Scenario: An Intern Employee Named James Found A USB On T

Scenario An Intern Employee Names James Has Found A Usb On The Ground

Scenario: An intern employee named James has found a USB on the ground coming into work, he wants to find the owner. He plugs the USB drive into his workstation computer and the drive appears to be empty. He sees that the command prompt flashes open and closes. Unknowingly, he just executed a worm or botnet into the network. He informs you (the CIO) that he believes that he has unleashed a worm.

Task: How would you track, and remove the worm from the network? Areas to consider: What ports or port types will have unusual activity. Respond to at least 2 other students with at least a 100-word reply about their Primary Task Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening. To help you with your discussion, please consider the following questions:

Paper For Above instruction

In the depicted scenario, an intern unwittingly introduces malicious software—a worm—into the organization’s network by executing an unknown USB device. The immediate priority is to contain, identify, and eradicate the threat to prevent potential data breaches, further infection, or system compromise. This process requires a systematic approach combining network monitoring, threat detection, and removal techniques.

First, detection begins with network traffic analysis. Unusual activity often manifests as anomalies in port usage or data transfer patterns. Common signs include increased traffic on port 445 (SMB), port 135 (RPC), or high data volume on non-standard ports. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems should be leveraged to identify these anomalies by establishing baseline normal activity and flagging deviations. Moreover, inspecting network flows for unexpected communication with external or unrecognized IP addresses is vital, as worms typically generate outbound connections to command and control servers.

Simultaneously, endpoint detection plays a crucial role. The infected machine should be isolated immediately from the network to prevent further spread. Forensic analysis of the compromised host involves checking running processes, startup items, and scheduled tasks for suspicious entries. Tools like antivirus/malware scanners and intrusion detection systems assist in identifying malicious files or processes. Since the USB execution likely triggered the worm, it is critical to conduct a thorough system scan and review recent file activity.

The removal process involves deleting malicious files, ending malicious processes, and disabling persistent threat mechanisms. Updating security patches on all systems reduces vulnerabilities exploited by worms. Additionally, comprehensive password changes and credential resets are necessary if there is a suspicion of credential theft or account compromise.

After eradication, restoring affected systems from clean backups and implementing stricter controls around USB device usage are essential steps. Educating employees about the risks associated with unknown external devices can prevent future incidents. Moreover, enhancing network security measures, including port filtering and application whitelisting, fortifies defenses against similar threats.

Continuous monitoring post-removal is necessary to ensure that no residual malware remains active or re-establishes itself. Employing intrusion prevention systems (IPS) and file integrity monitoring further guards the network integrity. Ensuring all security appliances and software are up-to-date enhances the organization’s resilience against cyber threats.

References

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