Web Portal Capture

Web Portal Capture [T1056.003]

Information

• Name: Web Portal Capture

• ID: T1056.003

• Tactics: TA0009, TA0006

• Technique: T1056

Introduction

Web Portal Capture (T1056.003) is a sub-technique within the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the Input Capture (T1056) technique. This method involves adversaries capturing user credentials and other sensitive information by replicating legitimate web portals or authentication pages. Attackers typically create deceptive web interfaces that closely mirror authentic sites, tricking users into entering their credentials, which are then harvested for unauthorized access or further exploitation.

Deep Dive Into Technique

Web Portal Capture involves sophisticated social engineering combined with technical deception. Attackers leverage several methods and mechanisms:

• Cloning Legitimate Portals:

  • Attackers replicate legitimate login pages or web portals, often employing tools such as HTTrack, SET (Social Engineering Toolkit), or custom scripts.

  • These cloned portals are visually identical or nearly identical to authentic websites, making it challenging for users to detect anomalies.

• Domain Spoofing and Typosquatting:

  • Attackers register domains closely resembling legitimate ones (e.g., "gmaiI.com" instead of "gmail.com").

  • Users inadvertently navigate to these malicious domains, believing they are accessing legitimate sites.

• Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks:

  • Attackers intercept legitimate web traffic and redirect users to fake portals.

  • Tools like mitmproxy, Ettercap, or custom DNS spoofing techniques are commonly used.

• Credential Harvesting Mechanisms:

  • Captured credentials are often logged locally on attacker-controlled servers or transmitted remotely via HTTP POST requests or other methods.

  • Attackers may utilize automated scripts or frameworks such as Evilginx2, Modlishka, or Gophish for credential harvesting.

• SSL/TLS Certificate Misuse:

  • Attackers may use free SSL/TLS certificates (e.g., Let's Encrypt) to make fake portals appear legitimate and secure (HTTPS).

  • Users often trust HTTPS websites, increasing the effectiveness of the attack.

When this Technique is Usually Used

Attackers commonly deploy Web Portal Capture in various scenarios and stages of cyber-attacks, including:

• Initial Access Stage:

  • Phishing campaigns targeting employees or users to gain initial foothold into corporate networks or personal accounts.

• Credential Access Stage:

  • Harvesting credentials for later use in lateral movement, privilege escalation, or persistent access.

• Reconnaissance and Information Gathering:

  • Capturing credentials to gather intelligence about users, organizations, and potential targets.

• Credential Stuffing Attacks:

  • Attackers reuse captured credentials across multiple services to gain unauthorized access to additional accounts.

• Targeted Attacks (Spear-phishing):

  • Attackers specifically target high-value individuals or organizations by replicating portals that these users frequently access.

• Supply Chain Attacks:

  • Attackers compromise a trusted third-party portal or create a counterfeit version to infiltrate the target organization indirectly.

How this Technique is Usually Detected

Organizations can leverage multiple detection methods, tools, and indicators of compromise (IoCs) to identify Web Portal Capture attempts:

• User Awareness and Reporting:

  • Training users to recognize suspicious domains, unusual URLs, or unexpected login prompts.

  • Encouraging users to report suspicious login pages or authentication requests.

• Monitoring DNS and URL Requests:

  • Deploying DNS monitoring tools (e.g., Cisco Umbrella, DNSFilter) to detect typosquatting or domain spoofing attempts.

  • Analyzing web proxy logs and URL filtering solutions for unusual or newly registered domains.

• SSL/TLS Certificate Monitoring:

  • Monitoring certificate transparency logs and SSL/TLS certificates for suspicious or newly issued certificates resembling legitimate domains.

• Network Traffic Analysis:

  • Using network intrusion detection systems (IDS) or intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to detect abnormal traffic patterns indicative of credential harvesting.

  • Tools such as Snort, Suricata, or Zeek can help identify malicious HTTP requests.

• Endpoint Protection and Browser Security:

  • Employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect suspicious browser activities or redirects.

  • Using browser-based security extensions or web filtering solutions to block known malicious domains.

• Indicators of Compromise (IoCs):

  • Suspicious domain registrations (recently registered domains, domains with subtle typos).

  • Unusual HTTP POST requests to unknown or untrusted domains.

  • Suspicious SSL/TLS certificates (short-lived, issued by uncommon certificate authorities).

  • Traffic redirection or unexpected DNS responses.

Why it is Important to Detect This Technique

Early detection and prevention of Web Portal Capture are critical due to several significant potential impacts:

• Credential Theft and Unauthorized Access:

  • Attackers gaining access to sensitive corporate resources, email accounts, cloud services, or financial systems.

• Data Breaches and Information Leakage:

  • Stolen credentials may lead to unauthorized access to confidential data, intellectual property, or personally identifiable information (PII).

• Financial Loss and Fraud:

  • Attackers may exploit captured credentials to conduct financial fraud, unauthorized transactions, or ransomware attacks.

• Reputation Damage and Loss of Trust:

  • Organizations experiencing credential theft may suffer significant reputational damage, loss of customer trust, and regulatory scrutiny.

• Operational Disruption and Downtime:

  • Credential compromise can result in operational disruptions, service downtime, or costly remediation efforts.

• Further Compromise and Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs):

  • Stolen credentials may enable attackers to conduct lateral movement, privilege escalation, and establish persistent footholds within networks, leading to long-term compromise.

Examples

Real-world examples highlighting Web Portal Capture attacks include:

• Phishing Campaigns Targeting Office 365 Users:

  • Attackers cloned Microsoft Office 365 login portals, sending phishing emails to employees.

  • Tools used: Evilginx2, Gophish.

  • Impact: Unauthorized mailbox access, data exfiltration, and further phishing attacks within the compromised organization.

• Credential Harvesting via Fake VPN Portals:

  • Attackers replicated legitimate VPN login pages, targeting remote employees during increased remote work scenarios.

  • Tools used: Modlishka proxy, custom web hosting.

  • Impact: Unauthorized VPN access, lateral movement within corporate networks, potential ransomware deployment.

• Financial Sector Credential Theft:

  • Attackers targeted banking customers by creating nearly identical bank login portals.

  • Tools used: HTTrack, custom phishing kits, typosquatted domains.

  • Impact: Financial loss, unauthorized transactions, compromised customer accounts, and reputational damage.

• Social Media Account Compromise:

  • Attackers created fake login portals for popular social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn).

  • Tools used: SET (Social Engineering Toolkit), custom web hosting.

  • Impact: Account takeovers, identity theft, further phishing attacks, and personal data exploitation.

• Government and Public Sector Targeting:

  • Attackers replicated government employee portals, capturing sensitive credentials.

  • Tools used: Evilginx2, Modlishka, DNS spoofing.

  • Impact: Unauthorized access to sensitive government systems, espionage activities, data exfiltration, and potential national security risks.