Vulnerabilities

Threat Assessment: Active Exploitation of Four Zero-Day Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server

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Executive Summary

On Mar. 2, 2021, Volexity reported in-the-wild-exploitation of four Microsoft Exchange Server vulnerabilities: CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858 and CVE-2021-27065.

As a result of these vulnerabilities being exploited, adversaries can access Microsoft Exchange Servers and allow installation of additional tools to facilitate long-term access into victims' environments. There has also been a report of multiple threat actors leveraging these zero-day vulnerabilities, meaning post-exploitation activity may vary depending on the purpose of the different threat actors.

These vulnerabilities affect the following Microsoft Exchange Server versions:

  • Microsoft Exchange 2013.
  • Microsoft Exchange 2016.
  • Microsoft Exchange 2019.

Microsoft has released an emergency out-of-band security update to patch these vulnerabilities. We strongly advise immediately updating all Microsoft Exchange Servers to the latest available patched versions released by Microsoft.

Due to the surge of this malicious activity, we’ve created this threat assessment for overall threat awareness. Full visualization of the techniques observed and their relevant courses of action can be viewed in the Unit 42 ATOM Viewer.

If you think you may have been impacted, please email crypsis-investigations@paloaltonetworks.com or call 855.875.4631 to get in touch with the Crypsis Incident Response team.

Activity Overview: Exploits of Microsoft Exchange Server Vulnerabilities

There have been reports of activity from several threat actors exploiting four zero-day vulnerabilities affecting Microsoft Exchange Servers. When these vulnerabilities are chained together, threat actors are able to exploit and gain access to Microsoft Exchange servers.

For this attack to be successful, the adversary would first need to identify an on-premises Microsoft Exchange Server that is able to receive untrusted connections from an external source on port 443. If an adversary is successful in securing a connection, they can then exploit CVE-2021-26855 to authenticate themselves as a Microsoft Exchange server. This can be followed by the exploitation of CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858 and CVE-2021-27065 post-authentication, allowing the adversary to gain remote access.

If access is achieved, the exploited vulnerabilities will allow threat actors to execute commands remotely, which can include uploading a China Chopper webshell to establish persistence in the compromised system. The webshell would then allow the adversary to steal data and execute additional malicious actions, such as downloading remote files or network service scanning.

When the webshell is deployed, post-exploitation activity typically occurs in the system, most commonly the use of Procdump to dump Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) process memory to obtain credentials. There have also been instances in which threat actors downloaded additional tools, such as Nishang and Powercat, to support their actions. Following the extraction of credentials and data from the compromised system, threat actors often use compression utilities such as 7zip or Winrar to compress and stage the stolen data for exfiltration. It’s worth noting that since different groups have leveraged these vulnerabilities, post-exploitation activities may vary depending on the actor behind the attack.

Microsoft Exchange Zero-Day Attack Chain - Adversary scans for vulnerable Exchange Servers; Adversary sends HTTP requests and authenticates an exchange server using CVE-2021-26855; Uploads webshell and executes malicious commands using three other Microsoft Exchange Server vulnerabilities discussed here. Post-exploitation activity: Uses ProcDump to dump LSASS process memory to obtain credentials; Executes reconnaissance-related commands; Downloads confidential information and additional tools; Compresses stolen data into ZIP for exfiltration.
Figure 1. Threat actors can chain together four zero-day vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to Microsoft Exchange Servers.

Microsoft has shared ways to determine whether your system has been compromised by this activity. There is also an emergency out-of-band security update to patch these vulnerabilities.

Courses of Action

This section documents the relevant tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) observed being used by adversaries leveraging CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858 and CVE-2021-27065, and maps them directly to Palo Alto Networks product(s) and service(s) which can protect against them. It also further instructs customers on how to ensure their devices are configured correctly.

Product / Service Course of Action
Initial Access, Persistence, Command and Control, Exfiltration
Exploit Public-Facing Application [T1190], Web Shell [T1505.003], Web Protocols [T1071.001], Ingress Tool Transfer [T1105], Exfiltration Over C2 Channel [T1041], Domain Account [T1136.002]
NGFW Ensure application security policies exist when allowing traffic from an untrusted zone to a more trusted zone
Ensure 'Service setting of ANY' in a security policy allowing traffic does not exist
Ensure 'Security Policy' denying any/all traffic to/from IP addresses on Trusted Threat Intelligence Sources Exists
Ensure 'SSL Forward Proxy Policy' for traffic destined to the internet is configured
Ensure 'SSL Inbound Inspection' is required for all untrusted traffic destined for servers using SSL or TLS
Ensure that the Certificate used for Decryption is Trusted
Set up File Blocking
Ensure that User-ID is only enabled for internal trusted interfaces
Ensure that 'Include/Exclude Networks' is used if User-ID is enabled
Ensure that the User-ID Agent has minimal permissions if User-ID is enabled
Ensure that the User-ID service account does not have interactive logon rights
Ensure remote access capabilities for the User-ID service account are forbidden.
Define at least one 'Include Network'.
Threat Prevention Ensure a Vulnerability Protection Profile is set to block attacks against critical and high vulnerabilities, and set to default on medium, low and informational vulnerabilities
Ensure a secure Vulnerability Protection Profile is applied to all security rules allowing traffic
Ensure an anti-spyware profile is configured to block on all spyware severity levels, categories and threats
Ensure DNS sinkholing is configured on all anti-spyware profiles in use
Ensure passive DNS monitoring is set to enabled on all anti-spyware profiles in use
Ensure a secure anti-spyware profile is applied to all security policies permitting traffic to the internet
Ensure that antivirus profiles are set to block on all decoders except 'imap' and 'pop3'
Ensure a secure antivirus profile is applied to all relevant security policies
DNS Security Enable DNS Security in anti-spyware profile
URL Filtering Ensure that PAN-DB URL Filtering is used
Ensure that URL Filtering uses the action of ‘block’ or ‘override’ on the <enterprise approved value> URL categories
Ensure that access to every URL is logged
Ensure all HTTP Header Logging options are enabled
Ensure secure URL filtering is enabled for all security policies allowing traffic to the internet
WildFire Ensure that WildFire file size upload limits are maximized
Ensure forwarding is enabled for all applications and file types in WildFire file blocking profiles
Ensure a WildFire Analysis profile is enabled for all security policies
Ensure forwarding of decrypted content to WildFire is enabled
Ensure all WildFire session information settings are enabled
Ensure alerts are enabled for malicious files detected by WildFire
Ensure 'WildFire Update Schedule' is set to download and install updates every minute
Cortex XSOAR Deploy XSOAR Playbook “HAFNIUM - Exchange 0-day exploits” (Rapid Breach Response pack)
Deploy XSOAR Playbook Cortex XDR - Isolate Endpoint
Deploy XSOAR Playbook - Block IP
Deploy XSOAR Playbook - Block URL
Deploy XSOAR Playbook - Hunting and Threat Detection Playbook
Deploy XSOAR Playbook - PAN-OS Query Logs for Indicators
Deploy XSOAR Playbook - Access Investigation Playbook
Deploy XSOAR Playbook - Block Account Generic
Execution, Credential Access, Collection, Lateral Movement
Windows Command Shell [T1059.003], LSASS Memory [T1003.001], Archive via Utility [T1560.001], Web Protocols [T1070.001], Exploit Public-Facing Application [T1190], Remote System Discovery [T1018], System Information Discovery[T1082], System Network Configuration Discovery [T1016], System Service Discovery [T1007], Permission Groups Discovery [T1069], OS Credential Dumping [T1003], Remote Services [T1021], Account Discovery [T1087], Windows Remote Management [T1021.006], Windows Remote Management [T1047], Scripting [T1064], Powershell [T1059.001]
Cortex XDR Enable Anti-Exploit Protection
Enable Anti-Malware Protection
Suspicious Process Creation
Look for the following BIOCs alerts to detect activity*:
Cortex XDR Analytics BIOC -Uncommon net group execution
Cortex XDR Analytics - Multiple Discovery Commands
Cortex XDR BIOC -Exchange process writing aspx files
Cortex XDR Agent - Behavioral Threat Detected
Cortex XDR Analytics BIOC - Uncommon remote service start via sc.exe
Cortex XDR Analytics BIOC - Rare SSH Session
Cortex XDR Analytics BIOC - Uncommon ARP cache listing via arp.exe
Cortex XDR Analytics BIOC - Uncommon user management via net.exe
Cortex XDR Analytics BIOC - WmiPrvSe.exe Rare Child Command Line
Cortex XDR Analytics BIOC - Script Connecting to Rare External Host
Cortex XDR BIOC - Remote process execution using WMI
Cortex XDR BIOC - 64-bit PowerShell spawning a 32-bit PowerShell
Cortex XDR BIOC - Suspicious PowerShell Command Line
Cortex XDR BIOC - Dumping Registry hives with passwords

Table 1. Courses of Action for observed techniques used by multiple threat actors leveraging zero-day Microsoft Exchange Server vulnerabilities.
†These capabilities are part of the NGFW security subscriptions service.
* These analytic detectors will trigger automatically for Cortex XDR Pro customers.

Conclusion

Due to the alarming activity of threat actors exploiting these zero-day vulnerabilities against vulnerable Microsoft Exchange Servers, we strongly advise immediately updating all Microsoft Exchange Servers to the latest available patched versions released by Microsoft.

As of the time of writing, based on signatures and indicators that have been observed, Palo Alto Networks customers are protected across our product ecosystem, with specific protections deployed in the following products and subscriptions:

It is imperative for customers to employ best practices in order to ensure Palo Alto Networks products are configured in a manner best suited for your protection.

Additional Resources

 

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