The Art of Digital Foraging: Deep Dive into LOTL
Living Off the Land (LOTL) techniques represent a sophisticated cyber threat strategy where attackers exploit native tools and processes already present within a target's environment. This approach allows them to blend seamlessly with normal system activities, significantly reducing the likelihood of detection. The effectiveness of LOTL lies in its ability to utilize tools that are not only already deployed but are also trusted within the environment, thereby circumventing traditional security measures that might block or flag unfamiliar or malicious software.
LOTL techniques are not confined to a single type of environment; they are effectively used across on-premises, cloud, hybrid, Windows, Linux, and macOS environments. This versatility is partly due to the attackers' preference to avoid the costs and efforts associated with developing and deploying custom tools. Instead, they leverage the ubiquity and inherent trust of native tools to carry out their operations.
Windows Environments
In Windows environments, which are prevalent in corporate and enterprise settings, LOTL techniques are particularly observed due to the widespread use and trust in the operating system's native tools, services, and features. Attackers exploit these components, knowing they are ubiquitous and generally trusted, making their malicious activities less likely to be detected.
macOS and Hybrid Environments
In macOS environments, the concept of LOTL is often referred to as "living off the orchard." Here, attackers exploit native scripting environments, built-in tools, system configurations, and binaries, known as "LOOBins." The strategy is similar to that in Windows environments but tailored to the unique aspects of macOS. In hybrid environments, which combine physical and cloud-based systems, attackers are increasingly leveraging sophisticated LOTL techniques to exploit both types of systems.
Resources and Known Exploits
There are several resources provide comprehensive lists and information to understand the specific tools and binaries exploited by attackers:
📌The LOLBAS project’s GitHub repository offers insights into Living Off The Land Binaries, Scripts, and Libraries.
📌Websites like http://gtfobins.github.io, http://loobins.io, and http://loldrivers.io provide lists of Unix, macOS, and Windows binaries, respectively, known to be used in LOTL techniques.
Third-Party Remote Access Software
Beyond native tools, cyber threat actors also exploit third-party remote access software, such as remote monitoring and management, endpoint configuration management, EDR, patch management, mobile device management systems, and database management tools. These tools, designed to administer and protect domains, possess built-in functionality that can execute commands across all client hosts in a network, including critical hosts like domain controllers. The high privileges these tools require for system administration make them attractive targets for attackers looking to exploit them for LOTL techniques.