From Initial Access to Ransomware Deployment: A Deep Dive into the Modern Threat Actors’ Playbook

Understanding the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that threat actors rely on to gain initial access, achieve intrusion actions, and actions on objectives is critical to reducing your organization’s cyber risks, avoid downtime, and build a resilient security operation.

As threat actors pivot from traditional email vectors to more sophisticated browser-based and ‘unknown’ vectors exploiting out-of-scope endpoints to gain initial access, security leaders must understand that these methods are precursors to deeper, more damaging intrusions that will undoubtedly lead to costly ransomware attacks and extensive network compromise.

In this report, we highlight the trend of ransomware attacks originating from out-of-scope endpoints and the subtle shifts in attacker behavior, particularly in pivoting from email to browser-based threats.

We also share our 2024 threat landscape outlook so security leaders can become more forward-leaning in their defense strategy by examining the cyber risks that Generative AI, zero-day exploits, ransomware attacks, and nation-state actors pose.

New observations shared in this report reveal:

• A rise in intrusion ratios, now nearing a 50% threshold, which signifies that nearly half of all initial breaches culminate in serious intrusions.
• Increased deployment of Remote Access Trojans (RATs) and sophisticated abuse of legitimate remote access tools, which not only advance intrusions but also blur the lines between various stages of the attack lifecycle.
• Why sectors with expansive and interconnected networks (e.g., healthcare, education, and government) are particularly susceptible to ‘unknown’ initial access vectors.
• Recommendations from TRU on how your organization can anticipate, withstand, and recover from the most sophisticated ransomware attacks.