What is lateral movement?
Lateral movement is a technique used by cybercriminals after gaining initial access to an environment.
Instead of attacking critical data or systems directly, they move discreetly across the network—exploring other machines, services, and credentials—until they reach where valuable assets are stored.
Each “jump” from one resource to another is lateral movement.
Goal?
- Escalate privileges
- Broaden access
- Avoid detection
Prepare the final strike: data extraction, malware or ransomware installation.
Real-world examples of lateral movement
Equifax (2017)
Attackers exploited a vulnerability in a web application.
They then used lateral movement to access internal databases, extracting information from 147 million people.
The attack went undetected for months.
WannaCry (2017)
A ransomware that spread laterally from machine to machine using the EternalBlue vulnerability, exploiting internal networks of hospitals, businesses, and governments worldwide.
Colonial Pipeline (2021)
Hackers used compromised credentials to access one system and, from there, moved laterally until they disrupted operations, causing one of the largest fuel supply crises in the U.S.
Does this apply to internal attacks?
Yes. And it’s even harder to detect.
Malicious employees, partners with privileged access, or even third parties with compromised credentials can initiate lateral movement:
- Creating users with elevated permissions.
- Exploring machines and databases beyond allowed scope.
- Stealthily copying data.
- Slowly and discreetly escalating privileges.
Often, no one notices until it’s too late.
Why is lateral movement hard to detect?
Traditional tools, such as antivirus or firewalls, focus on preventing external attacks.
Once the attacker or the dishonest employee is inside the network:
- No alerts for abnormal access (no DAM or XDR).
- Logs are not correlated (no SIEM).
- Movement between servers and databases is ignored.
- Without a system that understands normal vs. anomalous behaviors, the attacker moves freely.
How DAM, XDR, and SIEM help identify and stop lateral movement
DAM (Database Activity Monitoring)
Monitors activities within databases:
- Who accesses it.
- What is accessed.
- When.
- With what permissions.
If a user accesses data they should never have access to, DAM detects it.
XDR (Extended Detection and Response)
Correlates suspicious behaviors across multiple layers:
- Endpoints.
- Servers.
- Databases.
- Network.
It detects unusual patterns (e.g., a regular user creating other users, or attempting to access multiple servers in sequence).
Can automate responses: isolate machine, revoke access, generate critical alerts.
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management)
Centralizes logs and events from the entire infrastructure.
Correlates information from different sources:
- Database logs (DAM).
- Behavioral events (XDR).
- Firewalls.
- Servers.
- Applications.
When anomalous behavior emerges from multiple points, SIEM raises the red flag.
How Flightdeck helps protect against lateral movement
Flightdeck offers a unique combination of DAM + XDR + SIEM integration.
| Functionality | How it protects |
|---|---|
| User creation and removal monitoring | Detects lateral movement that creates backdoors. |
| Privilege escalation | Alerts when permissions are elevated without authorization. |
| Unauthorized access detection | Identifies exploitation of data outside user patterns. |
| Brute-force attempts | Blocks or alerts on recurring failed accesses. |
| Continuous behavioral monitoring | Learns and recognizes normal vs. anomalous patterns. |
| Sensitive data auditing | Ensures compliance with LGPD, GDPR, and PCI-DSS. |
| Alert export via API to SIEM | Integrates with Splunk, QRadar, Sentinel, and others. |
And if your company doesn’t have its own SIEM or XDR, Flightdeck can function as a specialized SIEM and XDR for databases and servers.
What does this mean for your business?
Less risk. More visibility. Less response time.
Companies that invest in behavioral visibility can:
Reduce the time to detect an intruder by up to 90%.
Drastically decrease the financial impact of incidents.
Demonstrate control and transparency in regulatory audits.
Ready to protect your data against lateral movement?
Request a personalized demo and see how Flightdeck DAM + XDR + SIEM can protect your company from the threats that go unnoticed by most traditional solutions.
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Schedule a demo here.
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