Advanced Threat Techniques: Living off the Land>
– Michael Peters
A report by CrowdStrike mentioned that 62% of attackers used LotL tools or techniques in their attacks, indicating a widespread adoption of this strategy among cyber attackers.
Living Off the Land (LotL) attacks have become a notable cybersecurity threat in which attackers utilize tools and resources already present on a target system, rather than deploying external malware that can be easily detected.
This strategy allows attackers to blend in with legitimate activities and evade traditional security measures.
LotL tactics involve using built-in tools, scripting and automation, fileless attacks, dual-use tools, reduced attribution, and resource efficiency.
Various threat actors, including APTs like Volt Typhoon and APT29, have employed LotL techniques to maintain stealth and target critical infrastructure.
To address LotL techniques, organizations can adopt several measures:
1) Enhanced Logging and Monitoring: Enable advanced logging mechanisms and monitor system logs for unusual behavior patterns, particularly looking for the misuse of legitimate tools.
2) Behavioral Analysis: Utilize tools that identify abnormal patterns based on historical data and known benign behavior to detect high-volume command-line or script activity.
3) Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Tools: Implement EDR tools to monitor endpoints for suspicious activities and the misuse of legitimate tools and scripts.
4) Staff Education and Training: Educate staff about the risks associated with LotL techniques and train them to recognize potential signs of misuse.
Encourage reporting of unusual system behavior.
5) Regular Auditing and Review: Review system and network configurations, audit user accounts and privileges, and ensure adherence to best practices.
6) Application Whitelisting: Implement whitelisting to control the execution of scripts and applications, preventing the execution of malicious scripts even if they leverage built-in tools.
7) Threat Hunting: Engage in proactive threat hunting to identify signs of LotL techniques before significant damage occurs.
Stay updated on new techniques and indicators of compromise.
8) External Assistance: Consult with cybersecurity experts to identify and mitigate LotL techniques.
Participate in information sharing and analysis centers (ISACs) for threat intelligence.
9) Patch Management: Keep systems, applications, and security solutions up to date to minimize vulnerabilities.
10) Zero Trust Architecture: Adopt a Zero Trust architecture that requires verification at every step, regardless of the activity’s apparent origin within the network.
Partnering with cybersecurity firms like Lazarus Alliance can also help manage and monitor critical IT infrastructure to mitigate the risks associated with LotL attacks.
Link: https://michaelpeters.org/advanced-threat-techniques-living-off-the-land/