Data Exfiltration

Data exfiltration, in the context of penetration testing and cybersecurity, refers to the unauthorized transfer of sensitive data from a target system or network to an external location controlled by an attacker. This is a critical phase in many cyber attacks, as the ultimate goal often involves accessing and removing confidential, proprietary, or sensitive information from the compromised system.

Some methods include:

  1. Physical Media: Using USB drives or other physical media to copy and remove data from a compromised system.
  2. Email: Sending sensitive data to an external email address, either manually or through automated scripts.
  3. File Transfer Protocols: Utilizing File Transfer Protocol|FTP, Secure File Transfer Protocol|SFTP, or similar protocols to transfer files from the target system to an attacker-controlled server.
  4. Cloud Storage Services: Uploading stolen data to cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive.
  5. Covert Channels: Creating covert channels, such as steganography (hiding data within other files like images or videos), or tunneling data through other protocols (e.g., DNS Tunneling) to avoid detection.
  6. Web Services: Using HTTP Protocol|HTTP or HTTPS Protocol|HTTPS to post data to external websites or attacker-controlled web servers.
  7. Social Media Platforms: Leveraging social media platforms to transmit data, as these platforms are often allowed through network Firewall|firewalls.
  8. Automated Exfiltration Tools: Using specialized malware or scripts that automate the process of searching for, copying, and transmitting sensitive data.
  9. Encrypted Channels: Encrypting the data before exfiltration to prevent detection by network security systems that inspect outbound data.