Making your conduct count is about fostering respect, fairness and shared ethical values and describes behaviors that we expect from - and for - our people so that they can be at their best each day. From our investigations into the groups activity, we determined that it typically uses credential access as the initial vector into victims networks and utilizes applications already installed to move laterally and exfiltrate data, if available. endobj accenture ]group and karakurt[. endobj Our Code is organized into six fundamental behaviors. Impeding defenses was achieved through use of domain administrator credentials and includes the following: Discovery Access at: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-paves-way-consumers-receive-economic-impact-payments-quicker/. Hunt for attacker TTPs, including common living off the land techniques, to proactively detect and respond to a cyber-attack and mitigate its impact. Requires that any account that receives forbearance under the CARES Act be reported to the credit bureau reporting agencies as current or as the status reported prior to receiving forbearance. <> The first name is required and cannot be empty, The last name is required and cannot be empty. <> As the government rolls out the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which has many implications, including providing small businesses funding to maintain employee payroll and temporary protections for homeowners under financial hardship, banks should be looking at processes, risks and controls relatedto regulations impacted by operationalizing the CARES Act and responding to the current economic environment. Based on intrusion analysis to date, the threat group focuses solely on data exfiltration and subsequent extortion, rather than the more destructive ransomware deployment. As the CIFR North American lead, Eric helps clients prevent and recover from cyber critical incidents. accenture The threat group has been seen utilizing 7zip and WinZip for compression, as well as Rclone or FileZilla (SFTP) for staging and final exfiltration to Mega.io cloud storage. U*hV\/S>q. On April 1, 2021, we amended the How to Raise Concerns, Make Your Conduct Count, Comply with Laws, Protect People, Information and Our Business and Run our Business Responsibly sections of our Code. Ordered by potential impact, below are related regulatory and other considerations: While not a comprehensive list of all the potential impacts and regulatory considerations arising from the promulgation of the CARES Act or socio-economic behavior changes as a result of recent events, these areas represent heighted risks banks should consider when managing, monitoring, and assessing risk and compliance across their functions. Access at: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/policy-compliance/rulemaking/final-rules/fair-credit-reporting-regulation-v/. Because that's where the real challenges are: inventing and testing things that have never been tried before, getting new applications ready for roll-out, and ultimately guiding clients to select and implement the right technologies including state of the art Security solutions - to transform their businesses. xXMk1tL

4" <> Receive job alerts, latest news and insider tips. 1 0 obj Copyright 2021 Accenture. Interested in receiving the latest Financial Services blogs delivered straight to your inbox? Patch infrastructure to the highest available level, as threat actors are often better able to exploit older systems with existing vulnerabilities. The primary method for initial access into victim networks includes internet-facing systems via virtual private network (VPN) using legitimate credentials. Client relationship management at multiple levels of client hierarchy; Business Development of up between 10 million-50 million, driving revenues within the assigned account scope by being the owner of the entire Opportunity Management cycle. As a result, banks should consider allocating greater effort (e.g., workforce, control monitoring) to high risk areas that are likely to see a spike in volume. By joining us, youll become part of a global company with a world-class brand and reputation. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> 1 0 obj Accenture Security has identified a new threat group, the self-proclaimed Karakurt Hacking Team, that has impacted over 40 victims across multiple geographies. Subscribe to Accenture's Cyber Defense Blog, Digital Engineering and Manufacturing Jobs, Do Not Sell My Personal Information (for CA), e657ff4838e474653b55367aa9d4a0641b35378e2e379ad0fdd1631b3b763ef0. This is retroactively available to January 31, 2020 for 120 days (or until the end of a national emergency). All materials are intended for the original recipient only. Encrypt data-at-rest where possible and protect decryption keys and technology. Its our way of putting integrity into actionevery one of us, in every moment, every day. We are publishing indicators to help organizations identify both the Unknown Threat Groups TTPs and the Hades Ransomware variant itself. Ensure robust crisis management, incident response and disaster recovery plans are in place in the event of a data breach or ransomware incident. Do not store unprotected credentials in files and scripts on shared locations. The reproduction and distribution of this material is forbidden without express written permission from Accenture.

The first name is required and cannot be empty, The last name is required and cannot be empty. You can then update your LinkedIn sign-in connection through the Edit Profile section. With a potential increase in military, national and state guards, banks should be prepared to handle an equal growth in volume of relief requests, such as interest rate reductions and fees, and measure and plan for the short and long-term impacts to their portfolios. A special thanks to the following individuals who also contributed: Jon Begley, Alison Ali, Curt Wilson, Nancy Strutt, Leo Fernandes, Max Smith and the Accenture Cyber Investigation & Forensic Response (CIFR) team. <> Accenture is an incredible place to work - and keep learning. endobj Lateral movement accomplished via compromised accounts obtained during internal reconnaissance activities. You can then update your LinkedIn sign-in connection through the Edit Profile section. The threat group has claimed to have impacted over 40 victims across multiple industries between September 2021 and November 2021. We all serve Accenture's clients, regardless of role - focusing on the best interests of our clients while acting as stewards of Accenture. However, based on intrusion data from incident response engagements, the operators tailor their tactics and tooling to carefully selected targets and run a more hands on keyboard operation to inflict maximum damage and higher payouts. Prohibits foreclosures on all federally-backed mortgage loans for a 60-day (single) and 90-day (multi) period and provides up to 180 days of forbearance (beginning March 18, 2020). Download the guidelines that govern our work for the U.S. federal government. During the interview, we'd love to get to know you and see if there is a match with our brand and brand values. Hades operators leverage this approach for "double-extortion" tactics. All trademarks are properties of their respective owners. We assess with moderate confidence that the group's operations have just begun, and that Hades activity will likely continue to proliferate into the foreseeable future, impacting additional victims. 9 0 obj Service members have unique protections under the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), including members of the National Guard, Reserve, and their families. Relaunches itself using the command line parameter go, Deletes itself and its copy using the following command structure where %s is the path to file executable: cmd /c waitfor /t %u pause /d y & attrib -h "%s" & del "%s" & rd "%s", Unpacks an executable in memory and executes it (i.e., the unpacked Hades sample), Deletes shadow copies through vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /All /Quiet, Traverses local directories and network shares looking for files to encrypt and skips files with specified extensions or strings, Adds an extension (different for each sample) to files that it encrypts and drops a ransom note with file name HOW-TO-DECRYPT-[extension].txt, As previously noted, the ransom note includes a URL to a TOR site for ransom instructions, Batch script that leverages wevtutil.exe to clear event logs on impacted hosts, Disabling Anti-Virus (AV) products on endpoints, as well as manually disabling Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) tools and prevention policies through the user interface, Modification of Group Policy Object (GPO) to disable windows audit logging. In the second interview, our senior management would love to get to know you. Banksshould rigorously review any temporary or permanent modifications in underwriting criteria as a result of recent events and assess downstream impacts to their portfolios. <> % Additional MBA degree highly preferred. Please try logging in with your registered email address and password. Instead, it persisted within the victims network via the VPN IP pool or installed AnyDesk to allow external remote access to compromised devices. Besides the work we do for our clients, were really proud of our vibrant, diverse workplace culture: we believe in openness and honesty, fairness and equality, common sense and realism. Under an affiliate model, developers partner with affiliates who are responsible for various tasks or stages of the operation lifecycle, such as distributing the malware, providing initial access to organizations or even target selection and reconnaissance. D t. %b.nVH F\p `x" 8h?+ 8 I k8 Wud^Y_MIx[.{.o`hYtm:$'@a 4%u?v -` Y &/[[g7&vwe[Gm N. Please try logging in with your registered email address and password. We are agile, and we strive for high performance - by acting as entrepreneurs and owners of the company. In most cases, you may remain anonymous; however, in certain countries this may not be possible due to local legal restrictions. The Account Executive will be expected to build an account plan for area of work together with the Client Account Lead, Technology Account Lead and will be responsible for growth of the technology footprint and client relationship management at existing and new prospects. In addition, the threat group will typically contact the victim multiple times, using different communication methods, to apply additional pressure during extortion attempts. The differentiating factors in the ransom notes are the operators contact information and the formatting of the ransom notes. Maintain best practices against ransomware, such as patching, firewalling infection vectors, updating anti-virus software, employing a resilient backup strategy (e.g., 3-2-1, 3-2-2, etc. Specifically, banks would be well advised to review their Truth in Lending Act (TILA) (Reg Z) and Unfair, Deceptive, and Abusive Acts and Practices (UDAAP) program controls to assess whether customer facing materials such as marketing campaigns and disclosures properly reflect modified terms, and functions like customer care centers are properly educated on the eligibility and compliance requirements. Loans to Insiders and Affiliates (Regulation O and W).

So you will always have lots of learning opportunities (formal and informal) to improve your role-specific skills and expertise. Creates a copy of itself at the path %appdata%\[created folder]\[create file with no extension] with a variable folder and file name. Deploy EDR across the environment, targeting at least 90% coverage of endpoint and workload visibility. %%EOF Preparing to emerge stronger from the pandemic: Practical steps for CROs, Banking, Capital Markets and Insurance Monthly Regulatory Tracker April 2020, Managing liquidity risk: How banking can respond to the global crisis, COVID-19: A longer-term response to credit risk, COVID 19: A near-term response to credit risk, Shifting privacy responsibilities from the second to the first line of defense, LIBOR transition raised as a concern in OCC semiannual perspective, Consumer protection at the U.S. State level, The current state of consumer financial protection, The privacy operating model compliance versus broader transformation, European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), Alternative Reference Rate Committee (ARRC), Turn big challenges into meaningful changeopen for reinvention. Its how we put our clients and our people first. The Technology Services Account Executive is responsible for the pipeline of all technology related services (project, maintenance, infra across all technologies)for a portfolio of clients within a specific industry. 5 0 obj The threat group has been known to use AnyDesk, or other available remote management tools, remote desktop protocol (RDP), Cobalt Strike, PowerShell commands and valid credentials taken from initial access to move laterally. With the CARES Act allowing customers to utilize forbearance as a means of loan workout, banks would be well advised to review controls related to payment adjustments, partial payments, and deferred payments for impacts to accruals, statements, fees, and other potential customer harm scenarios, while monitoring the impact to their portfolios. In addition to a robust password policy, use MFA where possible for authenticating corporate accounts to include remote access mechanisms (e.g., VPNs). 12 CFR Part 1002 Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B), January 1, 2018. The presence of Karakurt was first identified in June 2021 as it registered its apparent dump-site domains: karakurt[. Using valid credentials, pre-existing living off the land tools and techniques and remote management software has enabled the threat group to further evade defenses. There is already a separate, active Accenture Careers account with the same email address as your LinkedIn account email address. Contact our recruiters in case of questions, they are here to help and guide you. Do not store credentials in files and scripts on shared locations, Where possible, deny caching of credentials in memory (e.g., Credential Guard). The reproduction and distribution of this material is forbidden without express written permission from Accenture. endstream endobj 979 0 obj <. Jeff has 20 years of IT experience with a focus on infosec. 978 0 obj <> endobj Extensive work experience in a global delivery center and client sites; Experience of working in a Global Delivery Model; Proven capability to building relationships with middle and senior management in clients; Deep Account Management and Project Management experience; Knowledge of industry specific products, services and solutions; Good understanding of industry specific business issues and drivers; Proven experience in a rapidly growing account; Hands-on experience with proposal/RFP creation and leading RFP/proposal presentations; Strong leadership, interpersonal, communication and presentation skills; Wide variety of IT and business consulting engagement experience.

Patrick Rowe - Chief Compliance Officer & Deputy General Counsel. We bring security innovation, coupled with global scale and a worldwide delivery capability through our network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. 7-15 years experience with strong sales, delivery, relationship management and account management experience in the IT services industry with top tier global delivery service providers; Minimum Bachelors degree. ]tech, followed by their Twitter handle karakurtlair in August 2021. 6Pz0iRYH2SKF3$Aw^wM}3x3nTHTqI )tpXQ"0H1@j & 9S %Om(`Q>/w4c:(p>9qSG&~"Sgvq!WykQs9OZ)7BiV_?G3c~v0e &&A4&a An unknown financially motivated threat group is using the self-proclaimed Hades ransomware variant in cybercrime operations that have impacted at least three (3) victims since December 2020. Required fields are marked *. All trademarks are properties of their respective owners. xj0B-%C4B It applies to all our peopleregardless of their title or locationand every Accenture business entity. Based on our collection sources, Accenture Security is currently aware of over 40 victims spanning multiple industry verticals and size. Download the conduct guidelines for our suppliers who support our work for the U.S. federal government. Figure 1. Get the latest blogs delivered straight to your inbox. endobj 8 0 obj Exfiltration & impact You also can find a country-specific phone number to speak with an agent 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The group was then able to leverage previously obtained user, service, and administrator credentials to move laterally and take action on objectives. For all analyzed samples, the ransom notes identified instruct the victim to install Tor browser and visit the specified page. This approach enabled it to evade detection and bypass security tools such as common endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions. Follow us @AccentureSecure on Twitter or visit us at www.accenture.com/security. Your email address will not be published. With our Code of Business Ethics, we want to help our people make ethical behavior a natural part of what we do every daywith each other, our clients, our business partners, and our communities. hb```"B Our Code is more than just a documentits what we believe, how we live and how we lead. Known victims include a large US transportation & logistics organization, a large US consumer products organization, and a global manufacturing organization. We will discuss your ambitions and past experiences and tell you all you want to know about the role. This is a developing story; additional technical analysis of the intrusion clusters, attacker TTPs and indicators of compromise (IOCs) will be released to the community in a separate blog post. Download the conduct guidelines for our suppliers (PDF). The use of legitimate credentials, service creation, and distribution of Command and Control (C2) beacons across victim environments through the use of Cobalt Strike and Empire, so far appear to be the predominant approach used by the unknown threat group to further their foothold and maintain persistence. Further, under the CARES Act, landlords with federally backed mortgages (including bank-owned properties) cannot initiate legal action to recover the property, fees or penalties for 120 days. At this time, it is unclear if the unknown threat group operates under an affiliate model, or if Hades is distributed by a single group. It is subject to change. ]group and karakurt[. <>

Copyright 2021 Accenture. Further, banks should conduct rigorous due diligence to identify any companies seeking funding under CARES or any other lending program that is an affiliate of the bank, in order to capture the appropriate compliance and reporting requirements. %PDF-1.7 This individual should have extensive complex sales experience. We are currently aware of 3 victims, all of which are large multi-national organizations with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion USD. He is a senior incident response and threat hunt lead on the CIFR team. LF Access at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748/text?loclr=bloglaw. Together, we have proven that we can succeedproviding value to our clients and shareholders and opportunities for our peoplewhile being a powerful force for good.

Of known victims, 95% are based in North America with the remaining 5% in Europe. We bring security innovation, coupled with global scale and a worldwide delivery capability through our network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. In Table 1 below, Accenture Security noted logons from four different hosting providers, to include the autonomous system that currently hosts the Karakurt groups blog site. Account closures typically rise during economic downturns or crisis, either by the consumer or by the financial institution, and often due to non-payment and default. 3 0 obj We work together to build a better, stronger company for future generations, protecting the Accenture brand, information, intellectual property and our people. Our Code of Business Ethics is who we are, every day. With the anticipated rise in loan modification programs and the CARES Act lending program for SBA qualified borrowers, banks should make sure that the loans extended to potential officers and directors of the bank do not include any favorable terms, rates or discounts. Figure 3. 1002 0 obj <>stream stream %PDF-1.6 % In todays environment, we go beyond mere compliance; we innovate with integrity by using our understanding of technology and its impact on people to develop inclusive, responsible and sustainable solutions to complex business and societal challenges. How to design a best-in class Issues Management Framework?

The Evolution to GRC 5.0: Achieving Cognitive GRC, Opportunities and challenges for integrating ESG risk into existing frameworks, The importance of building trust in the financial services workplace explained in 6 eye-opening statistics. One possibility is exploitation of vulnerable VPN devices, but all cases included inconsistent or absent enforcement of multi-factor authentication (MFA) for user accounts. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. All rights reserved. ]group on, First update to karakurt[. The opinions, statements, and assessments in this report are solely those of the individual author(s) and do not constitute legal advice, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of Accenture, its subsidiaries, or affiliates. Install and update anti-virus software to proactively identify and protect against malware. We support and respect human rights, foster environmental responsibility and encourage our people's involvement in the communities where we work and live. In one intrusion, Accenture Security also observed the threat group avoiding the use of common post-exploitation tools or commodity malware in favor of credential access. Ensure all internet-facing security and remote access appliances are patched to the latest versions. Managing Director Strategy & Consulting. Helped by our team of highly skilled professionals, we enable clients to innovate safely, build cyber resilience and grow with confidence. Latest "News" from Karakurt[.] While the ransom notes are similar, we do not have any evidence to suggest the threat groups or operations have any overlap at this time. There is already a separate, active Accenture Careers account with the same email address as your LinkedIn account email address. stream 7 0 obj 4 0 obj to regulations impacted by operationalizing the CARES Act and responding to the current economic environment. 2 0 obj Industries impacted so far based on known victimology include: Furthermore, we identified additional Tor hidden services and clearnet URLs via various open-source reporting pertaining to the Hades ransomware samples. Accenture Security first observed Karakurt intrusion clusters in September 2021, when multiple sightings occurred within a short timeframe. Found a fitting vacancy or role? This will navigate you to Accenture.com Sign In page.

The use of legitimate credentials, service creation, remote management software and distribution of command and control (C2) beacons across victim environments using Cobalt Strike are the predominant approaches used by the threat group to further its foothold and maintain persistence. endobj Accenture Security assess with high confidence that the group's operations have just begun, and that Karakurt activity will likely continue to proliferate into the foreseeable future, impacting additional victims. QK2Wcti=~[}^):fAh{Sb,F_y\)04[}EH6FE;}MfwKS 4V::9Ec/ChuT a@

We hope we can welcome you soon as a new colleague! As this is a developing story, additional indicators will be released, when available. To help our clients better respond to the challenges created by the global health crisis, Accenture has created a hub of all our latest thinking on a variety of, how banks can manage the business impact of the pandemic, To find out more on the topic and how we can help you, please contact the authors. 4 0 obj Credential harvesting and subsequent privilege escalation achieved through the use of tooling and manual enumeration of credentials. Apply now and change the world around you. Besides our high-profile, challenging projects and our nurturing work environment, we offer excellent employee benefits, including: Hospitalization insurance and extensive group insurance package, Green mobility program: e-bikes, public transport, bike 2 work allowance,, Flexrewards: decide on your rewards package with our flexible benefits tool, Discount program: get discounts at your favorite (online) shops, Are you ready to join Accenturefor a career where you can be yourself and do what you love? <> Ensure that a robust crisis management and incident response plan are in place in the event of a high impact intrusion. stream If you suspect any misconduct or unethical behavior, please visit the Accenture Business Ethics Helpline website where you may report your concern. The Tor pages differ only in the Victim ID that is provided, indicating each Tor address may be uniquely generated for each victim. Consider developing continuity of operations plans (COOP) that account for ransomware or wiper attacks that can impact business operations. endobj

Your email address will not be published. Its embedded in all we do. Accenture Security also analyzed the group's activities in the context of attribution, victimology, and TTPs employed according to OSINT and incident response data. 3 0 obj Account Closures and Settlements (Bankruptcy, Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act, TILA, Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)). Accenture Security observed the threat group modify its tactics depending on the victim environment, favoring a more living off the land approach and often avoiding the use of common post-exploitation tools like Cobalt Strike.

hbbd```b``^"H+$/$K"WTI([nX$Hg6?? % All materials are intended for the original recipient only. xwg]o Cyber Investigations, Forensics and Response (CIFR). Initial access These changes can impact other regulations and ultimately the risk and compliance functions used to measure, monitor and manage the associated risks. As such, all information and content set out is provided on an as-is basis without representation or warranty and the reader is responsible for determining whether or not to follow any of the suggestions, recommendations or potential mitigations set out in this report, entirely at their own discretion.

This will navigate you to Accenture.com Sign In page. Follow us @AccentureSecure on Twitter or visit us at www.accenture.com/security. In addition to using valid credentials to log into the VPN directly, the threat group has utilized Cobalt Strike for C2 for backup persistence, if needed. However, in recent intrusions, the threat group did not deploy backup persistence using Cobalt Strike. dST"I'Z!_hvk@>>@;Lep"N]_cg+q~7R5- HX{^+ecG;T\bekYnm[cmy.D38Oen:pA>"TuZ:sw5a>S!Y9D]^#? Due to a lack of forensic evidence, it is unclear how the credentials were obtained by the threat group. All rights reserved. ,

The opinions, statements, and assessments in this report are solely those of the individual author(s) and do not constitute legal advice, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of Accenture, its subsidiaries, or affiliates. Our shared commitment to operating with the highest ethical standards and making a positive difference in everything we do is what makes Accenture special. We want to get to know the real you and help you explore and grow - whatever it is you're great at. The profiles of the three (3) known victims are a strong indicator of Big Game Hunting, with target selection and deployment methods aimed toward high-value payouts. Our expertise, capabilities and experience mean that our clients (including some of the biggest brands in the world) trust us to find the right solutions for their needs. Fair Credit Reporting (Regulation V), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, November 14, 2012. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Paves Way for Consumers to Receive Economic Impact Payments Quicker, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, April 13, 2020. Digital Engineering and Manufacturing Jobs, Do Not Sell My Personal Information (for CA). As large-scale events like the global health crisis impacting the, and the global economy evolve, certain actions and outcomes are becoming more likely to occur, including increased requests for consumer support and relief, temporary easing of regulatory and compliance requirements, and new government backed programs to shore-up bank lending capabilities.



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