor and methods used.
  • [ ] Recommendations: Provide guidance on defensive measures based on identified threat actor behavior.
  • [ ] Threat Intelligence Sharing: Share IOCs and attribution details with trusted partners or platforms to enhance collective defense.

4. Continuous Improvement

  • [ ] Lessons Learned: Incorporate attribution findings into incident response playbooks for future incidents.
  • [ ] Security Posture Review: Regularly review and update defenses against identified threat actors.
  • [ ] Training: Train staff on identifying and mitigating threats from known threat actors and their TTPs.
Timeline Reconstruction
Ransomware Response