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Operation Tinsel Trace II: Join the resistance against Krampus!
Krampus has left some gifts for Santa, it turns out—it’s malware. Use your holiday spirit to hone in and eliminate the threat!
JXoaT,
Dec 04
2024
Table of Contents
Alright, alright, alright—let’s talk festive cybersecurity! This year, we’re turning up the heat in the North Pole with investigative Sherlocks that will test your wits. See how far you’ve come since last year!
Sherlocks have been around for over a year, becoming the go-to for users who want to dive into hands-on investigations.
Whether unraveling complex DFIR challenges, brushing up on threat hunting, or recreating real-world cyber incidents, Sherlocks delivers captivating, no-nonsense scenarios that sharpen your instincts and build your problem-solving skills.
This year’s event is no different—expect to get your hands on threat intel from various parts of Santa’s internal infrastructure as you dig into this year’s threat. Whether you’re a defensive security enthusiast or just love a good cyber mystery, this festive adventure will have something for everyone.
Operation Tinsel Trace II: 👊 Santa vs. Krampus 👊
In the heart of the North Pole, the holiday season is a time of intense activity. Santa’s workshop is abuzz with elves tirelessly making toys, reindeer preparing for their epic journey, and servers humming with the logistical data necessary to ensure every child receives their gift on time. However, this year, a new and malevolent force has emerged: Krampus, the cyber threat actor, determined to disrupt Christmas.
The Elite Elven Incident Response Team (EEIRT) was formed in response to the growing threats in the South Pole. Santa Claus, recognizing the increasing dependency on technology for coordinating global gift delivery, understood the gravity of protecting the North Pole's digital infrastructure from cyber threats. Thus, the EEIRT was created, composed of the brightest and most skilled elves in cybersecurity.
On these dates, you'll be joining EEIRT in multiple stages of Krampus’ attack on Santa’s gifts delivery data infrastructure.
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OpTinselTrace-1 Sneaky Cookies (Dec 15, 2024).
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OpTinselTrace-2 Cookie Consumption (Dec 17, 2024).
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OpTinselTrace-3 Blizzard Breakdown (Dec 18, 2024).
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OpTinselTrace-4 Neural Noel (Dec 20, 2024).
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OpTinselTrace-5 TaleOfMapleSyrup (Dec 21, 2024).
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OpTinselTrace-6 SleighSlayer (Dec 22, 2024).
Start your journey into investigations today
A festive challenge awaits!
The event is completely free for all HTB Labs users, with new Sherlocks dropping from December 15th through the 22nd. Solve them while they’re hot—after December 22nd, these cases will only be accessible with a VIP or VIP+ subscription.
Still need some extra holiday cheer? Here’s the breakdown of what you can win:
🎁 First blood for each Sherlock: Strike first on one of these Sherlocks and score HTB Christmas swag AND an annual VIP+ subscription! This is limited to one blood per user.
🎄 Solve at least one Sherlock: Everyone who solves at least one Sherlock will be entered into a drawing for one of five VIP+ annual subscriptions.
And just in case you forgot, HTB Labs now has over 800 scenarios, so when you’re not stopping Krampus, there’s plenty more to keep you sharp! The North Pole needs you. Don’t wait—join EEIRT and make your mark in this festive security showdown.
How to play Sherlocks
Even if Operation Tinsel Trace shows a fictitious scenario, all Sherlocks are based on real-world cyber incidents with related attacks, methodologies, and techniques.
Jesse (aka JXoaT) will show you how to get started with our new Sherlocks in a few steps. Follow this guided video and start your investigation!
WATCH NOWBuilding ransomware-resilient cyber teams
Ransomware continues to make news headlines as a harsh reality that organizations face worldwide. In recent years, the scale and severity of attacks have skyrocketed, leaving businesses grappling with mounting financial losses and operational disruptions.
On a global scale, ransom payments surpassed $1 billion in 2023, with the average recovery cost rising to $2.73 million in 2024. Only in Germany, for example, cybercrime cost businesses a staggering €267 billion, fueled by data theft and industrial sabotage often traced back to foreign actors.
These figures only scratch the surface of the true impact, as recovery efforts typically lead to an average downtime of 24 days per incident, severely affecting business operations.
With the stakes this high, organizations are investing heavily in digital security. But technical defenses are just one part of the equation. Teams must also be prepared to identify and respond to ransomware threats. This is where Operation Tinsel Trace II comes in.
The new Sherlock series is designed to address common ransomware scenarios by focusing on crucial aspects such as insider threats, corporate sabotage, business continuity, and data extortion. This comprehensive approach helps organizations enhance their resilience and effectively protect against potential financial, reputational, and legal consequences.
All business customers with access to Dedicated Labs can use the new defensive series within the HTB Enterprise Platform. To get started, assign the new festive Sherlocks to your team’s practice Space.
Reclaim control and save the holiday! ✊
The clock’s ticking, and Krampus isn’t slowing down. It’s time to suit up, join EEIRT, and show the North Pole what you’re made of.
Don't let the holiday theme fool you. These Sherlocks put you in the middle of a two-pronged attack from an external threat and an internal user aiding in espionage.
You'll also be seated to investigate the actions of ransomware, understand the objectives of an external threat, and gain valuable insights into weaknesses in multiple different technologies.
Whether you’re in it for the challenge, the learning, or the presents—don’t miss your chance to take down the biggest threat to Christmas yet.
