access to other systems (WMI) - ties2/Red-Team GitHub Wiki

Lateral movement is a crucial phase of a cyber attack, which allows an attacker to move from one compromised system to another within the same network. There are various techniques that attackers can use to achieve lateral movement, including exploiting vulnerabilities in network services, stealing credentials, and using social engineering techniques. One of the most common techniques for lateral movement is accessing other systems via the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).

WMI is a Windows management technology that provides a standardized interface for accessing and managing information and resources on local and remote systems. WMI uses a hierarchical structure, with the root namespace representing the entire system and other namespaces representing specific subsystems, such as networking, storage, and security. WMI allows administrators to configure and monitor systems using scripts and other management tools.

However, attackers can also use WMI to perform lateral movement attacks. By accessing the WMI service on a compromised system, an attacker can execute arbitrary commands on other systems in the network that also have the WMI service enabled. This can allow the attacker to gain access to sensitive information, execute malicious code, or even take control of other systems.

One example of a WMI-based lateral movement attack is the "WMI Event Subscription" technique. This technique involves creating an event subscription on a target system that triggers a WMI event when a specific condition is met, such as the creation of a new user account. The attacker can then use this event to execute a command on a remote system, such as creating a new user account with administrator privileges.

Another example is the "WMI Remote Code Execution" technique, which involves using WMI to execute arbitrary code on a remote system. This technique can be used to bypass security controls, such as firewalls and antivirus software, by using the trusted WMI service to communicate with other systems.

To defend against WMI-based lateral movement attacks, organizations can implement several measures. These include:

Limiting access to the WMI service: Organizations can use firewalls and access controls to limit access to the WMI service, preventing unauthorized users from accessing it.

Monitoring for suspicious WMI activity: Organizations can monitor for suspicious WMI activity, such as the creation of new event subscriptions or the execution of remote code, and investigate any suspicious activity.

Implementing security controls: Organizations can implement security controls, such as antivirus software and intrusion detection systems, to detect and prevent WMI-based attacks.

Keeping systems and software up to date: Organizations should regularly update their systems and software to patch known vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit.

In conclusion, WMI is a powerful management technology that can be exploited by attackers for lateral movement attacks. Organizations must be aware of this threat and implement appropriate security measures to defend against WMI-based attacks.