Merge branch 'master' into App-v-revision

windows/security/threat-protection/intelligence/fileless-threats.md

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ ms.date: 09/14/2018
 
 #Fileless threats
 
-What exactly is a fileless threat? The term "fileless" suggests that a threat that does not come in a file, such as a backdoor that lives only in the memory of a machine. However, there's no generally accepted definition. The terms is used broadly; it's also used to describe malware families that do rely on files in order to operate. In the Sharpshooter example, while the payload itself is fileless, the entry point relies on scripts that need to be dropped on the target’s machine and executed. This, too, is considered a fileless attack.
+What exactly is a fileless threat? The term "fileless" suggests that a threat that does not come in a file, such as a backdoor that lives only in the memory of a machine. However, there's no generally accepted definition. The terms is used broadly; it's also used to describe malware families that do rely on files in order to operate. 
 
 Given that attacks involve [several stages](https://attack.mitre.org/wiki/ATT&CK_Matrix) for functionalities like execution, persistence, information theft, lateral movement, communication with command-and-control, etc., some parts of the attack chain may be fileless, while others may involve the filesystem in some form or another.
 
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ To shed light on this loaded term, we grouped fileless threats into different ca
 ![Comprehensive diagram of fileless malware](images/fileless-malware.png)<br>
 *Figure 1. Comprehensive diagram of fileless malware*
 
-First, we can classify the entry point (inner circle in the diagram), which indicates how fileless malware can arrive on a machine: via an exploit; through compromised hardware; or via regular execution of applications and scripts. 
+We can classify fileless threats by their entry point, which indicates how fileless malware can arrive on a machine: via an exploit; through compromised hardware; or via regular execution of applications and scripts. 
 
-Next, we can list the form of entry point (intermediate circle): for example, exploits can be based on files or network data; PCI peripherals are a type of hardware vector; and scripts and executables are sub-categories of the execution vector. 
+Next, we can list the form of entry point: for example, exploits can be based on files or network data; PCI peripherals are a type of hardware vector; and scripts and executables are sub-categories of the execution vector. 
 
-Finally, we can classify the host of the infection (outer circle): for example, a Flash application that may contain an exploit; a simple executable; a malicious firmware from a hardware device; or an infected MBR, which could bootstrap the execution of a malware before the operating system even loads.
+Finally, we can classify the host of the infection: for example, a Flash application that may contain an exploit; a simple executable; a malicious firmware from a hardware device; or an infected MBR, which could bootstrap the execution of a malware before the operating system even loads.
 
 This helps us divide and categorize the various kinds of fileless threats. Clearly, the categories are not all the same: some are more dangerous but also more difficult to implement, while others are more commonly used despite (or precisely because of) not being very advanced. 
 
@@ -89,3 +89,8 @@ Having described the broad categories, we can now dig into the details and provi
 
 **Disk-based** (Type II: Boot Record): The [Boot Record](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_sector) is the first sector of a disk or volume and contains executable code required to start the boot process of the operating system. Threats like [Petya](https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2017/06/27/new-ransomware-old-techniques-petya-adds-worm-capabilities/?source=mmpc) are capable of infecting the Boot Record by overwriting it with malicious code, so that when the machine is booted the malware immediately gains control (and in the case of Petya, with disastrous consequences). The Boot Record resides outside the file system, but it’s accessible by the operating system, and modern antivirus products have the capability to scan and restore it.
 
+##Defeating fileless malware
+
+At Microsoft, we actively monitor the security landscape to identify new threat trends and develop solutions that continuously enhance Windows security and mitigate classes of threats. We instrument durable protections that are effective against a wide range of threats. Through AntiMalware Scan Interface (AMSI), behavior monitoring, memory scanning, and boot sector protection, Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection [(Windows Defender ATP)](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/WindowsForBusiness/windows-atp?ocid=docs-fileless) can inspect fileless threats even with heavy obfuscation. Machine learning technologies in the cloud allow us to scale these protections against new and emerging threats.
+
+To learn more, read: [Out of sight but not invisible: Defeating fileless malware with behavior monitoring, AMSI, and next-gen AV](https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/09/27/out-of-sight-but-not-invisible-defeating-fileless-malware-with-behavior-monitoring-amsi-and-next-gen-av/)