{"description":"Trending threats, MITRE ATT\u0026CK coverage, and detection metadata — refreshed continuously.","feed_url":"https://feed.craftedsignal.io/tags/pentest/","home_page_url":"https://feed.craftedsignal.io/","items":[{"_cs_actors":[],"_cs_cves":[],"_cs_exploited":false,"_cs_products":[],"_cs_severities":["high"],"_cs_tags":["pentest","post-exploitation","lateral-movement","active-directory"],"_cs_type":"advisory","_cs_vendors":[],"content_html":"\u003cp\u003eNetExec, previously known as CrackMapExec, is a post-exploitation tool commonly used during Active Directory penetration testing. It is also favored by red teams and malicious actors for reconnaissance, lateral movement, and credential harvesting within Windows networks. This tool allows for the enumeration of hosts, exploitation of network services, and remote command execution. The use of NetExec in an enterprise environment is considered suspicious due to its capabilities for identifying vulnerable systems and facilitating unauthorized access. Defenders should monitor for its execution, as it is often a precursor to more serious attacks, including ransomware deployment, such as the Lynx ransomware.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"attack-chain\"\u003eAttack Chain\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn attacker gains initial access to a Windows system via an exploit or compromised credentials.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNetExec (nxc.exe) is deployed on the compromised host, often copied to a temporary directory.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNetExec is executed with commands to enumerate network shares and identify potential targets using SMB.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe tool uses LDAP to query Active Directory for user accounts, groups, and organizational units.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNetExec attempts to authenticate to other systems using gathered or compromised credentials via protocols such as SMB, SSH, or RDP.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuccessful authentication allows for remote command execution via WMI or WinRM.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe attacker leverages identified vulnerabilities or misconfigurations to escalate privileges on the target systems.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe attacker moves laterally through the network, gaining access to sensitive data or deploying ransomware like Lynx.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"impact\"\u003eImpact\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuccessful execution of NetExec can lead to widespread compromise within an Active Directory environment. Attackers can identify and exploit vulnerable systems, harvest credentials, and move laterally to gain access to critical assets. This can result in data theft, system disruption, and ransomware deployment, potentially affecting hundreds or thousands of systems depending on the size of the organization. The tool is often used as a precursor to ransomware attacks, where entire networks can be encrypted, leading to significant financial and reputational damage.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"recommendation\"\u003eRecommendation\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeploy the Sigma rule \u003ccode\u003eHackTool - NetExec Execution\u003c/code\u003e to your SIEM to detect the execution of NetExec based on process creation logs.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonitor process creation events for \u003ccode\u003enxc.exe\u003c/code\u003e with command-line arguments associated with network protocols like \u003ccode\u003eftp\u003c/code\u003e, \u003ccode\u003eldap\u003c/code\u003e, \u003ccode\u003emssql\u003c/code\u003e, \u003ccode\u003enfs\u003c/code\u003e, \u003ccode\u003erdp\u003c/code\u003e, \u003ccode\u003esmb\u003c/code\u003e, \u003ccode\u003essh\u003c/code\u003e, \u003ccode\u003evnc\u003c/code\u003e, \u003ccode\u003ewinrm\u003c/code\u003e, and \u003ccode\u003ewmi\u003c/code\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eImplement strict access controls and regularly audit Active Directory to minimize the potential for lateral movement.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConsider using application control solutions to prevent the execution of unauthorized tools like \u003ccode\u003enxc.exe\u003c/code\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n","date_modified":"2024-01-03T14:35:00Z","date_published":"2024-01-03T14:35:00Z","id":"/briefs/2024-01-netexec-execution/","summary":"The threat brief details the detection of NetExec (formerly CrackMapExec), a post-exploitation tool used for Active Directory penetration testing and network enumeration, often employed by threat actors for lateral movement and credential harvesting.","title":"Detection of NetExec Hacktool Execution","url":"https://feed.craftedsignal.io/briefs/2024-01-netexec-execution/"}],"language":"en","title":"CraftedSignal Threat Feed — Pentest","version":"https://jsonfeed.org/version/1.1"}