Software security is a big focus of the Biden administration’s recent executive order on cybersecurity. In fact, an entire section, or 25 percent, of the order is dedicated to software security requirements. In the wake of the SolarWinds cyberattack, the security of the software supply chain is clearly top of mind at the White House, and has prompted these unprecedented and detailed security requirements for any software vendor looking to do business with the federal government.

When it comes to malware attacks, one of the more common techniques is “living off the land” (LOtL). Utilizing standard tools or features that already exist in the target environment allows these attacks to blend into the environment and avoid detection. While these techniques can appear normal in isolation, they start looking suspicious when observed in the parent-child context. This is where the ProblemChild framework can help.

Netskope applauds the White House’s Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity, especially the rigor with which short-term deadlines and some clear-cut plans of action are described. DarkSide ransomware and the attack on the Colonial Pipeline is just one recent example of events that have disrupted national critical infrastructure and put the privacy and safety of millions of individuals at risk.

Ransomware has been a thorn in the side of cybersecurity teams for the past several years. As other security threats have come and gone, this insidious threat has been a constant challenge for every organization. This past year has proven to be especially profitable for ransomware operators, as major organizations like United Health Services, Orange and Acer have fallen victim to these attacks.

On Thursday, May 6, Colonial Pipeline, which operates a pipeline that delivers gasoline and jet fuel to nearly 45 percent of the U.S. East Coast, fell victim to a ransomware attack. The attack took over 100 gigabytes of data hostage, causing the company to halt all pipeline operations and shut down several of its systems. The attackers, identified as a criminal gang known as DarkSide, threatened to leak proprietary information unless a ransom is paid.

Over the weekend, the Alpharetta-based Colonial Pipeline was hit by an extensive ransomware attack that shut down its information technology (IT) and industrial operational technology (OT) systems. Simply put, an all-too-common ransomware event targeting IT systems encouraged a voluntary shutdown on the production side (OT) of the business to prevent further exposure. Colonial Pipeline is responsible for 45% of the gasoline, diesel fuel and natural gas transported from Texas to New Jersey.