In this part of the series, we are looking at how PowerShell can be used to cause large-scale disruption, from slowing systems to completely knocking them offline. These techniques range from simple resource exhaustion attacks that overload CPU and memory, to disabling hardware interfaces, wiping license keys, and finally forcing systems into a blue screen or rendering them unbootable.

It must be stressed from the outset that these techniques are highly destructive. They are not tools for casual experimentation. Some of them have been in use during cyber war operations to defend Ukraine against Russia. If misused in the wrong context, however, the results can be catastrophic and irreversible.

We will begin with the basics and gradually move toward the most dangerous techniques.

Overloading RAM

Repo

https://github.com/soupbone89/Scripts/tree/main/Load%20RAM

This script works by aggressively consuming system memory. It repeatedly allocates large arrays until nearly all available RAM is exhausted, leaving only a small buffer so the operating system does not immediately collapse. The machine slows to a crawl, applications stop responding, and the system becomes unusable.

In practice, this type of attack can serve multiple purposes. It can be used as a denial-of-service tactic to lock down a workstation or server, or it can act as a distraction, forcing administrators to focus on degraded performance while other activity takes place unnoticed in the background.

Execution is straightforward:

PS > .\loadram.ps1

Before execution the system may appear stable, but once the script runs memory consumption spikes and responsiveness slows significantly.

showing ram usage before the script load its

Overloading CPU

Repo:

https://github.com/soupbone89/Scripts/tree/main/Load%20CPU

This script applies the same principle to processor cores. It launches high-priority mathematical operations across every CPU thread, pinning usage at 100% until the script is terminated. Just as with RAM exhaustion, this method can disrupt normal operations or serve as a cover while other malicious tasks are executed.

Run the script like so:

PS > .\loadcpu.ps1

The machine becomes unresponsive, fans spin up, and users quickly realize something is wrong.

Windows License Killer

Repo:

https://github.com/soupbone89/Scripts/tree/main/Windows%20License%20Killer

This script takes a more subtle but equally damaging approach. It clears Windows product keys by wiping out OEM, retail, and volume license entries from the registry. Once executed, the system is effectively stripped of activation data. After restarting the Software Protection Service, Windows appears unlicensed and may refuse to validate against Microsoft servers.

Execution:

PS > .\license.ps1

You can attempt to check the product key afterward with:

PS > (Get-WmiObject -query 'select from SoftwareLicensingService').OA3xOriginalProductKey

The result will be empty, confirming the license data is gone.

USB and Network Killer

Repo:

https://github.com/soupbone89/Scripts/tree/main/USB%20and%20Network%20Killer

This script disables both network adapters and USB controllers, cutting a machine off from connectivity and removable storage entirely. Once triggered, there is no way to transfer files, connect to the network, or even plug in a recovery device without significant manual intervention.

Administrators might deploy this in a crisis to instantly isolate a machine during incident response, but in the wrong hands it is a sabotage tool that leaves the user effectively locked out.

Run it as follows:

PS > .\killer.ps1

Mayhem by PowerSploit

Repo:

https://github.com/PowerShellMafia/PowerSploit/tree/master/Mayhem

The PowerSploit framework includes a dedicated module called Mayhem, containing two of the most destructive PowerShell functions available: Set-CriticalProcess and Set-MasterBootRecord. Both go far beyond simple resource exhaustion, directly attacking the stability of the operating system itself.

Set-CriticalProcess

Windows protects certain processes, such as smss.exe and csrss.exe, by marking them as critical. If they are terminated, the system triggers a Blue Screen of Death. The Set-CriticalProcess command allows you to tag any process with this critical status. Killing it immediately forces a system crash.

The crash itself does not cause permanent damage. After reboot, Windows resumes normal operation. This makes it useful as a temporary denial tactic forcing downtime, but not wiping the machine.

To use it, first copy the Mayhem module from the repository to:

C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\

showing mayhem modules installed from the PowerSploit repo

Then run:

PS > Set-CriticalProcess

messing up with critical processes on windows with Set-CriticalProcess by PowerSploit

Confirm with Y, and expect the machine to blue screen in moments.

Set-MasterBootRecord

This is the most destructive of all. Unlike Set-CriticalProcess, which only disrupts a running session, this attack corrupts the Master Boot Record (MBR), which is the first sector of the hard drive. The MBR contains the bootloader and partition table, and without it Windows cannot load.

Once overwritten, the system may only display a custom message, refusing to boot into the OS. This tactic mirrors the behavior of destructive malware and ransomware wipers, leaving the target machine completely unusable until the bootloader is repaired or reinstalled.

Example execution:

PS > Set-MasterBootRecord -BootMessage 'Pwned by Cyber Cossacks!'

messing up with MasterBootRecord by corrupting Windows MBR and setting a custom message

To automate a reboot and ensure the payload takes effect immediately:

PS > Set-MasterBootRecord -BootMessage 'Pwned by Cyber Cossacks!' -Force -RebootImmediately

After reboot, the system will no longer load Windows.

Summary

The techniques described in this article show just how far PowerShell can be pushed when used as a weapon. What begins with simple disruption through RAM and CPU exhaustion quickly escalates into far more destructive actions such as disabling hardware, wiping licensing data, and crashing or even bricking systems by targeting their most fundamental components. In a cyber war context, these capabilities are significant because they move beyond espionage or lateral movement and directly affect the ability of an adversary to operate. The destructive potential cannot be overstated: once unleashed, these techniques can ripple across organizations, producing effects that are not easily reversed. That is why understanding them is important not only for those who might employ them, but also for defenders who need to recognize the damage they can cause and prepare accordingly.

The post PowerShell for Hackers: How to Crash and Burn Windows with Powershell first appeared on Hackers Arise.

Normal view

Overloading RAM

Repo

Overloading CPU

Repo:

Windows License Killer

Repo:

USB and Network Killer

Repo:

Mayhem by PowerSploit

Repo:

Set-CriticalProcess

Set-MasterBootRecord

Summary