Executive Summary

• SGI sensors detected suspicious network activity originating from IP address 142.93.225.93, hosted by DigitalOcean in Amsterdam.
• Analysis suggests a potential redirection exploit attempt based on payload characteristics and VirusTotal results.
• The observed activity is currently classified as low severity, with no successful exploitation confirmed.
• Impacted systems are likely limited to those exposed to the internet and susceptible to redirection attacks.
• The likely objective is reconnaissance or initial access through redirection to malicious content.

Organizations should monitor network traffic for similar patterns and implement appropriate hardening measures to prevent successful exploitation.

Observed Activity (SGI Sensors)

On December 5th, 2025, at 10:50 UTC, SGI sensors detected network traffic originating from 142.93.225.93, an IP address associated with DigitalOcean in Amsterdam. The traffic was TCP-based, and a payload was present. Initial analysis of the payload, combined with VirusTotal data, indicates a possible redirection attempt. The activity is being flagged for further investigation due to its potential for malicious intent.

Malware/Technique Overview

The detected activity is associated with a potential redirection exploit attempt. While the specific malware family is labeled as ‘20251120-043501-b520d4af2d7b-0-redir__dev_null’, suggesting a script or configuration file designed for redirection, its exact behavior remains unclear without further analysis of the full payload.

Redirection exploits often involve manipulating network traffic to redirect users to malicious websites or services. This can be achieved through various techniques, including:

• DNS poisoning: Altering DNS records to redirect traffic to a different IP address.
• HTTP header manipulation: Modifying HTTP headers to force a redirect.
• JavaScript injection: Injecting malicious JavaScript code into websites to redirect users.

Based on the low VirusTotal malicious score and the ‘redir’ naming, it is likely a simple redirect or a test, but should still be monitored.

MITRE ATT&CK Mapping:

• T1566 – Phishing
• T1189 – Drive-by Compromise
• T1598 – Phishing for Information

VirusTotal Snapshot

VirusTotal analysis of the identified hash (1b20a210fe96e5a8abc347dfb91d7befecb4b5f9b7ed40d856410fac15952057) shows:

• Malicious detections: 0
• Undetected: 62
• Harmless: 0

The file is categorized as “Text” and has a size of 140 bytes. The low detection rate suggests that this may be a new or customized redirection script.

• VirusTotal Sample

Indicators of Compromise (IoCs)

It is recommended to monitor these IoCs for at least 30 days.

Detection & Hunting

Splunk SPL:

index=* src_ip=142.93.225.0/24 | stats count by dest_ip, dest_port | where count > 100

This query searches for connections from the suspect IP range and aggregates the number of connections by destination IP and port. A high connection count to a single destination may indicate suspicious activity. Validate results against known internal services to avoid false positives.

Elastic/Kibana KQL:

source.ip : 142.93.225.0/24

This query will search all logs for the suspect IP range. Review the logs to identify the nature of the connections.

Containment, Eradication & Recovery

1. Isolate: Immediately isolate any affected systems from the network to prevent further spread.
2. Block: Block the identified malicious IP address (142.93.225.93) at the firewall level.
3. Scan: Perform a full system scan using up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware software.
4. Reimage: If necessary, reimage compromised systems to ensure complete eradication of the threat.
5. Reset: Reset any compromised credentials and enforce strong password policies.

Notify IT and Leadership about the ongoing incident and planned remediation steps. Ensure evidence preservation for potential forensic analysis.

Hardening & Preventive Controls

Prioritize these hardening measures, mapped to relevant frameworks:

• Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) (NIST CSF: PR.AC-1, CIS Control 6): Enforce MFA for all user accounts, especially those with administrative privileges.
• Tune Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) (NIST CSF: DE.CM-1, CIS Control 10): Configure EDR solutions to detect and block suspicious network activity and known malicious payloads.
• Implement Network Segmentation (NIST CSF: PR.AC-4, CIS Control 14): Segment the network to limit the impact of a potential breach.
• Apply Least Privilege Principles (NIST CSF: PR.AC-3, CIS Control 5): Grant users only the minimum necessary permissions to perform their job functions.
• Patch Management (NIST CSF: PR.MA-1, CIS Control 7): Establish and enforce Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for timely patching of vulnerabilities.

Since the activity originates from a hosting provider, regular review of firewall rules and access controls is crucial.

Business Impact & Risk Outlook

The potential business impact includes:

• Operational Disruption: Redirection attacks can disrupt normal business operations by redirecting users to malicious websites or services.
• Reputational Damage: Successful redirection attacks can damage the organization’s reputation and erode customer trust.

In the next 3-6 months, we anticipate an increase in redirection attacks targeting remote workers and cloud-based services. Organizations should proactively implement the hardening measures outlined above to mitigate this risk.

Appendix

Redacted Payload Snippet:

[REDACTED - Potential Redirection Script]

Assumptions & Data Gaps:

• SensorName not available in the provided data.
• Full payload not available for in-depth analysis.
• Target of redirection not identified.

References:

• VirusTotal Sample

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