Ghost Rat Scenario: Blackstone & Associates Surveillance
Scenario Details for IMs
Opening Presentation
“It’s Thursday morning at Blackstone & Associates, and the firm is completing final preparations for a $500 million corporate lawsuit that begins Monday. But during confidential client strategy sessions, attorneys notice concerning anomalies: legal workstations performing unauthorized actions, case files opening during private meetings, and opposing counsel demonstrating uncanny knowledge of the firm’s legal strategies. Investigation reveals sophisticated surveillance tools providing adversaries complete access to privileged attorney-client communications.”
Initial Symptoms to Present:
- “Attorney workstations showing signs of remote control during confidential client meetings”
- “Privileged legal documents being accessed automatically during confidential case strategy sessions”
- “Screen surveillance and keystroke logging detected on systems containing confidential client communications”
- “Network traffic indicating exfiltration of privileged legal strategies to unauthorized external networks”
Key Discovery Paths:
Detective Investigation Leads:
- Digital forensics reveal sophisticated corporate espionage remote access trojan targeting legal communications
- Legal network analysis shows targeted spear-phishing campaign using convincing legal industry documents
- Attorney-client privilege timeline indicates weeks of undetected surveillance of confidential legal communications
Protector System Analysis:
- Legal workstation monitoring reveals real-time surveillance and theft of privileged attorney-client communications
- Case strategy system assessment shows unauthorized access to confidential legal documents and client information
- Legal network security analysis indicates coordinated campaign targeting multiple law firms and privileged communications
Tracker Network Investigation:
- Command and control traffic analysis reveals corporate espionage infrastructure targeting legal industry communications
- Legal intelligence coordination patterns suggest organized adversary targeting of privileged attorney-client information
- Case strategy communication analysis indicates systematic targeting of high-value corporate litigation intelligence
Communicator Stakeholder Interviews:
- Attorney interviews reveal suspicious computer behavior during confidential client meetings and case strategy sessions
- Client communication assessment regarding potential exposure of privileged information and legal strategies
- Professional ethics coordination regarding attorney-client privilege violations and professional responsibility requirements
Mid-Scenario Pressure Points:
- Hour 1: Major corporate client discovers potential compromise of privileged communications threatening lawsuit strategy
- Hour 2: Opposing counsel demonstrates detailed knowledge of confidential legal strategy indicating information leak
- Hour 3: Privileged client documents found in unauthorized networks affecting attorney-client confidentiality
- Hour 4: State bar investigation initiated regarding potential attorney-client privilege violations and professional ethics
Evolution Triggers:
- If investigation reveals legal strategy compromise, case outcome and professional reputation are threatened
- If surveillance continues, adversaries maintain persistent access to privileged attorney-client communications
- If client information exposure is confirmed, attorney-client privilege violations threaten professional practice
Resolution Pathways:
Technical Success Indicators:
- Complete legal surveillance removal from attorney systems with forensic preservation of professional ethics evidence
- Attorney-client communication security verified preventing further unauthorized access to privileged information
- Corporate espionage infrastructure analysis provides intelligence on coordinated legal industry targeting
Business Success Indicators:
- Legal case integrity protected through secure evidence handling and professional ethics coordination
- Client relationships maintained through transparent communication and privileged information protection verification
- Professional ethics compliance demonstrated preventing state bar discipline and professional practice penalties
Learning Success Indicators:
- Team understands sophisticated corporate espionage capabilities and long-term legal surveillance operations
- Participants recognize legal profession targeting and attorney-client privilege implications of privileged communication theft
- Group demonstrates coordination between cybersecurity response and professional ethics investigation requirements
Common IM Facilitation Challenges:
If Legal Surveillance Sophistication Is Underestimated:
“Your incident response is thorough, but Daniel discovered that adversaries have been watching confidential client meetings in real-time for weeks. How does comprehensive legal surveillance change your professional ethics approach?”
If Attorney-Client Privilege Implications Are Ignored:
“While you’re removing malware, Ethics Counsel Santos needs to know: have privileged client communications been compromised? How do you coordinate cybersecurity response with professional responsibility investigation?”
If Case Strategy Impact Is Overlooked:
“Managing Partner Harper just learned that opposing counsel seems to know confidential legal strategy details. How do you assess whether stolen legal intelligence has compromised case outcomes?”