GaboonGrabber Scenario: Healthcare Implementation Crisis
Scenario Details for IMs
Opening Presentation
“It’s Friday afternoon at MedTech Solutions, and the mood should be celebratory - your biggest implementation ever goes live Monday morning at St. Mary’s Hospital. But instead of champagne, there’s growing concern. Multiple staff members are reporting computer slowdowns, and the help desk has received several calls about unexpected pop-ups. Yesterday during the final push, several IT staff received what appeared to be critical security updates. With everything riding on Monday’s go-live, investigate what’s happening.”
Initial Symptoms to Present:
- “Computers running 30% slower since yesterday afternoon”
- “Help desk reports 5 calls about unexpected pop-ups appearing”
- “IT staff mention receiving ‘urgent security update’ emails Thursday evening”
- “Some applications taking longer to start than usual”
Key Discovery Paths:
Detective Investigation Leads:
- Email logs show suspicious ‘SecurityUpdate.exe’ attachments from fake IT security vendor
- Process monitoring reveals unfamiliar executables running from temp directories
- Registry analysis shows new startup entries for legitimate-sounding but suspicious processes
Protector System Analysis:
- Memory scans reveal process injection into legitimate Windows processes
- Network monitoring shows unusual outbound connections to suspicious domains
- System performance metrics indicate hidden processes consuming CPU and memory
Tracker Network Investigation:
- DNS logs show queries to recently registered domains mimicking security vendors
- Network traffic analysis reveals encrypted communication to command and control servers
- Email flow analysis shows phishing campaign specifically targeted during implementation stress
Communicator Stakeholder Interviews:
- IT staff admit clicking on urgent security updates due to project pressure
- Hospital staff expressing concerns about system stability before go-live
- Management inquiry reveals pressure to approve software quickly for client satisfaction
Mid-Scenario Pressure Points:
- Hour 2: Hospital calls asking for system status update and go-live confirmation
- Hour 3: COO demands explanation for why “IT problems” might delay major implementation
- Hour 4: CEO receives call from hospital threatening to find alternative vendor
Evolution Triggers:
- If containment takes longer than 4 hours, GaboonGrabber begins deploying secondary payloads
- If network isolation is incomplete, malware spreads to additional systems
- If hospital connectivity isn’t secured, threat extends to client environment
Resolution Pathways:
Technical Success Indicators:
- Team identifies GaboonGrabber through behavioral analysis rather than signature detection
- Comprehensive network isolation prevents spread while maintaining business continuity
- Memory forensics and process injection analysis confirms complete threat removal
Business Success Indicators:
- Stakeholder communication maintains hospital relationship despite security incident
- Implementation timeline adjusted with minimal impact on patient safety preparations
- Security improvements integrated into go-live process without compromising deadline
Learning Success Indicators:
- Team understands how organizational pressure creates social engineering vulnerabilities
- Participants recognize importance of maintaining security controls during high-stress periods
- Group demonstrates effective communication between technical and business stakeholders
Common IM Facilitation Challenges:
If Team Focuses Too Heavily on Technical Details:
“That’s excellent analysis of the process injection techniques. How does this information help you communicate the urgency to hospital leadership who are calling for updates?”
If Business Stakeholders Are Ignored:
“While you’re conducting this thorough investigation, Sarah just got another call from the hospital CIO asking for go-live confirmation. How do you handle that conversation?”