top 10 windows commands hackers use to wreak HAVOC

Summary

This video highlights 10 powerful Windows commands that hackers may exploit to compromise a system, covering tools like PowerShell, net user, and schtasks, which can be used for privilege escalation, persistence, and data exfiltration. It explains how attackers use these commands to evade detection by traditional antivirus tools and gain control over a network. The video stresses the importance of monitoring for these commands and setting alerts for unusual use to prevent malicious activity. Understanding these tools is essential for security analysts to protect systems from potential threats.

Takeaways

• 😀 Powershell with 'Invoke-Expression' (IEX) runs malicious scripts directly in memory, bypassing antivirus detection and evading traditional file-based detection methods.
• 😀 'Net User' and 'Net Local Group' commands allow attackers to create unauthorized user accounts with elevated privileges, granting persistent access to the system.
• 😀 'Schtasks' is used to schedule malicious tasks that reactivate malware after reboots or antivirus cleanups, ensuring persistence and further system compromise.
• 😀 'Reg Add' modifies the Windows registry to enable auto-run for malware, disable security features, and configure the system for malicious activities.
• 😀 'WMIC' is used for remote process execution, reconnaissance, and lateral movement within a network, allowing attackers to spread malware and gain control of multiple systems.
• 😀 'RunDll32' runs malicious code hidden in DLL files, a common method in fileless malware attacks that evade detection by not leaving traces on the system disk.
• 😀 'Netstat' displays open ports and network connections, often used by attackers for reconnaissance, identifying vulnerable services for further exploitation.
• 😀 'Tasklist' and 'Taskkill' help attackers identify and terminate security processes, making it easier to disable detection tools and deploy additional malware.
• 😀 The 'Whoami' command is used for privilege escalation by identifying the current user's privileges, helping attackers gain higher access levels to compromise the system.
• 😀 'Certutil' is misused to download malicious files, perform covert data transfers, and install fraudulent certificates, enabling man-in-the-middle attacks and bypassing security defenses.

Q & A

What is the primary concern with the PowerShell 'Invoke-Expression (IEX)' command?

The 'Invoke-Expression (IEX)' command allows attackers to run remote PowerShell scripts directly in memory, bypassing traditional antivirus detection, making it difficult to identify malicious payloads.

How do 'Net User' and 'Net Local Group' commands pose a security risk?

'Net User' and 'Net Local Group' can be used by attackers to create unauthorized user accounts with elevated privileges, which can provide persistent access and bypass legitimate login protections.

What role does 'SchTasks' play in a cyber attack?

'SchTasks' is used by attackers to schedule tasks that execute malicious programs at specific intervals, ensuring malware reinstalls itself after system reboots or antivirus cleanups.

What impact can modifying the Windows registry with 'Reg Add' have on a system?

'Reg Add' allows attackers to alter registry keys, potentially disabling security features, enabling auto-run for malware, or opening doors for further system exploitation.

Why is 'WMIC' a critical command for hackers during an attack?

'WMIC' is used to remotely manage systems, which makes it useful for lateral movement within a network, spreading malware, and gathering system information to support further attacks.

How do attackers leverage 'RunDLL32' in attacks?

'RunDLL32' is used to execute DLL files, which are often leveraged to run malicious code in memory, avoiding detection by traditional file-based antivirus solutions.

What does the 'Netstat' command do, and why is it useful for attackers?

'Netstat' displays open network ports and connections, which attackers use for reconnaissance to identify vulnerable services that may be exploited for further attacks or data exfiltration.

How are 'Tasklist' and 'Taskkill' exploited by attackers?

'Tasklist' and 'Taskkill' allow attackers to list and terminate running processes, including security software, which makes it easier to carry out malicious actions without detection.

What is the significance of the 'WhoAmI' command in a privilege escalation attack?

'WhoAmI' reveals the current user's privileges, which helps attackers identify low-privilege users that can be exploited to impersonate higher-privileged accounts and escalate their access.

How can 'CertUtil' be misused by attackers?

'CertUtil' is a tool for managing certificates, but attackers misuse it to download malicious files, install rogue certificates, or perform man-in-the-middle attacks by intercepting encrypted traffic.

What additional commands were mentioned as being useful for attackers, and why are they dangerous?

Additional commands like 'M' (for executing HTA files), 'BCDEdit' (for modifying boot configurations), and 'Add-MpPreference' (for disabling Windows Defender) are dangerous because they enable remote code execution, security feature disabling, and malware persistence.