December 20, 2024

Securing Resilience: CyberOne’s DFIR Expertise in the Insurance Sector 

A mid-market insurance company based in London faced a serious cybersecurity challenge that exposed critical vulnerabilities in its infrastructure. When a threat actor exploited a misconfigured development server, it resulted in the compromise of sensitive customer data, including policy and financial records. With 2,300 users at risk and compliance obligations under GDPR and FCA guidelines, the stakes were high. Enter CyberOne, an NCSC-certified Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) provider, whose swift and strategic intervention brought the situation under control. 

Rapid Response to a Growing Threat 

Incident Overview 

Industry:
Insurance

Number of Employees:
2,300 

Incident Timeline: 

Day 1: Unusual activity detected in the network.

Day 2: Internal IT traced the source to a vulnerable development server. 

Day 3: CyberOne was engaged to lead the investigation and remediation. 

The breach stemmed from a development server that had been inadvertently exposed to the internet. Misconfigured permissions and outdated software provided an open door for the attacker, who used the server to deploy malware and escalate their privileges across the network. 

CyberOne’s DFIR Response: A Structured Approach 

Following the NCSC’s CIR Level 2 framework, CyberOne delivered a comprehensive incident response, ensuring rapid containment, thorough investigation and compliance readiness. 

1. Identification and Scoping 

• Immediate Assessment: Conducted a rapid triage to understand the breach’s scale. 

• Threat Hunting: Leveraged advanced Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools to uncover lateral movement, persistence mechanisms and potential data exfiltration. 

• Stakeholder Communication: Provided timely updates to the company’s IT team and executive board, ensuring alignment on priorities and next steps. 

2. Containment 

• System Isolation: Segmented the compromised development server and other affected systems to prevent further spread. 

• Network Controls: Implemented temporary restrictions on non-essential services and blocked suspicious IP ranges. 

• Evidence Preservation: Created forensic images of critical systems to support investigations and compliance reporting. 

3. Eradication 

• Malware Removal: Used memory forensics and network traffic analysis to identify and eliminate malicious scripts and unauthorized accounts. 

• Vulnerability Remediation: Hardened the development server and associated systems through patching, reconfigurations and disabling unnecessary services. 

4. Recovery 

• Data Restoration: Verified backup integrity and restored clean backups to affected systems. 

• Infrastructure Rebuild: Rebuilt key servers to eliminate any residual threats. 

• Enhanced Monitoring: Deployed advanced Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools for post-recovery vigilance. 

5. Post-Incident Activities 

• Detailed Reporting: Delivered a comprehensive attack timeline and root cause analysis, meeting NCSC standards. 

• Compliance Support: Guided the insurance company in addressing regulatory obligations under GDPR and FCA guidelines. 

• Proactive Recommendations: Proposed a robust security improvement plan featuring Zero Trust architecture and best practices for development environments. 

Tools and Techniques: Aligned with NCSC CIR Standards 

CyberOne’s DFIR toolkit ensured precision in incident management: 

• Forensic Imaging: Used EnCase and FTK tools to capture and preserve evidence. 

• Memory Analysis: Leveraged Volatility to identify malicious activity in memory dumps. 

• Endpoint Detection: Deployed EDR solutions like SentinelOne to uncover signs of lateral movement and persistence. 

• Log Analysis: Utilized Splunk SIEM to trace the attacker’s actions. 

• Threat Intelligence: Matched Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) against known threat actors to understand the adversary’s tactics. 

Outcomes: A Blueprint for Resilience 

• Rapid Containment: The breach was contained within 48 hours of CyberOne’s engagement, preventing further data loss. 

• Restoration of Operations: Full operational recovery was achieved within five days, minimizing disruption to customers and staff. 

• Compliance Assurance: By following NCSC and GDPR guidelines, the company demonstrated robust incident management to regulators. 

• Improved Security Posture: CyberOne’s recommendations reduced the likelihood of future incidents, creating a foundation for long-term resilience. 

Lessons Learned: Securing the Future 

1. Secure Development Practices: Ensure development environments adhere to production-level security standards. 

2. Regular Vulnerability Assessments: Conduct periodic penetration testing to identify and address potential weaknesses. 

3. Preparedness Matters: Establish relationships with an NCSC-certified CIR provider for rapid response capabilities. 

A Partner in Resilience: Why Choose CyberOne? 

This case underscores the importance of securing all facets of IT infrastructure and having an expert response partner ready to act. CyberOne’s adherence to the NCSC CIR Level 2 framework ensured a thorough, swift and compliant resolution to the breach. Their approach not only mitigated reputational and operational damage but also fortified the insurance company’s defences against future cyber threats. 

Ready to Enhance Your Organisation’s Cyber Resilience? 

Speak with CyberOne today and take the first step towards transforming your security operations. Whether it’s rapid incident response or proactive security measures, CyberOne offers scalable solutions tailored to your needs. 

The Journey to Robust Cyber Security Starts Here—Let’s Secure Your Future Together.