EDR, demystified! Stay a step ahead of attackers with this comprehensive guide to understanding the attack-detection software running on Microsoft systems—and how to evade it. Nearly every enterprise uses an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agent to monitor the devices on their network for signs of an attack. But that doesn't mean security defenders grasp how these systems actually work. This book demystifies EDR, taking you on a deep dive into how EDRs detect adversary activity. Chapter by chapter, you’ll learn that EDR is not a magical black box—it’s just a complex software application built around a few easy-to-understand components. The author uses his years of experience as a red team operator to investigate each of the most common sensor components, discussing their purpose, explaining their implementation, and showing the ways they collect various data points from the Microsoft operating system. In addition to covering the theory behind designing an effective EDR, each chapter also reveals documented evasion strategies for bypassing EDRs that red teamers can use in their engagements.

Elevate your expertise in endpoint detection and response by mastering advanced EDR/XDR concepts through real-life examples and fortify your organization's cyber defense strategy Key Features Learn how to tackle endpoint security problems in your organization Apply practical guidance and real-world examples to harden endpoint security Implement EDR/XDR tools for optimal protection of digital assets Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook Book DescriptionIn this data-driven age, safeguarding sensitive data and privacy has become paramount, demanding a deep understanding of the intricacies of cyberspace and its associated threats. With a focus on endpoint defense, Endpoint Detection and Response Essentials guides you in implementing EDR solutions to stay ahead of attackers and ensure the overall security posture of your IT infrastructure. Starting with an insightful introduction to EDR and its significance in the modern cyber threat landscape, this book offers a quick overview of popular EDR tools followed by their practical implementation. From real-world case studies, best practices, and deployment strategies to maximizing the effectiveness of EDR, including endpoint hardening techniques and advanced DNS visibility methods, this comprehensive resource equips you with the knowledge and hands-on skills to strengthen your organization’s defense against cyber attacks. Recognizing the role of the DNS protocol, you’ll fortify your organization's endpoint defense proactively. By the end of this book, you'll have honed the skills needed to construct a resilient cybersecurity defense for yourself and your organization.What you will learn Gain insight into current cybersecurity threats targeting endpoints Understand why antivirus solutions are no longer sufficient for robust security Explore popular EDR/XDR tools and their implementation Master the integration of EDR tools into your security operations Uncover evasion techniques employed by hackers in the EDR/XDR context Get hands-on experience utilizing DNS logs for endpoint defense Apply effective endpoint hardening techniques within your organization Who this book is for If you're an IT professional seeking to safeguard yourself and your company's digital assets, this book is for you. To make the most of its content, a foundational understanding of GNU/Linux, operating systems, networks, and programming concepts is recommended. Additionally, security professionals eager to delve into advanced endpoint defense techniques will find this book invaluable.

Master cutting-edge techniques and countermeasures to protect your organization from live hackers. Learn how to harness cyber deception in your operations to gain an edge over the competition. Key Features Gain an advantage against live hackers in a competition or real computing environment Understand advanced red team and blue team techniques with code examples Learn to battle in short-term memory, whether remaining unseen (red teams) or monitoring an attacker's traffic (blue teams) Book DescriptionLittle has been written about what to do when live hackers are on your system and running amok. Even experienced hackers tend to choke up when they realize the network defender has caught them and is zoning in on their implants in real time. This book will provide tips and tricks all along the kill chain of an attack, showing where hackers can have the upper hand in a live conflict and how defenders can outsmart them in this adversarial game of computer cat and mouse. This book contains two subsections in each chapter, specifically focusing on the offensive and defensive teams. It begins by introducing you to adversarial operations and principles of computer conflict where you will explore the core principles of deception, humanity, economy, and more about human-on-human conflicts. Additionally, you will understand everything from planning to setting up infrastructure and tooling that both sides should have in place. Throughout this book, you will learn how to gain an advantage over opponents by disappearing from what they can detect. You will further understand how to blend in, uncover other actors’ motivations and means, and learn to tamper with them to hinder their ability to detect your presence. Finally, you will learn how to gain an advantage through advanced research and thoughtfully concluding an operation. By the end of this book, you will have achieved a solid understanding of cyberattacks from both an attacker’s and a defender’s perspective.What you will learn Understand how to implement process injection and how to detect it Turn the tables on the offense with active defense Disappear on the defender’s system, by tampering with defensive sensors Upskill in using deception with your backdoors and countermeasures including honeypots Kick someone else from a computer you are on and gain the upper hand Adopt a language agnostic approach to become familiar with techniques that can be applied to both the red and blue teams Prepare yourself for real-time cybersecurity conflict by using some of the best techniques currently in the industry Who this book is for Pentesters to red teamers, security operations center analysts to incident responders, attackers, defenders, general hackers, advanced computer users, and security engineers will benefit from this book. Participants in purple teaming or adversarial simulations will also learn a lot from its practical examples of processes for gaining an advantage over the opposing team. Basic knowledge of Python, Go, Bash, PowerShell, system administration as well as knowledge of incident response in Linux and prior exposure to any kind of cybersecurity knowledge, penetration testing, and ethical hacking basics will help you follow along.

Get up to speed on state-of-the-art malware with this first-ever guide to analyzing malicious Windows software designed to actively avoid detection and forensic tools. We’re all aware of Stuxnet, ShadowHammer, Sunburst, and similar attacks that use evasion to remain hidden while defending themselves from detection and analysis. Because advanced threats like these can adapt and, in some cases, self-destruct to evade detection, even the most seasoned investigators can use a little help with analysis now and then. Evasive Malware will introduce you to the evasion techniques used by today’s malicious software and show you how to defeat them. Following a crash course on using static and dynamic code analysis to uncover malware’s true intentions, you’ll learn how malware weaponizes context awareness to detect and skirt virtual machines and sandboxes, plus the various tricks it uses to thwart analysis tools. You’ll explore the world of anti-reversing, from anti-disassembly methods and debugging interference to covert code execution and misdirection tactics. You’ll also delve into defense evasion, from process injection and rootkits to fileless malware. Finally, you’ll dissect encoding, encryption, and the complexities of malware obfuscators and packers to uncover the evil within. You’ll learn how malware: Abuses legitimate components of Windows, like the Windows API and LOLBins, to run undetected Uses environmental quirks and context awareness, like CPU timing and hypervisor enumeration, to detect attempts at analysis Bypasses network and endpoint defenses using passive circumvention techniques, like obfuscation and mutation, and active techniques, like unhooking and tampering Detects debuggers and circumvents dynamic and static code analysis You’ll also find tips for building a malware analysis lab and tuning it to better counter anti-analysis techniques in malware. Whether you’re a frontline defender, a forensic analyst, a detection engineer, or a researcher, Evasive Malware will arm you with the knowledge and skills you need to outmaneuver the stealthiest of today’s cyber adversaries.

Power up your Windows security skills with expert guidance, in-depth technical insights, and dozens of real-world vulnerability examples from Google Project Zero’s most renowned researcher! Learn core components of the system in greater depth than ever before, and gain hands-on experience probing advanced Microsoft security systems with the added benefit of PowerShell scripts. Windows Security Internals is a must-have for anyone needing to understand the Windows operating system’s low-level implementations, whether to discover new vulnerabilities or protect against known ones. Developers, devops, and security researchers will all find unparalleled insight into the operating system’s key elements and weaknesses, surpassing even Microsoft’s official documentation. Author James Forshaw teaches through meticulously crafted PowerShell examples that can be experimented with and modified, covering everything from basic resource security analysis to advanced techniques like using network authentication. The examples will help you actively test and manipulate system behaviors, learn how Windows secures files and the registry, re-create from scratch how the system grants access to a resource, learn how Windows implements authentication both locally and over a network, and much more. You’ll also explore a wide range of topics, such as: Windows security architecture, including both the kernel and user-mode applications The Windows Security Reference Monitor (SRM), including access tokens, querying and setting a resource’s security descriptor, and access checking and auditing Interactive Windows authentication and credential storage in the Security Account Manager (SAM) and Active Directory Mechanisms of network authentication protocols, including NTLM and Kerberos In an era of sophisticated cyberattacks on Windows networks, mastering the operating system’s complex security mechanisms is more crucial than ever. Whether you’re defending against the latest cyber threats or delving into the intricacies of Windows security architecture, you’ll find Windows Security Internals indispensable in your efforts to navigate the complexities of today’s cybersecurity landscape.

Attackers have to be only right once, but just one mistake will permanently undo them. KEY FEATURES ● Explore the nuances of strategic offensive and defensive cyber operations, mastering the art of digital warfare ● Develop and deploy advanced evasive techniques, creating and implementing implants on even the most secure systems ● Achieve operational security excellence by safeguarding secrets, resisting coercion, and effectively erasing digital traces ● Gain valuable insights from threat actor experiences, learning from both their accomplishments and mistakes for tactical advantage ● Synergize information warfare strategies, amplifying impact or mitigating damage through strategic integration ● Implement rootkit persistence, loading evasive code and applying threat actor techniques for sustained effectiveness ● Stay ahead of the curve by anticipating and adapting to the ever-evolving landscape of emerging cyber threats ● Comprehensive cyber preparedness guide, offering insights into effective strategies and tactics for navigating the digital battlefield DESCRIPTION The “Ultimate Cyberwarfare for Evasive Cyber Tactic” is an all-encompassing guide, meticulously unfolding across pivotal cybersecurity domains, providing a thorough overview of cyber warfare.The book begins by unraveling the tapestry of today's cyber landscape, exploring current threats, implementation strategies, and notable trends. From operational security triumphs to poignant case studies of failures, readers gain valuable insights through real-world case studies. The book delves into the force-multiplying potential of the Information Warfare component, exploring its role in offensive cyber operations. From deciphering programming languages, tools, and frameworks to practical insights on setting up your own malware lab, this book equips readers with hands-on knowledge. The subsequent chapters will immerse you in the world of proof-of-concept evasive malware and master the art of evasive adversarial tradecraft. Concluding with a forward-looking perspective, the book explores emerging threats and trends, making it an essential read for anyone passionate about understanding and navigating the complex terrain of cyber conflicts. WHAT WILL YOU LEARN ● Explore historical insights into cyber conflicts, hacktivism, and notable asymmetric events ● Gain a concise overview of cyberwarfare, extracting key lessons from historical conflicts ● Dive into current cyber threats, dissecting their implementation strategies ● Navigate adversarial techniques and environments for a solid foundation and establish a robust malware development environment ● Explore the diverse world of programming languages, tools, and frameworks ● Hone skills in creating proof-of-concept evasive code and understanding tradecraft ● Master evasive tradecraft and techniques for covering tracks WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR? This book is designed to cater to a diverse audience, including cyber operators seeking skill enhancement, computer science students exploring practical applications, and penetration testers and red teamers refining offensive and defensive capabilities. It is valuable for privacy advocates, lawyers, lawmakers, and legislators navigating the legal and regulatory aspects of cyber conflicts. Additionally, tech workers in the broader industry will find it beneficial to stay informed about evolving threats.

Develop more secure and effective antivirus solutions by leveraging antivirus bypass techniques Key FeaturesGain a clear understanding of the security landscape and research approaches to bypass antivirus softwareBecome well-versed with practical techniques to bypass antivirus solutionsDiscover best practices to develop robust antivirus solutionsBook Description Antivirus software is built to detect, prevent, and remove malware from systems, but this does not guarantee the security of your antivirus solution as certain changes can trick the antivirus and pose a risk for users. This book will help you to gain a basic understanding of antivirus software and take you through a series of antivirus bypass techniques that will enable you to bypass antivirus solutions. The book starts by introducing you to the cybersecurity landscape, focusing on cyber threats, malware, and more. You will learn how to collect leads to research antivirus and explore the two common bypass approaches used by the authors. Once you've covered the essentials of antivirus research and bypassing, you'll get hands-on with bypassing antivirus software using obfuscation, encryption, packing, PowerShell, and more. Toward the end, the book covers security improvement recommendations, useful for both antivirus vendors as well as for developers to help strengthen the security and malware detection capabilities of antivirus software. By the end of this security book, you'll have a better understanding of antivirus software and be able to confidently bypass antivirus software. What you will learnExplore the security landscape and get to grips with the fundamentals of antivirus softwareDiscover how to gather AV bypass research leads using malware analysis toolsUnderstand the two commonly used antivirus bypass approachesFind out how to bypass static and dynamic antivirus enginesUnderstand and implement bypass techniques in real-world scenariosLeverage best practices and recommendations for implementing antivirus solutionsWho this book is for This book is for security researchers, malware analysts, reverse engineers, pentesters, antivirus vendors looking to strengthen their detection capabilities, antivirus users and companies that want to test and evaluate their antivirus software, organizations that want to test and evaluate antivirus software before purchase or acquisition, and tech-savvy individuals who want to learn new topics.