Testing Windows LNK Payloads and PowerShell Staging
· 1:12:04 · Watch on YouTube ↗
Summary
A live ethical hacking demonstration tests Windows shortcut payloads, troubleshoots a generator, and manually creates an LNK file that stages a PowerShell callback in a test environment.
Key points
- The presenter resolved an initial shortcut issue by specifying the full path to curl.exe instead of relying on the generator's default path.
- A directly executed PowerShell reverse shell worked in the test environment, but attempts to embed a staged payload using the shortcut generator encountered syntax problems.
- The presenter outlined a chain in which an LNK file starts PowerShell, retrieves a script over HTTP, and initiates a callback.
- The presenter discussed delivery challenges and potential detection points, including Mark of the Web, PowerShell execution, and HTTP retrieval.
- A manually created shortcut successfully produced a callback; the presenter also tested a staged script intended to bypass AMSI, but did not independently verify the bypass.
- The presenter recommended testing payload components separately and planned to report the generator's apparent syntax issues to its developer.
Article Details
- Topics
- [00:58] Testing a Linux-based shortcut generator and resolving executable-path errors
- [07:12] Payload generation difficulties and PowerShell reverse-shell testing
- [20:50] LNK delivery, HTTP staging and potential detection points
- [26:09] Troubleshooting shortcut generation and PowerShell execution
- [01:00:40] Manually creating a shortcut and achieving a test callback
- [01:05:03] Mark of the Web and a staged AMSI-bypass experiment