Major Drop in Cobalt Strike Misuse Says Fortra

Two years ago, Microsoft, Fortra, and Health ISAC launched an aggressive takedown campaign to stop cybercriminals from weaponizing unauthorized versions of Cobalt Strike. Many questioned if the effort would work – and it has!

Today this is what they are seeing:

  • 80% reduction in unauthorized Cobalt Strike copies circulating in the wild
  • 200+ malicious domains seized to cut off cybercriminal access
  • Dwell time reduced to under a week in the U.S. (down from months)
  • Operation MORPHEUS: A global law enforcement collaboration shutting down 593 criminal infrastructure points across 27 countries

This initiative is now entering a new phase, with automated takedowns and tighter security controls, making it even harder for cybercriminals to exploit red team tools.

You can find out more details here.

Leave a Reply

Discover more from The IT Nerd

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading