The term “living off the land” is thrown around quite a bit by outdoor enthusiasts, and it has become a popular term used by survivalists to describe the difficulty of surviving in the outdoors with no access to modern conveniences. But, is it true? Is living off the land really a difficult thing to do? I don’t think so—but I do think we’re poorly equipped to do it.
“Living off the land” attacks are becoming more prevalent. The basic idea behind this type of attack is that a hacker would quietly and quickly infect hundreds, or even thousands, of machines, all over the world, with malware. The hacker would simply wait until the malware was installed and enabled, and then start the attack. The hacker would also most likely use a commercial service to enable the malware and maintain the infection, to avoid suspicion. Because the hacker is using a commercial service to infect the machines, this type of attack is often referred to as “cyber-espionage”.
How do we protect ourselves from attacks by hackers and cyber criminals? We all have that friend who is constantly complaining about how much information he or she gets hacked, and the need for a good security service to protect themselves. But how can you protect yourself from attacks in the first place?
In recent years, the massive additional investments that companies and other organizations have made to strengthen their cyber defenses have paid off, stopping many types of attacks. But this dance between cyber attacks and cyber security is constantly evolving. As a result, cybercriminals work around the clock, perfecting their tools and aggression, and sometimes resorting to old tactics to mask their machinations.Business owners, IT teams and security professionals must remain vigilant to understand evolving threats and stay one step ahead to prevent a breach. The adage everything old is new is often used, and cyber attacks are no exception. The attacks on people living off the land, also known as LotL attacks, have been going on for more than 25 years. However, they have become another trend in cyber security.
Detection of attacks LotL
LoTL attacks are virtually lifeless malware attacks. They are difficult to detect and can be described as malicious code or tools that access built-in system resources and use them as part of normal system operation. LotL attacks often occur in three stages:
- For example, the user accidentally visits a compromised website, opens a phishing email or uses an infected external storage device. B. a USB stick. A hacker can also scan the network looking for a vulnerable device and use a backdoor or rootkit to gain access.
- All attacks are permanently integrated into the system. It then looks for a way to spread itself, often hiding in system administration utilities such as PowerShell, VB scripts, Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), Mimikatz and PsExec.
- If a system is compromised and the means of attack are well hidden, an attacker can remotely access the system, steal data, disrupt operation, or find various methods to compromise the system.
The facts of the attack on LotL
Hackers realized that if a company’s cyber defenses were too convenient to bypass, another attack strategy was to use vulnerable operating systems and system administrator tools to subtly attack devices from a different angle. The hacker avoids detection in an open frontal attack and uses LotL tactics to break into the system, hide, and ultimately exploit the project and its resources and data.
An article on SecurityBoulevard.com discusses the increasing sophistication of malware; it explains that cybercriminals are using pre-installed tools (such as PowerShell) not only to make their detection more difficult, but also to ensure that the malware can spread more covertly and cause more damage.
To understand the nature of LotL attacks, look at some high-profile attacks:
- First discovered in 2016, Silence Group is an example of a financially motivated bad actor using LotL attacks to target financial institutions in Russia, Ukraine, Poland and other neighboring countries. Specifically, this group successfully infiltrated the systems, ATMs, and card processing functions of the Central Bank of Russia.
- In 2018, organizations in Ukraine were hit by the NotPetya ransomware, which used LotL attacks. The ransomware used a software chain attack as the starting point for the infection and then used LSADump and Mikikatz to steal credentials and copy the threat to other computers in the network.
Build your protection
A next-generation cloud-based antivirus software suite combined with endpoint behavioral detection and response (EDR) provides the most advanced protection against malicious and non-malicious attacks available today.
Non-malicious attacks, such as. B. LotL attacks, while difficult to detect, are protected as follows:
- IT departments can use application whitelisting to prevent attackers from executing processes.
- System tools may issue alerts for human examination outside of the system’s scheduled maintenance windows.
Threat Mitigation LotL
While many companies and other organizations have made progress in defending against malware, cybercriminals are constantly learning and adapting, using new vectors and innovating attacks that have worked in the past.
Terrestrial attacks are particularly dangerous because they hide behind other legitimate applications and utilities. While they are difficult to detect, they can be contained by whitelisting and by taking advantage of operating system runtime features and system administrator tools. In addition, careful use of alerts and controls can help detect LotL attacks.Amid the political rhetoric of our time, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that everyone has the right to go about their daily lives without fear of a violent attack. But that doesn’t mean we have to accept these acts as just the way things are, nor does it mean we should take them lying down. Today we’re sharing the story of Joshua Rice, a recently retired police officer who has dedicated his life to fighting the problem of Living Off the Land attacks. Joshua has spent the last decade tracking down the perpetrators of these violent acts and putting them behind bars.. Read more about living off the land and fileless attack techniques and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is living off the land techniques?
Living off the land techniques are a way of living that is based on gathering and hunting for food.
What is an example of a tool that used in living off the land attack?
An example of a tool that is used in living off the land attack is a knife.
What challenge do supply chain attacks and living off the land attacks highlight for organizations?
The challenge for organizations is to identify the supply chain attacks and living off the land attacks that are most likely to occur.
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