Executive Summary

• SGI sensors detected network activity originating from a DigitalOcean IP address in Sydney, Australia.
• Analysis of the associated hash suggests a simple redirection script, likely benign but warranting further monitoring.
• The likely objective is traffic redirection, possibly for tracking or simple proxying.
• Business risk is assessed as low, but similar vectors could be used for more malicious purposes.

Organizations should maintain vigilance against unexpected network traffic and regularly review security configurations.

Observed Activity (SGI Sensors)

On November 3, 2025, SGI sensors observed network activity from an IP address associated with DigitalOcean in Sydney. The traffic involved TCP and included a payload, which, based on its hash, appears to be a redirection script. While VirusTotal results indicate it is largely undetected as malicious, the activity warrants monitoring to ensure it is not part of a broader attack.

Malware/Technique Overview

Based on the file name, the observed script is likely a simple redirection mechanism. Such scripts are often used for benign purposes such as URL shortening or tracking, but can also be leveraged in phishing campaigns or to redirect users to malicious content.

• T1573 – Encrypted Channel (Potential use if redirection leads to encrypted communications)
• T1105 – Ingress Tool Transfer (If additional tools are downloaded after redirection)

VirusTotal Snapshot

VirusTotal analysis shows:

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

No vendors flagged the sample as malicious. The sample was identified as Text.

• VirusTotal Sample

Indicators of Compromise (IoCs)

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

Detection & Hunting

The following query can be used to detect similar activity in Splunk:

index=* src_ip=170.64.171.0/24  | stats count by dest_ip, dest_port

This query searches for connections originating from the identified IP range and groups them by destination IP and port to identify unusual traffic patterns. Validate traffic against known good destinations to filter out false positives.

Containment, Eradication & Recovery

1. Isolation: Isolate any affected systems from the network to prevent further propagation.
2. Blocking: Block the identified IP address (170.64.171.252) at the firewall level.
3. Scanning: Perform a full system scan on potentially affected systems using updated antivirus and anti-malware software.
4. Credential Resets: If compromise is suspected, reset user credentials for affected accounts.

Inform IT and leadership about the incident and planned remediation steps. Preserve logs and network traffic for potential forensic analysis.

Hardening & Preventive Controls

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Implement MFA for all user accounts (NIST CSF PR.AC-1, CIS Control 6).
• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Tune EDR solutions to detect suspicious network activity (NIST CSF DE.CM-1, CIS Control 10).
• Network Segmentation: Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential breaches (NIST CSF PR.AC-5, CIS Control 14).
• Least Privilege: Enforce the principle of least privilege to limit user access (NIST CSF PR.AC-3, CIS Control 5).
• Patch Management: Maintain strict patch SLAs to address vulnerabilities promptly (NIST CSF PR.MA-1, CIS Control 7).

Given the involvement of network traffic, regularly review and update firewall rules.

Business Impact & Risk Outlook

The observed activity poses a low risk, but similar redirection techniques could be used in phishing attacks or to deliver malware, potentially leading to operational disruptions, data breaches, and reputational damage. Over the next 3-6 months, we anticipate an increase in the use of redirection techniques to bypass security controls, necessitating enhanced monitoring and user awareness training.

Appendix

No redacted payload snippet is available.

Assumptions & Data Gaps: Sensor Name and Network Port are missing. Protocol is assumed to be TCP. Complete payload is unavailable for review.

References:

• VirusTotal Sample

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