Applications Connecting to Services
ELF Executable Examination
Sample Scenario
Running the file shows this.
$ ./octopus_checker Program had started.. Attempting Connection Connecting ... The driver reported the following diagnostics whilst running SQLDriverConnect 01000:1:0:[unixODBC][Driver Manager]Can't open lib 'ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server' : file not found connected
The binary probably connects using a SQL connection string that contains credentials. Using tools like PEDA (Python Exploit Development Assistance for GDB) we can further examine the file. This is an extension of the standard GNU Debugger (GDB), which is used for debugging C and C++ programs.
Run gdb
$ gdb ./octopus_checker
Set flavor and disas main
gdb-peda$ set disassembly-flavor intel
gdb-peda$ disas main
Dump of assembler code for function main:
0x0000555555555456 <+0>: endbr64
0x000055555555545a <+4>: push rbp
0x000055555555545b <+5>: mov rbp,rsp
<SNIP>
0x0000555555555625 <+463>: call 0x5555555551a0 <_ZStlsISt11char_traitsIcEERSt13basic_ostreamIcT_ES5_PKc@plt>
0x000055555555562a <+468>: mov rdx,rax
0x000055555555562d <+471>: mov rax,QWORD PTR [rip+0x299c] # 0x555555557fd0
0x0000555555555634 <+478>: mov rsi,rax
0x0000555555555637 <+481>: mov rdi,rdx
0x000055555555563a <+484>: call 0x5555555551c0 <_ZNSolsEPFRSoS_E@plt>
0x000055555555563f <+489>: mov rbx,QWORD PTR [rbp-0x4a8]
0x0000555555555646 <+496>: lea rax,[rbp-0x4b7]
0x000055555555564d <+503>: mov rdi,rax
0x0000555555555650 <+506>: call 0x555555555220 <_ZNSaIcEC1Ev@plt>
0x0000555555555655 <+511>: lea rdx,[rbp-0x4b7]
0x000055555555565c <+518>: lea rax,[rbp-0x4a0]
0x0000555555555663 <+525>: lea rsi,[rip+0xa34] # 0x55555555609e
0x000055555555566a <+532>: mov rdi,rax
0x000055555555566d <+535>: call 0x5555555551f0 <_ZNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEC1EPKcRKS3_@plt>
0x0000555555555672 <+540>: lea rax,[rbp-0x4a0]
0x0000555555555679 <+547>: mov edx,0x2
0x000055555555567e <+552>: mov rsi,rbx
0x0000555555555681 <+555>: mov rdi,rax
0x0000555555555684 <+558>: call 0x555555555329 <_Z13extract_errorNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEPvs>
0x0000555555555689 <+563>: lea rax,[rbp-0x4a0]
0x0000555555555690 <+570>: mov rdi,rax
0x0000555555555693 <+573>: call 0x555555555160 <_ZNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEED1Ev@plt>
0x0000555555555698 <+578>: lea rax,[rbp-0x4b7]
0x000055555555569f <+585>: mov rdi,rax
0x00005555555556a2 <+588>: call 0x5555555551d0 <_ZNSaIcED1Ev@plt>
0x00005555555556a7 <+593>: cmp WORD PTR [rbp-0x4b2],0x0
<SNIP>
0x0000555555555761 <+779>: mov rbx,QWORD PTR [rbp-0x8]
0x0000555555555765 <+783>: leave
0x0000555555555766 <+784>: ret
End of assembler dump.
We can also see this portion
0x00005555555555ff <+425>: mov esi,0x0
0x0000555555555604 <+430>: mov rdi,rax
0x0000555555555607 <+433>: call 0x5555555551b0 <SQLDriverConnect@plt>
0x000055555555560c <+438>: add rsp,0x10
0x0000555555555610 <+442>: mov WORD PTR [rbp-0x4b4],ax
Add a breakpoint at 0x5555555551b0 or at SQLDriverConnect
gdb-peda$ b *0x5555555551b0
Breakpoint 1 at 0x5555555551b0
gdb-peda$ run
Starting program: /htb/rollout/octopus_checker
[Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
Using host libthread_db library "/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libthread_db.so.1".
Program had started..
Attempting Connection
[----------------------------------registers-----------------------------------]
RAX: 0x55555556c4f0 --> 0x4b5a ('ZK')
RBX: 0x0
RCX: 0xfffffffd
RDX: 0x7fffffffda70 ("DRIVER={ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server};SERVER=localhost, 1401;UID=username;PWD=password;")
RSI: 0x0
RDI: 0x55555556c4f0 --> 0x4b5a ('ZK')
<SNIP>
DLL File Examination
Sample Scenario
Use Get-FileMetaData in powershell and we will see that this is a .net assembly
C:\> Get-FileMetaData .\MultimasterAPI.dll <SNIP> M .NETFramework,Version=v4.6.1 TFrameworkDisplayName.NET Framework 4.6.1 api/getColleagues ! htt p://localhost:8081*POST Ò^ øJ ø, RSDSœ»¡ÍuqœK£"Y¿bˆ C:\Users\Hazard\Desktop\Stuff\Multimast <SNIP>
Using the debugger and .NET assembly editor dnSpy, we can view the source code directly. This tool allows reading, editing, and debugging the source code of a .NET assembly (C# and Visual Basic).
Inspection of
MultimasterAPI.Controllers
->ColleagueController
reveals a database connection string containing the password.

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