Trend Micro Identifies EDRSilencer Tool Used by Cyber Threat Actors
/ 3 min read
Quick take - Trend Micro’s Threat Hunting Team has identified the use of EDRSilencer, a sophisticated tool employed by cyber threat actors to disrupt endpoint detection and response solutions, complicating malware detection and mitigation efforts.
Fast Facts
- Trend Micro’s Threat Hunting Team has identified EDRSilencer, a sophisticated tool used by cyber threat actors to disrupt endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions.
- EDRSilencer operates through the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) to block EDR traffic, complicating malware detection and removal efforts.
- The tool dynamically identifies and blocks communications from both known and unidentified EDR processes, increasing the risk of undetected malware.
- Organizations are urged to adopt proactive security measures, including multi-layered defenses and continuous monitoring, to mitigate risks associated with EDRSilencer.
- Trend Micro’s advanced detection features can identify EDRSilencer as malware, enhancing overall security and providing insights for emerging threats.
Trend Micro Identifies EDRSilencer Usage by Cyber Threat Actors
Overview of EDRSilencer
Trend Micro’s Threat Hunting Team has recently identified the use of EDRSilencer by cyber threat actors. EDRSilencer is a sophisticated red team tool designed to interfere with endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions. Utilizing the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP), this tool complicates malware identification and removal efforts. Its primary function is to block EDR traffic, concealing malicious activities and making it significantly more challenging for organizations to detect and mitigate malware threats.
Internal telemetry has shown that threat actors are integrating EDRSilencer into their operations, highlighting a concerning trend in cybersecurity. Attackers are adopting advanced tools traditionally used for identifying security weaknesses for malicious purposes.
Disruption of EDR Solutions
During testing, EDRSilencer demonstrated its capability to disrupt telemetry transmission to EDR management consoles, making it difficult to identify ongoing malware activities. The tool dynamically identifies running EDR processes and creates WFP filters to block their outbound communications, effectively hindering their effectiveness. Notably, EDRSilencer was found to block communication not only for processes included in its hardcoded list but also for some unidentified EDR processes. This raises the stakes for organizations relying on these security measures.
EDRSilencer operates through a command-line interface, offering options to block or unblock traffic from specific processes. Its filters are persistent, remaining active even after system reboots, which further increases the risk of undetected malware within affected systems.
Recommendations for Organizations
The attack chain associated with EDRSilencer includes critical phases such as process discovery, execution, privilege escalation, and impact, illustrating its comprehensive approach to evading detection. The emergence of EDRSilencer signifies a notable shift in tactics among threat actors, who seek to disable antivirus and EDR solutions. Trend Micro has observed a growing trend of such actors actively looking for tools that can circumvent traditional security measures, emphasizing the need for organizations to bolster their defenses.
To mitigate risks associated with EDRSilencer and similar threats, organizations are urged to adopt a proactive security posture. Recommended security measures include:
- Multi-layered defenses
- Continuous monitoring
- Network segmentation
- Defense-in-depth strategies
- Behavioral analysis
- Application whitelisting
- Stringent access controls
Trend Micro’s advanced detection features can identify EDRSilencer as malware, preventing its execution and bolstering overall security. Additionally, Trend Micro Vision One offers threat intelligence reports and insights to assist organizations in preparing for emerging threats, including the ability to search for indicators of compromise (IOCs) related to EDRSilencer.
Understanding the specific indicators of compromise, including a particular SHA256 hash associated with EDRSilencer, is crucial for effective threat detection and response. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, vigilance and adaptive security measures will be essential in countering the threats posed by tools like EDRSilencer.
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