What is the stage of the Cyber Kill Chain that involves the management of compromised systems by the adversary?

The stage of the Cyber Kill Chain that involves the management of compromised systems by the adversary is the Command and Control phase. In this phase, attackers establish a communication channel with the compromised systems, allowing them to send commands and receive data. This enables them to maintain control over the infected devices, which can be used for various malicious activities such as exfiltration of data, further exploitation, or propagation of malware to other systems within the network.

During this stage, adversaries often utilize various techniques to hide their presence and evade detection. This can include the use of legitimate online services or custom protocols to communicate with the compromised systems, ensuring continuous access and control without raising suspicion.

In contrast, the other stages have distinct focuses. Exploitation involves leveraging vulnerabilities to gain access to the target system, Reconnaissance focuses on gathering information about the target prior to an attack, and Delivery concerns the methods used to transmit malware or malicious payloads to the target, such as phishing emails or compromised websites. Each step leads to the next, but Command and Control is specifically where the attacker manages and orchestrates actions on the compromised systems.