Description: Lateral movement is a technique used by attackers to move through a network after gaining initial access. This process involves exploiting credentials, vulnerabilities, or misconfigurations in connected systems to access other devices or resources within the same network. Attackers often seek to escalate privileges or access sensitive information, allowing them to carry out malicious activities without being detected. Lateral movement is a critical part of many cyberattacks, as it enables attackers to expand their control over the victim’s infrastructure and ultimately achieve their goals, which may include data theft, malware installation, or service disruption. Detecting and preventing lateral movement is essential for maintaining network security, and organizations must implement robust security measures such as network segmentation, continuous monitoring, and multifactor authentication to mitigate this risk.
History: The concept of lateral movement has evolved over time, especially as networks have become more complex and cyberattacks more sophisticated. While there is no specific year marking its origin, it has become prominent since the 2000s when targeted attacks began to employ more advanced techniques to infiltrate corporate networks. Significant events, such as the Stuxnet attack in 2010, demonstrated the effectiveness of lateral movement by allowing attackers to move within critical systems undetected.
Uses: Lateral movement is primarily used in the context of cyberattacks to expand an attacker’s access within a network. Attackers may use this technique to access critical systems, steal sensitive data, or install malware on multiple devices. Additionally, organizations also use the concept of lateral movement in their defense strategies, implementing security measures to detect and prevent such malicious activity.
Examples: An example of lateral movement is the APT29 attack, where attackers used stolen credentials to move between systems within a government network, accessing confidential information. Another case is the SolarWinds attack, where attackers moved laterally through the networks of affected organizations to compromise multiple systems and steal data.
