Know About RMM Tools| DROP Organization
The realm of work culture has significantly changed in recent scenarios where more people work from home and living room workstations. However, this convenience comes with a set of risks that can have a far-reaching impact if not managed adequately. Thus, the management and IT departments are more cautious about various devices relying on VPNs and remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools for better administration of systems. Like any new technology, RMM tools are prone to risks and can be used for malicious purposes. The threat actors build connections to a victim’s device and execute commands, exfiltrate data and stay undetected. What are RMM tools? RMM software has simplified network management that allow IT experts to remotely solve problems, install software, and upload or download files to or from the devices. However, these connections are not always secure, and can be misused by the attackers to connect their servers to a victim’s device. These connections seem to be easily detected, so ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) groups had to adjust their methods and tactics. It was found that the RaaS groups employed a technique known as Living off the Land, using legitimate IT tools to get remote control, navigate networks undetected, and steal the data. The attackers use RMM tools to blend in and evade detection, as these tools and their traffic are typically “ignored” by both security controls and organizational security policies, such as application whitelisting. There are mainly two methods used by the attackers to manipulate RMM tools: Strength and Weaknesses of RMM Tools RMM tools are a double-edged sword. In one way, they provide the ability to remotely access, monitor, and manage IT infrastructure from virtually anywhere. This includes commonly employed tools such as Atera, TeamViewer, SolarWinds RMM, and Kaseya VSA. This allows them to easily troubleshoot issues, apply updates, and maintain system health without the need for physical presence. Beside all these, these capabilities can be exploited if they are not properly secured. RMM Tools Examples Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools are essential for IT administrators and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) for proactive monitoring, maintaining and securing IT infrastructures. RMM tools are used by threat actors for malicious purposes. Below are some of the top RMM tools in the market: How can you defend RMM Tools? You can implement the following strategies to reduce the chance of attackers in abusing RMM tools: Conclusion Remote Monitoring and Management tools provide several benefits in improving IT efficiency and productivity. However, their potential risks shall also be kept in mind. These tools must be properly secured and a comprehensive security strategy shall be adopted to harness the benefits of RMM tools while eliminating the associated risks. Moving around with an environment of risks and threats, we must implement practices to protect the core of our organizations’ IT infrastructure. The intrusion from October 2022 confronts a complex and multifaceted cyberattack. It started with a deceptive email-based delivery of a disguised executable and involved the use of several tools, tactics and lateral movement strategies by the malicious attackers. The ransomware deployment was finally unsuccessful at a domain-wide level, it emphasized on the importance of strong cyber security measures and proactive threat detection and response mechanisms. Want to start your learning journey on Cyber Security and Ethical Hacking field?