The Critical Role of ISPs in a Connected World – And Their Vulnerability
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are the unsung heroes of the digital age, providing the vital infrastructure that connects us all. From homes and businesses to critical national infrastructure, ISPs are the backbone of our online world. However, this critical role also makes them prime targets for cyber attacks. While large, multinational ISPs often have substantial cyber security budgets, smaller, independent ISPs face the same threats with significantly fewer resources. This case study details how Mongoose Cyber Security helped "ConnectLocal" (a pseudonym), a small, independent UK-based ISP, strengthen its defences and protect its customers from sophisticated cyber threats, despite operating with a limited budget.
The Client: ConnectLocal – Connecting Communities, Facing Global Threats
ConnectLocal is a small, independent ISP serving a regional area in the UK. They pride themselves on providing reliable, high-speed internet access to homes and businesses, often in areas underserved by larger providers. Unlike some of their larger competitors, who may lease significant portions of their network, ConnectLocal owns and operates a substantial amount of on-premises infrastructure, including routing equipment, servers, and data centre facilities. They also manage a large number of CIDR blocks in the cloud, providing services and network connectivity for their customers. This extensive control over both physical and cloud-based assets presents a unique and complex cyber security challenge.
The Challenge: Extensive Infrastructure (On-Prem and Cloud), Limited Budget, High Stakes
ConnectLocal faced a daunting cyber security landscape:
Vast Attack Surface: Owning and operating extensive on-premises infrastructure, coupled with a large cloud footprint (represented by their CIDR blocks), created a vast and diverse attack surface. This included routers, switches, servers, firewalls, cloud-based virtual machines, containers, and customer-facing portals. The distributed nature of both on-prem and cloud resources added complexity.
Critical Infrastructure Target: As an ISP, ConnectLocal was a high-value target for cybercriminals. A successful attack could disrupt internet service for thousands of customers, damage critical infrastructure, and compromise sensitive customer data. This could include DDoS attacks, data breaches, or even attempts to gain control of network infrastructure.
Limited Budget: As a small, independent company, ConnectLocal had a significantly smaller budget for cyber security compared to larger ISPs. They needed a cost-effective solution that maximised their security return on investment.
Compliance Requirements: ConnectLocal was subject to various regulations, including GDPR and the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations, requiring them to maintain a high level of cyber security.
Reputational Risk: Any service disruption or data breach could severely damage ConnectLocal's reputation and customer trust, potentially leading to significant business losses.
ConnectLocal understood the critical importance of cyber security but struggled to find a solution that met their specific needs and budget. They needed a comprehensive assessment of their vulnerabilities and practical, actionable guidance on how to improve their security posture.
The Mongoose Cyber Security Solution: A Phased Penetration Testing Approach
Mongoose Cyber Security was selected for our expertise in network infrastructure security, cloud security, and our ability to deliver high-impact results within budget constraints. We proposed a phased penetration testing approach, designed to provide maximum value and address ConnectLocal's most critical vulnerabilities first.
Our Approach:
Initial Scoping and Prioritisation: We worked closely with ConnectLocal's technical team to understand their network architecture (both on-premises and cloud-based), identify critical assets, and prioritise testing efforts. This collaborative approach ensured that the penetration test focused on the areas of greatest risk. This included understanding their CIDR block allocation and cloud service usage.
External Network Penetration Testing (Phase 1): We began with an external penetration test, simulating an attack from the public internet. This involved:
Reconnaissance: Gathering publicly available information about ConnectLocal's network infrastructure, online presence, and cloud services.
Vulnerability Scanning: Identifying known vulnerabilities in publicly accessible systems and services, including those hosted within their cloud CIDR blocks.
Manual Exploitation: Attempting to exploit identified vulnerabilities to gain unauthorised access to ConnectLocal's network (both on-prem and cloud resources).
Testing of perimeter security: Firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, and cloud security groups.
Internal Network Penetration Testing (Phase 2): Following the successful remediation of vulnerabilities identified in Phase 1, we conducted an internal penetration test. This simulated an attack from within the network, either by a compromised internal system or a malicious insider. This involved:
Credentialed Access: We were provided with limited-privilege accounts to simulate a compromised user.
Lateral Movement: Attempting to escalate privileges and move laterally within the network (both on-premises and within the cloud environment) to access sensitive systems and data.
Vulnerability Assessment: Identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in internal systems, including servers, workstations, network devices, and cloud infrastructure.
Cloud Infrastructure Penetration Testing (Integrated with Phases 1 & 2): Given the significant cloud presence, cloud security testing was integrated into both external and internal phases. This included:
Configuration Review: Assessing the security configuration of cloud services and resources (e.g., access controls, network security groups, storage configurations).
Vulnerability Scanning of Cloud Resources: Identifying vulnerabilities in virtual machines, containers, and other cloud services.
Reporting and Remediation Guidance: After each phase, we provided ConnectLocal with a detailed report, outlining:
Identified vulnerabilities: Categorised by severity (critical, high, medium, low).
Potential impact: Describing the potential consequences of each vulnerability being exploited.
Clear, actionable remediation recommendations: Providing step-by-step guidance on how to fix the vulnerabilities, covering both on-premises and cloud environments.
Executive summary: For non-technical management.
Re-testing: After ConnectLocal had time to address the identified issues, we conducted re-testing to validate that the fixes were implemented correctly.
The Results: Uncovering Critical Exposures
The phased penetration testing approach revealed several critical vulnerabilities that could have had severe consequences for ConnectLocal and its customers:
Outdated Router Firmware (Phase 1): Several of ConnectLocal's core routers were running outdated firmware with known vulnerabilities, making them susceptible to remote exploitation.
Weak Default Passwords (Phase 1 & 2): Some network devices, both on-premises and within their cloud environment, were still using default or weak passwords.
Misconfigured Firewall Rules (Phase 1): Misconfigured firewall rules (both on-premises and in cloud security groups) allowed unauthorised access to certain internal network segments.
Vulnerable Internal Server (Phase 2): An internal server, critical for network management, was running an outdated version of a popular operating system with multiple known vulnerabilities.
Lack of Network Segmentation (Phase 2): The internal network lacked proper segmentation, meaning that a compromised system in one area could potentially provide access to a wider range of resources, including those in the cloud.
Insecure Cloud Storage Configuration (Phase 2): A misconfigured cloud storage bucket was publicly accessible, potentially exposing sensitive data.
The Impact: A Significantly Strengthened Security Posture
Based on Mongoose Cyber Security's findings and recommendations, ConnectLocal took immediate action to address the identified vulnerabilities:
Firmware Updates: All router and network device firmware was updated to the latest secure versions, both on-premises and in the cloud.
Password Policy Enforcement: A strong password policy was implemented, requiring all users and devices (including cloud service accounts) to use complex, unique passwords.
Firewall Rule Remediation: The misconfigured firewall rules and cloud security group settings were corrected, restricting unauthorised access.
Server Patching and Hardening: The vulnerable internal server was patched and hardened to improve its security.
Network Segmentation Implementation: Network segmentation was implemented, both on-premises and within their cloud environment, to limit the impact of potential breaches.
Cloud Storage Configuration: The cloud storage bucket configuration was corrected to restrict public access.
Regular Security Audits: ConnectLocal committed to regular security audits and penetration testing to maintain a proactive security posture.
The phased penetration testing approach provided ConnectLocal with invaluable insights into its security weaknesses and enabled them to:
Reduce Risk: Significantly reduce their exposure to cyberattacks and protect their critical infrastructure (both on-premises and cloud-based) and customer data.
Improve Compliance: Strengthen their compliance with relevant regulations (GDPR, NIS).
Maximise Budget Efficiency: Achieve a high level of security improvement with a cost-effective, phased approach.
Build Customer Trust: Demonstrate a commitment to security, reinforcing their reputation as a reliable and trustworthy ISP.
Gain Peace of Mind
Conclusion: Cyber Security is Not a Luxury, It's a Necessity for All ISPs
ConnectLocal's story demonstrates that even small, independent ISPs can achieve a strong cyber security posture with the right approach and expertise. Cyber security is not a luxury reserved for large corporations; it's a fundamental necessity for any organisation that relies on technology, especially those providing critical infrastructure like internet access. Mongoose Cyber Security's phased penetration testing approach provided ConnectLocal with a cost-effective solution to identify and address critical vulnerabilities, protecting their business, their customers, and the vital services they provide.
Mongoose Cyber Security: Your Partner in Securing Network Infrastructure
If you're an ISP, regardless of size, facing the challenges of securing your network infrastructure and cloud resources, don't hesitate to reach out. Contact Mongoose Cyber Security today for a confidential consultation. We can help you assess your vulnerabilities, develop a tailored security strategy, and build a resilient defence against evolving cyber threats.