Process masquerading in cybersecurity stands as a critical tactic employed by threat actors to elude detection and execute malicious activities. This technique involves disguising processes under deceptive names or locations, creating challenges in identifying potentially harmful activities.
Process Masquerading in Cybersecurity
Cyber attackers frequently leverage this method to obscure genuine processes by manipulating their file paths or executing them under similar yet subtly altered names. For example, the legitimate 'cscript.exe' residing in designated system directories might be duplicated in different locations like 'c:\User\cscript.exe,' indicating suspicious behavior.
Threat actors also resort to imitating authentic process names but with slight modifications, such as using 'cscrip.exe' instead of the legitimate 'cscript.exe.' This attempt to mimic a valid process can deceive both users and security systems, providing an avenue for malicious activities.
Detecting process masquerading often involves monitoring log files and scrutinizing unusual processes or file paths. Employing updated antivirus software and robust security measures can bolster defenses against these threats. Regular updates and vigilant monitoring coupled with swift reporting of suspicious processes contribute to early threat identification and mitigation.
Understanding the nuances of process masquerading and implementing proactive measures against it are pivotal in fortifying cybersecurity defenses against evolving threats.
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