This guide explains why lateral movement is one of the most dangerous techniques used in advanced cyberattacks, allowing adversaries to move quietly across networks after gaining initial access through phishing, stolen credentials, or exploitation. It outlines six stages of lateral movement, from reconnaissance and credential theft to privilege escalation and data exfiltration, and describes common techniques such as pass-the-hash, remote service exploitation, and living-off-the-land tools. The guide highlights why detection is difficult due to limited internal visibility, lack of contextual correlation, and stealthy “low-and-slow” tactics. It recommends modern defenses such as AI-powered SIEM, EDR, UEBA, threat intelligence platforms, MFA, network segmentation, and continuous monitoring.

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