Exabeam UEBA – Advanced Protection Against LOTL Attacks

What are Living off the Land Attacks?

Living off the Land (LOTL) attacks involve using built-in system tools and functions to carry out malicious activities. Instead of deploying external malware, attackers utilize standard utilities such as PowerShell, Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), or PsExec, making detection by traditional security tools difficult.

How LOTL Attacks Bypass Traditional Security Measures

Using trusted tools: Attackers leverage legitimate utilities to execute their campaigns.
Invisibility to traditional security solutions: These tools are widely used and legitimate, making their malicious use difficult to detect.
Stealthy presence: LOTL techniques allow attackers to remain in the network and move undetected without triggering alarms.

Examples of LOTL Techniques

Executing malicious scripts via PowerShell.
Using Windows Task Scheduler to maintain persistence.
Exploiting Remote Desktop or MS Office macros to execute code.
Utilizing LOLBins (Living off the Land Binaries) to execute commands without launching standalone malware.

How Exabeam UEBA Helps Detect and Neutralize LOTL Attacks

Exabeam UEBA (User and Entity Behavior Analytics) uses behavioral analysis of users and devices to detect anomalous activity indicative of LOTL attacks. Key defense mechanisms include:

1. Detecting Deviations in User Behavior

Exabeam analyzes daily user and device behavior to identify deviations from normal activity. For example, if an employee who typically works with corporate email suddenly starts using PowerShell or WMI, the system flags it as potentially malicious activity.

2. Automatic Real-Time Anomaly Detection

Linked events are consolidated into a single incident, helping IT teams quickly detect suspicious activity.
Identifies attack chains that individually may seem harmless but collectively indicate a cyber threat.

3. Threat Prioritization Based on Risk Levels

Each user and device is assigned a dynamic risk score, helping security teams focus on the most critical threats.

4. Automated Response

Integration with SIEM and SOAR systems allows automatic blocking of suspicious users or devices.
Detected anomalies can automatically trigger alerts or protective actions.

Example of a LOTL Attack and Exabeam UEBA Detection

Attack Scenario:

An attacker obtains an employee’s credentials through phishing.
Uses PsExec or WMI for remote host control.
Exfiltrates sensitive data using legitimate system utilities.

How Exabeam Detects the Attack:

Sudden increase in user activity: Use of a command-line tool that was not previously utilized.
Unusual account behavior: Logging into systems the user has never accessed before.
Abnormal network activity: Detection of unusual requests or large data transfers.