• Remote code execution (Evaluation)is a cyber-attack whereby an attacker can remotely execute commands on someone else’s computing device. Remote code executions (RCEs) usually occur due to malicious malware downloaded by the host and can happen regardless of the device’s geographic location.
• RCE can, of course, lead to the complete takeover of a targeted vulnerable application.
• Code is often injected using the language of the targeted application.
• The execution of the malicious code is usually accomplished by using terminal commands or perhaps bash scripts. They are generally appended with a “.sh,”

WannaCry Remote Control Execution attack

There are some very well-known examples of remote control execution attacks. it became known that the WannaCry ransomware infected many thousands of computers worldwide.

• The Server Message Block Protocol (SMB Protocol) is a client-server communication protocol used for sharing access to files, printers, serial ports, and data on a network. It can also carry transaction protocols for authenticated inter-process communication.
• Initially, a threat actor would identify SMB ports that could be compromised and use one of several spying tools allegedly attributed to the National Security Agency (NSA).
• One particular tool, “EternalBlue,” was able to, in turn, detect a vulnerability in Microsoft’s SMB protocol. The SMB protocol enables applications and their users to access files on remote servers and other resources. EternalBlue was named MS17-010 by Microsoft. However, EternalBlue only impacts Windows operating systems or anything that uses the SMB version 1 file-sharing protocol.
• Once the threat actor had successfully identified the SMB vulnerability, they would, in turn, use another allegedly NSA tool called DoublePulsar. DoublePulsar is allegedly an NSA hacking tool leaked online by The Shadow Brokers threat actors in 2017. DoublePulsar could be used to install the WannaCry ransomware on the targeted compromised machines

Preventing RCE attacks

RCE attacks are challenging to prevent because the chain of execution to effect entry can vary widely.

• The key to minimizing the number of vulnerabilities in your environment is to move quickly to patch and update all of your software.
• Network traffic should be monitored for potentially malicious content in addition to monitoring endpoints.
• Web application firewalls (WAF) are particularly effective at providing this defense. However, WAF analysis may miss malicious threats and generate false-positive results.
• Threat detection software can also be essential in preventing RCE.
• Products like Snort can scan incoming traffic and detect suspicious behavior and intrusion attempts.
• Products like Snort can scan incoming traffic and detect suspicious behavior and intrusion attempts. Snort can also block a suspicious host upon detection. Snort is generally deployed in three ways: as a packet sniffer like tcpdump, as a packet logger often recommended for network traffic debugging, or as a full-featured network intrusion prevention system.
• RCE attacks can also be prevented by implementing buffer overflow protection
• Buffer overflow includes software in your servers that detect buffer overflows not to present readily accessible vulnerabilities