Lateral Movement

Techniques attackers use to move through a network after initial compromise, accessing additional systems and data.

What is Lateral Movement?

Lateral movement refers to techniques attackers use to progressively move through a network in search of key assets and data after gaining initial access. This is a critical phase where attackers expand their foothold within the target environment.

Why Attackers Move Laterally

Initial compromise rarely reaches valuable targets
Need to find and access sensitive data
Establish multiple points of persistence
Locate privileged accounts and systems
Avoid detection by distributing presence

Common Techniques

Credential-based:

Pass-the-Hash
Pass-the-Ticket (Kerberos)
Credential dumping
Stolen credentials reuse

Remote Execution:

PsExec and similar tools
Windows Remote Management (WinRM)
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
SSH

Exploitation:

Internal vulnerability exploitation
Abuse of trust relationships
Application-specific attacks

Detection Strategies

Monitor authentication logs
Track unusual administrative tool usage
Watch for anomalous network connections
Implement user behavior analytics
Deploy honeypots and deception

Prevention

Network segmentation
Least privilege access
Multi-factor authentication
Credential hygiene
Regular password rotation