What started as a simulated compromise quickly escalated into a full business takeover, exposing how even the most security-conscious companies can fall prey to attackers who refuse to play by the rules.
In the heart of London’s media district, a prestigious TV and film production company believed their security was ironclad. They were wrong.
In just five days, we didn’t just breach their systems—we physically walked through their front door on a quiet Saturday evening and left our calling cards in their data center. The message?
Your security isn’t what you think it is.
What started as a simulated compromise quickly escalated into a full business takeover, exposing how even the most security-conscious companies can fall prey to attackers who refuse to play by the rules.
The lesson? Security isn’t about checking boxes. Sporadic testing gives you a snapshot of risk, but threats evolve constantly.
Your defense strategy needs to keep up.
Our initial foothold came through a simulated user compromise – but what happened next demonstrated how quickly a single weakness can unravel even the most secure media empire. Within hours of gaining that first machine, we were mapping the internal network of one of London’s premier TV and film production houses, pivoting seamlessly through their VPN into their core infrastructure.
Rather than going straight for obvious targets, we played the long game – methodically cataloging every device and service across their sprawling network of render farms, editing suites, and storage arrays holding terabytes of precious content. Yet ironically, it was the most mundane piece of office equipment that would prove to be their undoing.
In our lateral movement, we discovered an often-overlooked weakness: the humble office printer. Using compromised printer credentials, we gained access to Active Directory – the keys to the kingdom. But the printer revealed more than just network access; it exposed printed documents that would prove crucial to our mission.
Among the discovered documents were two critical finds: their ISMS documentation and risk register. These weren’t just any documents – they were the blueprint to their security weaknesses. The risk register specifically noted poor CCTV coverage, complete with office floor plans. In the world of physical security, this kind of information is gold.
Armed with our intelligence, we identified their Pax security platform controlling building access. Through a combination of technical expertise and persistence, we successfully brute-forced our way in. On a quiet Saturday evening, we connected to their WiFi from outside, triggered the door release, and walked right into their data center, completely evading their CCTV system.
Our calling cards, left strategically in their data center, served as a stark reminder: security isn’t just about firewalls and antivirus software. It’s about understanding that attackers don’t follow rules, don’t respect business hours, and certainly don’t limit themselves to purely digital attacks.
This breach exemplifies why sporadic testing for a limited time just won’t cut it when it comes to closing the cyber risk gap. The company’s perceived level of security was dramatically different from reality – a gap that could have led to catastrophic consequences if exploited by malicious actors.
Don’t wait for a breach to expose your vulnerabilities. Partner with CovertSwarm for constant, targeted attack via subscription – because in today’s threat landscape, anything less is just playing defense.
Swarm. Attack. Repeat.