FakeBat Scenario: Small Business Software Trap
Planning Resources
Scenario Details for IMs
Creative Solutions Studio
Overview:
- Type: Digital Marketing Agency
- Size: 45 employees
- Location: Local business serving community clients
- Mission: Creative services and digital marketing for small-to-medium businesses
Current State:
Managing multiple client campaigns with compromised design workstations affecting creative staff workflow. Limited IT resources (part-time coordinator) creating response challenges.
Key Systems:
- Adobe Creative Suite workstations
- Client campaign management platforms
- Browser-based research and collaboration tools
- File sharing and client asset storage
Immediate Pressure:
Friday client presentation - major pitch that represents significant business opportunity. Cannot be rescheduled. Losing this account would severely impact agency survival.
IM Guidance:
- Small business context creates unique vulnerability: limited IT budget, high client dependency
- Friday deadline is real pressure - not just background detail
- Creative workflow means designers need specific tools - can’t just “use something else”
- Part-time IT coordinator (Jake) is learning as he goes - not a security expert
Opening Presentation
“It’s Wednesday morning at Creative Solutions Studio, and what should be preparation for Friday’s major client presentation has turned into a crisis. Multiple design workstations are showing strange behavior - browsers redirecting to unexpected websites, persistent advertisements appearing during client work, and staff reporting they installed ‘critical software updates’ for their design tools yesterday. With your biggest client presentation in two days, investigate what’s happening before browser compromise destroys both your work and your reputation.”
Initial Symptoms to Present:
Key Discovery Paths:
Detective Investigation Leads:
Protector System Analysis:
Tracker Network Investigation:
Communicator Stakeholder Interviews:
Mid-Scenario Pressure Points:
- Hour 2: Major client calls to review presentation materials - requires functional design workstations
- Hour 3: Business owner demands explanation for why design team productivity has dropped
- Hour 4: Client relations manager reports client is considering alternative agency due to delays
Evolution Triggers:
- If containment takes longer than 3 hours, FakeBat begins deploying secondary payloads
- If browser security isn’t addressed, malware creates persistent infection vectors
- If fake software source isn’t identified, additional staff may install similar malware
Resolution Pathways:
Technical Success Indicators:
- Team identifies FakeBat through software verification and browser behavior analysis
- Browser security hardening prevents future unauthorized installations and extensions
- Software installation policies prevent masquerading attacks in small business environment
Business Success Indicators:
- Client presentation proceeds with minimal impact despite security incident
- Business operations maintained while removing malware from design workstations
- Security improvements integrated without disrupting creative workflow
Learning Success Indicators:
- Team understands how software masquerading exploits user trust in legitimate tools
- Participants recognize importance of software verification in small business environments
- Group demonstrates balance between user autonomy and security controls for creative professionals
Common IM Facilitation Challenges:
If Team Focuses Too Heavily on Technical Details:
“That’s excellent analysis of the browser hijacking techniques. How does this information help you communicate the urgency to the client who’s calling for their presentation materials?”
If Business Stakeholders Are Ignored:
“While you’re conducting this investigation, Lisa just received another call from the client asking about Friday’s presentation. How do you handle that conversation?”
If Software Masquerading Aspect Is Missed:
“The technical indicators are clear, but why did design staff trust these particular software updates during this specific time period?”
Success Metrics for Session:
Template Compatibility
Quick Demo (35-40 min)
- Rounds: 1
- Actions per Player: 1
- Investigation: Guided
- Response: Pre-defined
- Focus: Use the “Hook” and “Initial Symptoms” to quickly establish the scenario. Present the “Guided Investigation Clues” at 5-minute intervals. Offer the “Pre-Defined Response Options” for the team to choose from. Quick debrief should focus on recognizing fake software and the risks of installing unverified updates.
Lunch & Learn (75-90 min)
- Rounds: 2
- Actions per Player: 2
- Investigation: Guided
- Response: Pre-defined
- Focus: This template allows for deeper exploration of software masquerading techniques. Use the full set of NPCs to create realistic small business decision-making pressures. The two rounds allow FakeBat to deploy secondary payloads, raising the stakes. Debrief can explore the balance between user productivity and security controls.
Full Game (120-140 min)
- Rounds: 3
- Actions per Player: 2
- Investigation: Open
- Response: Creative
- Focus: Players have freedom to investigate using the “Key Discovery Paths” as IM guidance. They must develop their own response strategies, balancing browser security hardening, user education, and business operations. The three rounds allow for full narrative arc including villain’s complete multi-stage attack plan.
Advanced Challenge (150-170 min)
- Rounds: 3
- Actions per Player: 2
- Investigation: Open
- Response: Creative
- Complexity: Add red herrings (e.g., legitimate Adobe update notifications that are unrelated). Make containment ambiguous, requiring players to justify browser security decisions with limited information. Remove access to reference materials to test knowledge recall of software verification processes.
Quick Demo Materials (35-40 min)
Guided Investigation Clues
Clue 1 (Minute 5): “You discover that multiple design workstations visited ‘adobe-updates-secure.com’ yesterday and downloaded ‘CreativeSuite_UpdatePatch.exe’. The domain was registered 3 days ago.”
Clue 2 (Minute 10): “Analyzing the downloaded file reveals it lacks a valid Adobe digital signature. The legitimate Adobe update process never requires manual .exe downloads.”
Clue 3 (Minute 15): “You find new browser extensions installed on affected workstations: ‘Adobe Secure Connect’ and ‘Creative Suite Helper’. Both have permissions to modify all web page content and are injecting advertisements into legitimate websites.”
Pre-Defined Response Options
Option A: Remove Malware & Verify Software
- Action: Uninstall unauthorized software and browser extensions, remove FakeBat components, verify all design software is from legitimate Adobe sources.
- Pros: Completely removes the threat and establishes software verification procedures.
- Cons: Time-consuming; may require reinstalling legitimate design software from official sources.
- Type Effectiveness: Super effective against Trojan type malmons like FakeBat.
Option B: Browser Security Hardening
- Action: Reset all affected browsers to default settings, disable unauthorized extensions, implement browser security policies to prevent future modifications.
- Pros: Stops browser hijacking and prevents future unauthorized changes; relatively quick to implement.
- Cons: Doesn’t address the underlying malware that may deploy additional payloads.
- Type Effectiveness: Moderately effective against Browser Hijacker type threats.
Option C: Block Malicious Infrastructure
- Action: Add ‘adobe-updates-secure.com’ and related domains to firewall blocklist, preventing communication with malware distribution servers.
- Pros: Prevents additional staff from downloading fake updates; stops malware from receiving commands.
- Cons: Doesn’t remove already-installed malware or fix compromised browsers.
- Type Effectiveness: Partially effective against Downloader type malmons.
Lunch & Learn Materials (75-90 min, 2 rounds)
Round 1: Initial Detection & Client Presentation Crisis (35-40 minutes)
Opening Hook: Wednesday morning at Creative Solutions Studio, 48 hours before major client presentation. Design workstations showing browser redirects and persistent advertisements. Staff report installing “critical software updates” for Adobe Creative Suite yesterday.
Time-Stamped Investigation Clues: - Minute 5: Multiple design workstations visited ‘adobe-updates-secure.com’, downloaded ‘CreativeSuite_UpdatePatch.exe’ (domain registered 3 days ago) - Minute 8: Memory scans reveal suspicious processes, digital signature verification fails—legitimate Adobe updates never require manual .exe downloads - Minute 12: DNS logs show connections to recently registered domains mimicking Adobe, network traffic to advertising and download servers - Minute 16: Design staff received convincing pop-up notifications about “critical security updates” during tight project deadline - Minute 20: Browser extensions ‘Adobe Secure Connect’ and ‘Creative Suite Helper’ installed with permissions to modify all web page content, injecting advertisements into legitimate websites
Pressure Event (Minute 22): Major client calls to review presentation materials—requires functional design workstations. Business owner demands explanation for why design team productivity has dropped before critical Friday presentation.
Response Options: - Option A: Uninstall unauthorized software and browser extensions, remove FakeBat components, verify all design software from legitimate Adobe sources, establish software verification procedures - Option B: Reset all affected browsers to default settings, disable unauthorized extensions, implement browser security policies preventing future modifications - Option C: Add malicious domains to firewall blocklist, prevent additional staff from downloading fake updates, stop malware from receiving commands
Round 1 Debrief: How did FakeBat exploit user trust in legitimate design tools? What security challenges are unique to small businesses with limited IT resources? How did you balance Lisa’s need for client presentation delivery with thorough malware removal?
Round 2: Business Continuity & Creative Workflow Protection (35-45 minutes)
Evolution Based on Round 1 Choice: Malware removal time-consuming with potential design software reinstallation, browser fixes don’t address underlying malware deploying additional payloads, or infrastructure blocking doesn’t fix already-compromised workstations.
Advanced Investigation Clues: - Minute 44: ‘CreativeSuite_UpdatePatch.exe’ is loader delivering RedLine Stealer—design staff browser password stores, client FTP credentials, project management system access potentially exfiltrated - Minute 49: Memory forensics shows credential theft from designers with client project access—WordPress admin logins, cloud storage credentials, communication platform authentication cookies compromised - Minute 54: Attribution reveals fake Adobe update campaign using malvertising, searches for “Adobe Creative Suite update” and “design software patch” triggering malicious ads, targeting creative professionals - Minute 59: Client relations manager reports client is considering alternative agency due to delivery delays caused by security incident response
Pressure Event (Minute 62): Business owner presents financial reality—major client presentation represents 15% quarterly revenue. Client relationship damaged by delays. Small business cannot absorb both security incident costs AND lost client revenue. Resource constraints require choosing between perfect security response and business survival.
Enhanced Response Options: - Option D: Complete design workstation remediation, client communication templates about potential credential exposure, implement mandatory security training, invest in business-grade security tools - Option E: Selective deep cleaning on workstations with client access, implement browser-based protections agency-wide, document staff security responsibilities, controlled costs through triage - Option F: External IR partnership for professional assessment, implement findings as competitive security differentiator, provide staff complimentary consultations, transform incident into agency trust-building
NPC Interactions: - Lisa Martinez (Business Owner): Business survival focus, client relationship preservation, cannot afford both incident costs and revenue loss, small business financial constraints - Jake Thompson (IT Coordinator): Staff have administrative rights for design tool flexibility, monitoring capabilities limited, creative workflow protection versus security controls - Sarah Chen (Creative Director): Design team morale during incident, fake updates appeared during project deadline stress, creative professional autonomy expectations - Mark Rodriguez (Client Relations Manager): Client confidence erosion from delivery delays, competitive market with alternative agencies, relationship repair strategies
Round 2 Debrief: How did FakeBat’s secondary payload deployment (RedLine Stealer) threaten client project credentials across multiple designers? What competing priorities did NPCs present regarding business survival vs. security thoroughness vs. creative workflow? How do small businesses balance security investment with limited budgets and competitive market pressures?
Key Learning Objectives (Lunch & Learn)
Technical: Software masquerading targeting creative professionals, loader/dropper malware architecture, browser hijacking affecting client communications, small business endpoint security challenges
Business: Client presentation operations under security constraints, small business resource limitations, creative workflow protection, competitive market relationship management, ROI considerations for security investments
Incident Response: Triaging design workstations with client access, client notification with credential exposure uncertainty, balancing business continuity with security, managing stakeholder conflicts in resource-constrained environments
Full Game Materials (120-140 min, 3 rounds)
Round 1: Discovery & Presentation Preparation Crisis (35-40 minutes)
Opening: Creative Solutions Studio, Wednesday morning, 48 hours before major client presentation. Design workstations compromised with fake Adobe Creative Suite updates.
Investigation Paths: Detective (software installation analysis), Protector (design workstation forensics), Tracker (creative professional campaign attribution), Communicator (staff/client interviews)
Pressure Events: Major client reviewing presentation materials (Minute 12), business owner demanding productivity explanation (Minute 18), client relations manager reporting alternative agency consideration (Minute 22)
Player-Developed Responses: Players create containment strategies balancing design workstation security, client project protection, presentation delivery, and small business operations
Round 2: Client Credential Compromise & Designer Access Theft (40-45 minutes)
Evolution: RedLine Stealer deployment on design workstations with client project access, designer credential exfiltration, client FTP/WordPress/cloud storage access compromise, unauthorized access attempts
Advanced Investigation: Attribution reveals targeted creative professional campaign, fake Adobe update masquerading, malvertising exploiting design software trust
Complex Decisions: Client notification with uncertain credential exposure, designer support during compromise, presentation communications about security incident, external IR engagement with small business budget
NPC Conflicts: Business survival and client retention (Lisa), technical thoroughness and monitoring limitations (Jake), creative workflow protection and team morale (Sarah), client relationship repair and competitive pressure (Mark)
Round 3: Presentation Execution & Long-Term Small Business Security (35-45 minutes)
Final Phase: Presentation proceeds or is disrupted based on player decisions, post-presentation client concerns emerge or are addressed, long-term small business security architecture developed
Strategic Planning: Design workstation security policies, client credential protection programs, creative professional security training, small business security investment ROI analysis
Outcome Scenarios: Successful presentation with comprehensive client protection, compromised presentation with client withdrawal, or partial success with mixed relationship and revenue impact
Advanced Challenge Materials (150-170 min, 3+ rounds)
Advanced Modifications
Ambiguity: Legitimate Adobe Creative Cloud updates, design software performance issues from unrelated causes, client concerns about general agency competence vs. specific security incident
Stakeholder Unreliability: Lisa concealing financial stress affecting security decisions, Jake overconfident about limited IT capabilities, Sarah protecting specific key designers despite security risks, Mark filtering client complaints to preserve presentation
Compressed Timeline: Presentation in 24 hours, client arriving for preview during investigation, creative director requiring designer availability for last-minute changes
Ethical Dilemmas: Client notification probabilities with uncertain credential exposure, designer support obligations with limited resources, presentation cancellation decision with revenue implications
Consequence Scenarios: False positive designer disruption affecting presentation quality, delayed notification resulting in client project compromise, inconsistent messaging eroding client trust, competitive agencies leveraging security concerns
[Comprehensive debrief covering small business security challenges, resource-constrained decision-making, client trust management, creative workflow protection, and competitive market incident response complexity]