Playbook Objectives:

• Improve security measures to protect the company’s sensitive cloud data against potential cyber-attacks.
• Understand and implement encryption best practices to secure cloud data.
• Remediate and prevent attempts of data breaches.
• Enhance skills in identifying, responding, and resolving potential security vulnerabilities through interactive lab exercise.

Difficulty Level:

• Intermediate

Scenario:

• ZoomCloud, a UK-based cloud service provider, faces consistent threats from potential cyber attackers attempting to compromise their cloud data storage. In the era of digital transformation, ZoomCloud is responsible for safeguarding confidential customer and business data, making them a prime target for cybercriminals.
• Recognizing the increasing demand for cybersecurity, the organization’s IT Head, John McWayne, decided to run a cyber range exercise with his security team to identify potential vulnerabilities and mitigate risks.
• The core mission was to empower his team to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber-attacks. They aimed to create a robust mechanism for securing the company’s cloud data using encryption best practices. Successful completion of the exercise will enable the company to effectively safeguard their systems and customers’ data from cyber-attacks.

Category:

• Cloud Data Security

Exercise Attack Steps:

• Creating a realistic attack scenario: The team curates a scenario wherein a hacker tries to breach the company’s cloud data network under the false employee credentials. They simulate the intrusion executing data exfiltration techniques.
• Identification of vulnerabilities: Team members identify potential flaws in the existing cybersecurity systems by observing the simulated attack. This includes weak security protocols, insecure APIs, and any insufficient encryption practices.
• Implementation of secure encryption practices: Team starts by introducing a secure, encrypted connection and they apply advanced encryption on the stored data.
• Securing the data processing: Adding encryption at the base level where data is processed, it’s an extra layer of security wherein even if the attacker bypasses the network security they still don’t have access to actual data.
• Regular audits of encryption keys: Routine audits would be implemented to check if the encryption keys are working optimally or not.
• Encryption during data transfer: Ensuring security during data migration by employing encryption techniques like SSL/TLS to secure data against unauthorized access.
• Disaster recovery plan: Establishing an effective disaster recovery plan to mitigate the damage and respond to data breaches instantly.
• Post exercise the team would end up making a documented action plan with department-wise responsibilities to counter such threats in the future and would be ready for potential cyber threats. Game end: Ultimately, a mock-up breach would be created again to test if the team can repel the attack or not, achieving the aim of this exercise then and there.