Anatomy of a Hacktivist Attack – and How Key2XS Helps Prevent It

Anatomy of a Hacktivist Attack – and How Key2XS Helps Prevent It

Forescout recently published an in-depth report describing how a Russian-aligned hacktivist group targeted an OT/ICS honeypot designed to emulate a water treatment facility. The attack followed a familiar yet dangerous pattern: exploitation of exposed interfaces, weak authentication, and missing OT-aware monitoring.

Let’s break down what happened, why it matters, and how Key2XS can help organizations prevent similar incidents.

1. What happened – a technical overview

According to Forescout, attackers performed the following steps:

1. Scanned the internet for exposed OT assets (notably HMI and PLC interfaces).

2. Logged in using default credentials such as admin/admin.

3. Exploited CVE-2021-26828, a known HMI vulnerability, to upload a Java-based webshell.

4. Manipulated HMI settings and alarms, simulating operational interference.

5. Issued direct Modbus and S7 commands to connected PLCs, reading and writing values to coils and registers.

6. Used common, publicly available tools such as Metasploit modules and Modbus/S7 scripts.

7. Operated from Russian and Iranian infrastructure, typical of politically motivated hacktivist campaigns.

This was not an advanced zero-day assault it was a combination of basic misconfigurations, credential reuse, and poor segmentation.

(Source: Forescout Blog, “Anatomy of a Hacktivist Attack: Russian-Aligned Group Targets OT/ICS”)

2. Where it went wrong

Let’s map the key weaknesses exposed by this attack:

• Internet-exposed HMI and PLC interfaces

  The systems were directly reachable from the internet, allowing attackers to bypass any internal defenses.

• Weak or default credentials

  Default logins like admin/admin gave instant access.

• Unpatched vulnerability (CVE-2021-26828)

  Public proof-of-concept exploits made it trivial to deploy a webshell.

• Lack of OT-aware monitoring

  There was no DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) or behavioral analytics for Modbus or S7 traffic malicious writes went unnoticed until process tampering occurred.

• Operational security gaps

  Shared keys, unlogged physical access, and undocumented admin accounts likely increased exposure.

3. Potential impact

Manipulating PLC registers or HMI parameters can stop pumps, alter pressure settings, or disrupt industrial processes in this case, potentially affecting water quality and public safety.

Such tampering isn’t just a cybersecurity issue; it’s an operational and reputational crisis.

How Key2XS helps prevent these attacks

The good news: every mitigation Forescout recommends, from eliminating weak authentication to improving segmentation, can be directly reinforced by the Key2XS platform.

1. Eliminate weak authentication

Key2XS integrates with leading IAM systems (Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, SailPoint, One Identity, etc.) to unify physical and digital access policies.

• Enforce MFA and password policies even for physical key activations.

• Use Just-in-Time provisioning so access automatically expires.

• Apply Role-Based Access Control and periodic access attestations to prevent privilege creep.

Result: No more default passwords or shared physical keys every key is linked to a verified identity under IAM governance.

2. Reduce the attack surface through physical access control

Replace unmanaged mechanical keys with digitally managed cylinders (e.g. CLIQ, iLOQ).

• Keys can be remotely activated, deactivated, or revoked, no need to replace locks.

• Lost keys are instantly neutralized.

• Keys are time-bound and role-bound, eliminating persistent credentials.

Result: Unauthorized physical access becomes nearly impossible, removing a key lateral movement vector for attackers.

3. Combine physical and digital audit trails

Every key activation is logged and linked to the IAM identity that performed it.

• Unified logs across Entra ID / Okta / SailPoint / OpenText / One Identity and Key2XS.

• Integration with SIEM/SOAR systems for correlation and incident response.

• Alerts for anomalies such as access outside business hours or simultaneous multi-site attempts.

Result: Full visibility and traceability across IT, OT, and physical domains.

4. Segment and restrict access to critical OT zones

Key2XS supports fine-grained zoning defining exactly who can unlock which cabinet, PLC rack, or control room. When combined with network segmentation, this ensures that only authorized, verified personnel can reach sensitive assets.

Result: Strong alignment between logical segmentation (firewalls, VLANs) and physical segmentation (key zones).

5. Prevent exposure of critical systems

While Key2XS doesn’t manage firewalls directly, it ensures that only vetted, identity-bound users can access devices in DMZ or HMI zones drastically reducing the chance that default or local credentials are ever exploited.

Result: Even if an interface is accidentally exposed, unauthorized users cannot access it without a valid physical credential tied to their IAM identity.

6. Enable compliance and audit readiness (CER, NIS2, GDPR)

Key2XS provides verifiable audit trails and automated reporting for regulatory compliance:

• Proof of who accessed what, where, and when

• Automated access review reports

• Integration with IAM governance workflows

Result: Transparent compliance with European directives (CER, NIS2, GDPR) and national implementations such as the Dutch Wet Weerbaarheid Kritieke Entiteiten.

Recommended next steps for OT operators

Based on Forescout’s recommendations and Key2XS capabilities:

1. Inventory all physical access points (doors, cabinets, cylinders).

2. Eliminate internet exposure of HMIs and PLCs; restrict to jump hosts or VPNs.

3. Disable default/anonymous accounts, enforce MFA for OT admin UIs.

4. Deploy Key2XS to manage access rights for critical OT locations.

5. Integrate Key2XS logs with SIEM/SOAR for correlation with network anomalies.

6. Adopt strict change management, no configuration or access change without ticketing and IAM attestation.

Key takeaway

Most successful OT intrusions, like the one analyzed by Forescout, are not sophisticated. They exploit simple human and process weaknesses: default passwords, shared keys, poor segmentation, and missing visibility.
Key2XS closes exactly that gap, unifying physical and digital access under the same governance layer, ensuring that every key, cylinder, and lock is managed with the same rigor as digital identities.

By bridging IT and OT access management, Key2XS delivers what today’s critical infrastructure needs most:

Trust, traceability, and resilience.