Table of Contents
UserSec is a pro-Russian hacktivist group that has gained notoriety for its cyberattacks, primarily employing Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, against entities perceived as opposing Russian interests. Active since at least 2022, the group collaborates with other pro-Russian hacktivist collectives, significantly amplifying its impact and reach. UserSec's activities are part of a broader cyber warfare landscape intertwined with geopolitical tensions, particularly the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This profile examines UserSec's origins, tactics, targets, campaigns, and defense strategies. Their activities are a prime example of how hacktivist groups can influence and be influenced by state-level conflicts.
Origins & Evolution
UserSec emerged on the cyber threat landscape around 2022, though the exact origins remain somewhat obscure. While direct ties to the Russian government have not been definitively proven, the group's consistent pro-Russian alignment and targeting of NATO member states strongly suggest, at minimum, an ideological sympathy, if not outright support or direction. The group is believed to be linked to other Pro Russian Groups such as Killnet.
The group's evolution has been marked by increasing collaboration with other pro-Russian hacktivist groups, most notably KillNet. This collaboration has expanded UserSec's capabilities and reach, allowing for more coordinated and impactful attacks. The "High Society" recruitment drive, launched in 2024, is a key indicator of UserSec's ambition to grow its membership and enhance its technical skills, including penetration testing, social engineering, reverse engineering, and virus handling. They have also been known to carry out recruitment drives.
Tactics & Techniques
UserSec's primary modus operandi revolves around DDoS attacks. These attacks aim to overwhelm target servers with a flood of traffic, rendering websites and online services inaccessible. This tactic is favored by hacktivist groups due to its relatively low barrier to entry and its ability to cause significant disruption. To protect against this, you need robust DDoS protection.
Beyond DDoS, UserSec has demonstrated capabilities in, or aspirations towards:
Data Breaches and Leaks: Exfiltrating sensitive information to embarrass or intimidate targets. This aligns with the broader pro-Russian strategy of information warfare.
Website Defacement: Altering the content of websites to display pro-Russian messages or propaganda, though this appears less frequent than DDoS.
Social Engineering: UserSec seeks individuals skilled in social engineering, suggesting they may employ these techniques to gain initial access to networks or to manipulate individuals into divulging sensitive information.
Exploitation and Access: They use brute-forcing or default credentials. What is brute force?
Training Programs: UserSec offers training in website defacement, indicating a focus on developing specific skill sets within its membership.
Here's a table summarizing UserSec's TTPs, mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework:
|
Tactic
|
Technique ID
|
Technique Name
|
Description
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Initial Access
|
T1078.001
|
Valid Accounts, Default Accounts
|
Leveraging default or weak credentials to gain access.
|
|
Execution
|
T1203
|
Exploitation for Client Execution
|
Exploiting vulnerabilities to execute malicious code.
|
|
Persistence
|
T1078
|
Valid Accounts
|
Maintaining access using legitimate credentials.
|
|
Privilege Escalation
|
T1055
|
Process Injection
|
Injecting code into legitimate processes to elevate privileges.
|
|
Credential Access
|
T1110.001
|
Brute Force: Password Guessing
|
Attempting to guess passwords to gain access.
|
|
Discovery
|
T1083
|
File and Directory Discovery
|
Searching for files and directories of interest.
|
|
Collection
|
T1005
|
Data from Local System
|
Gathering data from compromised systems.
|
|
Impact
|
T1499
|
Endpoint Denial of Service
|
Disrupting services through DDoS attacks.
|
|
Command and Control
|
T1071.001
|
Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols
|
Using web protocols (HTTP/HTTPS) for communication with C2 servers
|
|
Exfiltration
|
T1041
|
Exfiltration Over C2 Channel
|
Exfiltrating stolen data using their C2 infrastructure
|
|
Defense Evasion
|
T1027
|
Obfuscated Files or Information
|
Using obfuscation to hide malicious code and evade detection
|
|
Defense Evasion
|
T1070.001
|
Indicator Removal on Host: Clear Windows Event Logs
|
Clearing Windows event logs to cover tracks
|
Targets or Victimology
UserSec's targeting is heavily influenced by its pro-Russian stance. Their primary targets include:
NATO Member States: Countries perceived as adversaries of Russia, particularly those supporting Ukraine. This includes the US, UK, Germany, France, and Poland.
Government Institutions: Ministries, military branches, and national security agencies within targeted countries.
Military and Defense Contractors: Companies involved in the development or supply of military equipment.
Critical Infrastructure: Potentially targeting energy, telecommunications, and other vital sectors to cause disruption.
Organizations Critical of Russia: Entities, including media outlets or NGOs, that express views contrary to the Russian government's narrative.
The Paris Olympics: Several pro-Russian groups, including UserSec, are considered viable threats to the 2024 Paris Olympics, likely motivated by geopolitical tensions and Russia's ban from the Games.
Festival La Rochelle Cinéma (Fema): People’s Cyber Army has targeted the website of this French film festival.
Grand Palais (Paris): They also claim an attack against this French cultural center.
Attack Campaigns
Several attack campaigns highlight UserSec's activities:
May 2023 Cyber Campaign Against NATO: UserSec declared a cyber campaign specifically targeting NATO member states, showcasing its geopolitical focus.
Collaboration with KillNet: UserSec joined forces with KillNet, another pro-Russian group, to attack NATO, demonstrating their willingness to collaborate for greater impact.
"High Society" Recruitment Drive (2024): This initiative aimed to significantly expand UserSec's membership and capabilities, signaling an escalation of their activities.
Targeting French Websites (June 2024): The People's Cyber Army, with potential connections to UserSec, launched DDoS attacks against French websites, possibly as a prelude to larger attacks during the Paris Olympics.
Potential Involvement in Attacks related to the 2024 Paris Olympics: Intelligence assessments indicate UserSec is a viable threat to the Games, potentially through DDoS attacks or data leaks.
Attacks with the Cyber Army of Russia: Attacks on Ukraine's nuclear agency.
Attacks with NoName057(16), HackNet, CyberDragon, and UserSec Collective.
Defenses
Protecting against UserSec and similar hacktivist groups requires a multi-faceted approach:
DDoS Mitigation: Implementing robust DDoS protection services is crucial. This includes traffic filtering, rate limiting, and content delivery networks (CDNs) to absorb and distribute attack traffic.
Vulnerability Management: Regularly patching and updating systems to address known vulnerabilities is essential to prevent exploitation. Key strategies to identify vulnerabilities can help you stay ahead.
Strong Authentication: Enforcing strong password policies and implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) can prevent unauthorized access through compromised credentials.
Network Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of network traffic for anomalies and suspicious activity can help detect and respond to attacks early. Security logging and monitoring is very crucial in this case.
Incident Response Plan: Having a well-defined incident response plan in place is crucial for quickly containing and recovering from attacks. A cyber incident response plan is essential for every organization.
Threat Intelligence: Staying informed about the latest threat actor tactics and techniques through threat intelligence feeds and reports can help organizations proactively adjust their defenses. What is threat intelligence and why it is important for an organization?
Employee Training: Educating employees about phishing and social engineering tactics can reduce the risk of successful initial access attempts.
Data Encryption: Encrypting sensitive data at rest and in transit can minimize the impact of data breaches. What is symmetric and asymmetric encryption?
Web Application Firewalls (WAFs): Deploying WAFs can help protect web applications from common attacks, including those used for website defacement.
Regular Security Audits: Conducting regular security audits and penetration tests can help identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses before attackers exploit them.
Collaboration and Information Sharing: Participating in information-sharing initiatives and collaborating with other organizations and cybersecurity professionals can improve overall threat awareness and response capabilities.
Conclusion
UserSec represents a persistent and evolving threat within the hacktivist landscape. Their pro-Russian alignment, focus on DDoS attacks, and increasing collaboration with other groups make them a significant concern, particularly for organizations in NATO countries and those involved in critical infrastructure. The "High Society" recruitment drive indicates UserSec's ambition to expand its capabilities and influence, suggesting that their activities will likely continue and potentially escalate. Organizations must adopt a proactive and multi-layered security approach, combining technical defenses with threat intelligence and employee awareness, to mitigate the risks posed by UserSec and similar pro-Russian hacktivist groups. The potential for increased sophistication and collaboration within this ecosystem necessitates ongoing vigilance and adaptation in the cybersecurity community.
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Arun KL
Arun KL is a cybersecurity professional with 15+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, cloud security, vulnerability management, Penetration Testing, security operations, and incident response. He is adept at designing and implementing robust security solutions to safeguard systems and data. Arun holds multiple industry certifications including CCNA, CCNA Security, RHCE, CEH, and AWS Security.
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