Ghost RAT Scenario: Corporate Espionage Network Discovery (2008)

International Trading Corporation: Mid-size import/export company, 180 employees, operating across US, Europe, and Asia
APT β€’ Gh0st RAT
STAKES
Trade secrets + Customer databases + Financial records + International business relationships
HOOK
It's March 2008. Your company facilitates trade relationships between manufacturers in China and retailers in the US and Europe. Employees have been receiving professionally crafted emails with attachments that appear to be shipping manifests and trade documents. Unknown to your team, these emails contain a sophisticated remote access trojan called Gh0st RAT, giving attackers complete control over infected computers and access to sensitive business communications and customer data.
PRESSURE
Potential loss of competitive advantage and customer trust - trade relationships depend on confidentiality and reliability
FRONT β€’ 120 minutes β€’ Intermediate
International Trading Corporation: Mid-size import/export company, 180 employees, operating across US, Europe, and Asia
APT β€’ Gh0st RAT
NPCs
  • Director Sarah Chen (Operations): Managing international trade relationships while discovering that business communications may have been monitored for months\
  • IT Manager Robert Kim (Systems Administration): Learning that email attachments can install hidden software that provides complete remote computer control\
  • Trade Coordinator Maria Rodriguez (Customer Relations): Realizing that customer shipping information and business negotiations may have been compromised\
  • Finance Manager David Liu (Accounting): Discovering that financial records and banking information could be accessible to unknown attackers
SECRETS
  • Sophisticated social engineering uses legitimate business document formats to deliver malware\
  • Remote access software provides complete control over infected computers including file access, keylogging, and screen capture\
  • Attackers appear to have specific knowledge of international trade practices and document workflows

Historical Context & Modernization Prompts

Understanding 2008 Technology Context

This scenario represents actual Gh0st RAT attacks from 2008. Key historical elements to understand:

  • Email Security: Basic antivirus scanning with limited attachment sandboxing or behavioral analysis
  • Remote Access Tools: RATs were relatively new concept for non-technical organizations
  • Social Engineering: Business email compromise techniques were emerging but not widely understood
  • Network Monitoring: Limited visibility into endpoint behavior and network communications
  • Incident Response: Most organizations lacked dedicated cybersecurity teams or formal response procedures

Collaborative Modernization Questions for Players

Present these questions after initial investigation to guide modernization:

  1. β€œHow would similar social engineering attacks work with today’s communication tools?”
    • Guide toward: Cloud collaboration platforms, instant messaging, mobile applications
  2. β€œWhat modern remote access techniques provide similar capabilities to 2008 RATs?”
    • Guide toward: Living-off-the-land tools, cloud-based C2, legitimate remote access software abuse
  3. β€œHow has business email compromise evolved since 2008?”
    • Guide toward: CEO fraud, vendor impersonation, cloud email security challenges
  4. β€œWhat would international trade data look like in today’s digital environment?”
    • Guide toward: Cloud platforms, API integrations, mobile access, digital supply chain systems
  5. β€œHow would modern detection identify this type of persistent access?”
    • Guide toward: Behavioral analysis, endpoint detection, threat hunting, user behavior analytics

Modernization Discovery Process

After historical investigation, facilitate modernization discussion:

  1. Communication Evolution: Explore how business communication has moved to cloud platforms
  2. Attack Technique Advancement: Discuss how RAT capabilities are now built into legitimate tools
  3. Detection Improvement: Compare 2008 signature-based detection to modern behavioral analysis
  4. Business Impact Amplification: Consider how modern interconnected systems change compromise scope
  5. Response Coordination: Examine how organizations can better coordinate international incident response

Learning Objectives

  • Advanced Persistent Threats: Understanding long-term, targeted attack campaigns
  • Social Engineering Evolution: Recognizing how targeted attacks exploit business processes
  • Remote Access Security: Appreciating challenges of legitimate vs. malicious remote access
  • International Business Risk: Learning how global operations create complex security challenges

IM Facilitation Notes

  • Business Context Focus: Emphasize how attacks target business processes rather than just technology
  • Persistence Explanation: Help players understand how attackers maintain long-term access
  • Detection Challenges: Discuss why persistent access can remain hidden for months
  • Modernization Guidance: Support player exploration of how contemporary threats are more sophisticated
  • Cultural Sensitivity: Address international aspects respectfully and professionally

This historical foundation helps teams understand how targeted attacks evolved from basic remote access tools to sophisticated APT campaigns, while exploring how modern business environments create new opportunities and challenges for attackers.