The recent CISA breach highlights how fast attackers exploit application flaws—and why relying on EDR alone leaves organizations dangerously exposed.
CISA’s Recent Disclosure on CVE-2024-36401
A recent CISA disclosure detailed how attackers broke into a federal agency by exploiting a critical vulnerability in GeoServer, an open-source data management platform. The flaw, CVE-2024-36401, was quickly added to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) list after it became clear how attackers had leveraged it for access and lateral movement.
Here’s the part that stings: the initial exploitation happened before endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools noticed anything suspicious. By then, attackers had already planted themselves deep inside the environment.
This isn’t just a cautionary tale about patch management. It’s a reminder of a bigger issue: EDR was never built to stop application-layer attacks. As long as organizations keep relying on EDR as their only line of defense, incidents like this will keep occurring.
Application-Layer Exploits Fly Under EDR’s Radar
EDR excels at catching malicious files, processes, and odd activity on endpoints. But it can’t see what’s happening at the application layer. That’s exactly how attackers got into the GeoServer instance—by exploiting the app directly and compromising infrastructure from there.
From EDR’s perspective, nothing seemed off until much later. No malware, no rogue binaries—just a vulnerability quietly doing the attacker’s work. By the time EDR raised a flag, the damage had already been done.
This is a fundamental gap: when attackers come in through an app, defenders relying solely on EDR are already several steps behind.
Exploitation Moves at Lightning Speed
It took less than two weeks after disclosure for attackers to weaponize this vulnerability. That’s not unusual anymore. Sophisticated groups - and even opportunistic attackers – watch vulnerability feeds like hawks, ready to strike before patches can be applied.
This means the old model of “patch within 30–60 days” no longer works. Agencies and enterprises now must shrink exposure windows to hours or minutes, not days. Waiting weeks to detect an exploit is simply not an option in a world where AI is drastically shrinking the time for attackers to develop exploits.
Blending In With Living-Off-the-Land
After exploiting GeoServer, the attackers didn’t deploy noisy custom malware. Instead, they relied on a mix of open-source scripts, downloaded tools, and living-off-the-land techniques: using native system commands that blend seamlessly into normal activity.
This approach is tailor-made to evade traditional detection. It explains why activity went undetected for three weeks - EDR alerts can generate a lot of noise since they lack application context, leading to alert fatigue and attacks that go unnoticed.
It’s another reminder that catching the initial exploit is far more effective than hoping to spot subtle lateral movement later in the attack chain. Think about it: would you rather catch a symptom or identify the root cause?
Why Cloud Application Detection & Response (CADR) Matters
To address this gap, more organizations are looking at Cloud Application Detection & Response (CADR). Unlike EDR, CADR is built to monitor applications directly—tracking runtime behavior, API calls, and exploit attempts in real time.
What CADR brings to the table:
- Spotting the first exploit attempt at the application layer.
- Connecting the dots between application activity and cloud behavior.
- Cutting attackers off early—before they can pivot deeper into the network.
Think of it this way: EDR watches for symptoms after an infection, while CADR works at the point of entry to stop the infection from ever taking hold.
Filling the Gaps EDR Leaves Behind
The move toward CADR isn’t just about new tooling—it’s about aligning with today’s risks and priorities:
- CISOs want faster detection and better ROI on security investments.
- AppSec teams need protection that doesn’t slow down developers or complicate deployment.
- Cloud Security Managers prioritize reliability, and CADR fits seamlessly into modern infrastructure.
- Security Analysts want fewer “too-late” alerts and more chances to stop attacks early.
For infrastructure serving applications, CADR is quickly shifting from “nice-to-have” to must-have.
Conclusion
The GeoServer breach review by CISA is a case study in how attackers work today. They move fast, exploit apps directly, and use the environment itself to cover their tracks. By the time EDR notices, it’s often too late.
The lesson is clear: if you only rely on EDR, you’ll always be playing catch-up. With applications forming the front line of today’s attack surface, organizations need CADR to spot and stop attackers before they gain a foothold.
For CISOs and security teams, the takeaway is simple: waiting around for an EDR alert isn’t a strategy. It’s an invitation for attackers.