GaboonGrabber Scenario: RegionalBank Compliance Crisis
Scenario Details for IMs
Opening Presentation
“It’s Tuesday morning at RegionalBank, and the quarterly board meeting just ended with one clear message: the upcoming federal examination must go perfectly. With just four weeks to prepare, every department is scrambling to demonstrate compliance improvements. But yesterday, several staff members reported computer slowdowns, and the IT help desk has been fielding calls about new ‘audit software’ that appeared after staff responded to what seemed like legitimate regulatory security requirements.”
Initial Symptoms to Present:
- “Computers experiencing 25% performance degradation across multiple departments”
- “Help desk reports 6 calls about unfamiliar ‘compliance monitoring’ software”
- “Staff mention receiving ‘federal banking security audit’ emails Monday evening”
- “Customer service terminals occasionally freezing during peak hours”
Key Discovery Paths:
Detective Investigation Leads:
- Email analysis reveals sophisticated spoofing of federal banking regulator communications
- File system examination shows “ComplianceMonitor.exe” and “AuditTool.exe” in system directories
- Registry forensics reveals persistence mechanisms disguised as regulatory compliance tools
Protector System Analysis:
- Network monitoring detects encrypted communication to command servers registered recently
- Process analysis shows memory injection into banking software and customer service applications
- Security log review reveals unauthorized access attempts to customer database systems
Tracker Network Investigation:
- DNS query analysis shows lookups to domains mimicking federal banking regulator websites
- Traffic analysis reveals data exfiltration patterns targeting customer account information
- Email flow investigation shows targeted phishing campaign during examination preparation
Communicator Stakeholder Interviews:
- Compliance staff admit clicking on “urgent audit requirements” to demonstrate cooperation
- Branch managers reveal pressure to respond immediately to any regulatory communications
- IT staff explain expedited approval of “compliance tools” to meet examination deadlines
Mid-Scenario Pressure Points:
- Hour 1: Compliance officer demands confirmation that all “audit tools” are properly installed
- Hour 2: Federal examiner calls to confirm examination schedule and document preparation
- Hour 3: Board chair inquires about compliance readiness and any potential issues
- Hour 4: Customer service reports intermittent access issues affecting transaction processing
Evolution Triggers:
- If containment exceeds 6 hours, GaboonGrabber deploys secondary payload targeting customer data
- If network isolation affects compliance systems, regulatory documentation becomes inaccessible
- If customer-facing systems show instability, transaction processing integrity becomes questionable
Resolution Pathways:
Technical Success Indicators:
- Team identifies social engineering exploitation of compliance pressure and culture
- Network segmentation protects customer data while maintaining transaction processing
- Behavioral analysis and memory forensics confirm complete malware removal
Business Success Indicators:
- Incident response demonstrates robust security controls to federal examiner
- Compliance documentation includes security incident as evidence of effective monitoring
- Customer transaction processing maintains integrity throughout response process
Learning Success Indicators:
- Team understands how compliance pressure creates exploitable organizational vulnerabilities
- Participants recognize balance needed between compliance responsiveness and security verification
- Group demonstrates effective coordination between compliance, security, and operational teams
Common IM Facilitation Challenges:
If Team Ignores Compliance Context:
“Your technical analysis is solid, but Amanda just received a call from the federal examiner asking about your bank’s security posture. How do you explain this incident as evidence of strong security controls?”
If Business Impact Is Underestimated:
“While you’re investigating, the customer service system just froze during peak banking hours. Customers are waiting in line and Maria needs to know if the systems are safe to use.”
If Regulatory Complexity Overwhelms:
“The regulatory details are complex, but the core question is simple: how do you maintain security when everyone feels pressure to demonstrate immediate compliance?”