When hackers Go Green (By recycling your own tools against you)¶

Forget custom malware—why build your own hacking tools when the victim’s system already provides them for free? Modern adversaries have embraced eco-friendly cybercrime, where they “live off the land” (LOL) by repurposing perfectly legitimate software to do perfectly illegitimate things. Think of it as a digital MacGyver episode, except instead of defusing bombs with paperclips, they’re stealing data with Microsoft Excel.

The LOL Toolkit: Pre-installed chaos¶

• LOLBAS (Living Off the Land Binaries and Scripts): Why write malware when certutil.exe (a Windows tool for certificates) can also download ransomware? Or when PowerShell can exfiltrate files faster than a USB thief in a library?

• GTFOBins (Unix/Linux Edition): That innocent curl command? It can also pipe your /etc/shadow file straight to a hacker’s server. vim, python, even tar—all can be weaponized by someone with Google and a grudge.

• LoLDrivers (The Dark Side of “Trusted” Drivers): Even your GPU driver isn’t safe. Attackers exploit signed-but-vulnerable drivers to disable antivirus, escalate privileges, or turn your PC into a silent cryptominer.

Why LOL works so well¶

• Blends in – Using built-in tools means no suspicious downloads.

• Hard to detect – EDR systems go “Hmm, this looks normal…” while your data walks out the door.

• Zero cost – Cybercriminals love a good BYOT (Bring Your Own Target) policy.

The irony¶

The same tools admins use to secure systems (PowerShell, WMI, rsync) are now the backbone of attacks. It’s like a burglar using your own locksmithing tools to break into your house—while you’re still holding the instruction manual.