Red Teaming Tutorial: Scanning a Network to Find Local Admin Access

· 39:22 · Watch on YouTube ↗

Summary

The presenter demonstrates a custom C#/.NET utility that uses the current user's token to find domain systems where they have local-admin access, then shows executing it through Sliver and using PsExec for lateral movement.

Key points

  • The presenter describes an engagement scenario with access to a compromised workstation and a C2 beacon, but no credentials or Linux system; NXC could not be run in that environment.
  • The custom utility uses the current user's token, queries domain computers, and checks which systems are online.
  • It tests service-manager access and writable shares to identify systems where the account may have local-admin rights; the presenter says combining checks helps reduce false positives.
  • The utility is written in C# for .NET Framework 4.7 and is run as an assembly through a C2 session. The presenter warns that asynchronous scanning can consume substantial resources in large environments.
  • In the lab demonstration, the tool distinguishes an account without remote admin access from one with access, and the presenter notes a bug checking the machine where the tool is running.
  • The presenter demonstrates using PsExec-style service execution to move to another system. An initial attempt failed; a service-specific payload then succeeded, though one attempt did not remove the service executable.

Article Details

Topics
  • [00:13] Engagement constraints and the goal of finding local-admin access
  • [01:22] Custom utility design and its relationship to PowerView
  • [02:03] User-token use, domain host discovery, and admin-access checks
  • [05:32] C#/.NET implementation and execution considerations
  • [08:18] Demonstration comparing accounts with and without admin access
  • [17:43] Sliver beacon setup and assembly execution
  • [28:01] PsExec-based lateral movement and troubleshooting

MITRE ATT&CK

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