Mitigating Command & Control Techniques
Network Segmentation: Restricting lateral movement within networks can limit the attacker's access to resources.
Anomaly Detection: Employing tools that spot unusual patterns in traffic can uncover hidden C2 activities. For instance, a sudden spike in data transfers to a rarely contacted IP could be suspicious.
Multi-factor Authentication (MFA): Requiring multiple forms of authentication can reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Solutions like EDR can actively monitor endpoint activities, providing real-time threat detection and incident response.
Regular Patching: Keeping all software and systems updated can seal potential vulnerabilities exploited by attackers for C2.
Application Whitelisting: By permitting only known and trusted applications to run, organizations can block unauthorized apps that might facilitate C2.
TLS Inspection: Although it's a bit controversial due to privacy concerns, decrypting and inspecting TLS traffic at network boundaries can help detect malicious C2 communication.