T1059.003

Try it using Invoke-Atomic

Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell

Description from ATT&CK

Adversaries may abuse the Windows command shell for execution. The Windows command shell (cmd) is the primary command prompt on Windows systems. The Windows command prompt can be used to control almost any aspect of a system, with various permission levels required for different subsets of commands. The command prompt can be invoked remotely via Remote Services such as SSH.(Citation: SSH in Windows)

Batch files (ex: .bat or .cmd) also provide the shell with a list of sequential commands to run, as well as normal scripting operations such as conditionals and loops. Common uses of batch files include long or repetitive tasks, or the need to run the same set of commands on multiple systems.

Adversaries may leverage cmd to execute various commands and payloads. Common uses include cmd to execute a single command, or abusing cmd interactively with input and output forwarded over a command and control channel.

Atomic Tests

Atomic Test #1 - Create and Execute Batch Script

Creates and executes a simple batch script. Upon execution, CMD will briefly launch to run the batch script then close again.

Supported Platforms: windows

auto_generated_guid: 9e8894c0-50bd-4525-a96c-d4ac78ece388

Inputs:

Name	Description	Type	Default Value
command_to_execute	Command to execute within script.	string	dir
script_path	Script path.	path	PathToAtomicsFolder..\ExternalPayloads\T1059.003_script.bat

Attack Commands: Run with powershell!

Start-Process "#{script_path}"

Cleanup Commands:

Remove-Item "#{script_path}" -Force -ErrorAction Ignore

Dependencies: Run with powershell!

Description: Batch file must exist on disk at specified location (#{script_path})

Check Prereq Commands:

if (Test-Path "#{script_path}") {exit 0} else {exit 1}

Get Prereq Commands:

New-Item "#{script_path}" -Force | Out-Null
Set-Content -Path "#{script_path}" -Value "#{command_to_execute}"

Atomic Test #2 - Writes text to a file and displays it.

Writes text to a file and display the results. This test is intended to emulate the dropping of a malicious file to disk.

Supported Platforms: windows

auto_generated_guid: 127b4afe-2346-4192-815c-69042bec570e

Inputs:

Name	Description	Type	Default Value
file_contents_path	Path to the file that the command prompt will drop.	path	%TEMP%\test.bin
message	Message that will be written to disk and then displayed.	string	Hello from the Windows Command Prompt!

Attack Commands: Run with command_prompt!

echo "#{message}" > "#{file_contents_path}" & type "#{file_contents_path}"

Cleanup Commands:

del "#{file_contents_path}" >nul 2>&1

Atomic Test #3 - Suspicious Execution via Windows Command Shell

Command line executed via suspicious invocation. Example is from the 2021 Threat Detection Report by Red Canary.

Supported Platforms: windows

auto_generated_guid: d0eb3597-a1b3-4d65-b33b-2cda8d397f20

Inputs:

Name	Description	Type	Default Value
output_file	File to output to	string	hello.txt
input_message	Message to write to file	string	Hello, from CMD!

Attack Commands: Run with command_prompt!

%LOCALAPPDATA:~-3,1%md /c echo #{input_message} > #{output_file} & type #{output_file}

Atomic Test #4 - Simulate BlackByte Ransomware Print Bombing

This test attempts to open a file a specified number of times in Wordpad, then prints the contents. It is designed to mimic BlackByte ransomware's print bombing technique, where tree.dll, which contains the ransom note, is opened in Wordpad 75 times and then printed. See https://redcanary.com/blog/blackbyte-ransomware/.

Supported Platforms: windows

auto_generated_guid: 6b2903ac-8f36-450d-9ad5-b220e8a2dcb9

Inputs:

Name	Description	Type	Default Value
file_to_print	File to be opened/printed by Wordpad.	string	PathToAtomicsFolder..\ExternalPayloads\T1059_003note.txt
max_to_print	The maximum number of Wordpad windows the test will open/print.	integer	75

Attack Commands: Run with powershell!

cmd /c "for /l %x in (1,1,#{max_to_print}) do start wordpad.exe /p #{file_to_print}" | out-null

Cleanup Commands:

stop-process -name wordpad -force -erroraction silentlycontinue

Dependencies: Run with powershell!

Description: File to print must exist on disk at specified location (#{file_to_print})

Check Prereq Commands:

if (test-path "#{file_to_print}"){exit 0} else {exit 1}

Get Prereq Commands:

new-item "#{file_to_print}" -value "This file has been created by T1059.003 Test 4" -Force | Out-Null

Atomic Test #5 - Command Prompt read contents from CMD file and execute

Simulate Raspberry Robin using the "standard-in" command prompt feature cmd

/R <

to read and execute a file via cmd.exe See https://redcanary.com/blog/raspberry-robin/.

Supported Platforms: windows

auto_generated_guid: df81db1b-066c-4802-9bc8-b6d030c3ba8e

Inputs:

Name	Description	Type	Default Value
input_file	CMD file that is read by Command Prompt and execute, which launches calc.exe	path	PathToAtomicsFolder\T1059.003\src\t1059.003_cmd.cmd

Attack Commands: Run with command_prompt!

cmd /r cmd<"#{input_file}"

Dependencies: Run with powershell!

Description: CMD file must exist on disk at specified location (#{input_file})

Check Prereq Commands:

if (Test-Path "#{input_file}") {exit 0} else {exit 1}

Get Prereq Commands:

New-Item -Type Directory (split-path "#{input_file}") -ErrorAction ignore | Out-Null
Invoke-WebRequest "https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/raw/master/atomics/T1059.003/src/t1059.003_cmd.cmd" -OutFile "#{input_file}"

Atomic Test #6 - Command prompt writing script to file then executes it

Simulate DarkGate malware's second stage by writing a VBscript to disk directly from the command prompt then executing it.
The script will execute 'whoami' then exit.

Supported Platforms: windows

auto_generated_guid: 00682c9f-7df4-4df8-950b-6dcaaa3ad9af

Inputs:

Name	Description	Type	Default Value
script_path	Path in which the script will be written.	path	%TEMP%\
script_name	Script name (without the extension)	string	AtomicTest

Attack Commands: Run with command_prompt! Elevation Required (e.g. root or admin)

c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe /c cd /d #{script_path} & echo Set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell"):Set objExec = objShell.Exec("whoami"):Set objExec = Nothing:Set objShell = Nothing > #{script_name}.vbs & #{script_name}.vbs

Cleanup Commands:

del "#{script_name}.vbs" >nul 2>&1

source