por ¿What is shellcode And what is it used for in cyber attacks or ethical hacking exercises?
Ethical hacking consists of replicating the attack techniques used by cybercriminals to steal money and valuable information through computer systems.. The difference is that ethical hackers execute cyberattacks in an authorized and controlled manner. Additionally, they prepare a report on the security flaws found.
The first phase of ethical hacking, as in a real cyber attack, is the collection of information about the system that is going to be audited.. To do this, you can use open source research (OSINT) or direct network scans with Nmap tools. After this phase, the system is analyzed in search of possible computer vulnerabilities. That is, security flaws.
After finding the points of the system where there are failures, the exploitation phase is executed, which consists of taking advantage of these flaws to infiltrate the system. Then, in post-exploitation, malicious tasks are executed on the victim’s computer, which could result in:
Remote code execution. Propagation malware.Data exfiltration.
In this post, we will talk specifically about the post-exploitation phase and the type of code used to execute it. Next, we will explain what is shellcode and how it is used in cybersecurity audits.
What is shellcode?
Shellcode is the code used to execute malicious tasks on the computer of the victim of a cyber attack.. This code is injected into the computer through programs with vulnerabilities, which allow malicious instructions to be executed on the computer. Usually, this code is written in some assembly language and hexadecimal format, since it is designed to be understood by the lower levels of the operating system.
The shellcode is used as payload in the post-exploitation stage of a cyber attack or a security audit. Although a exploit is a program that takes advantage of a vulnerability to enter the victim’s system, the payload It is that malicious payload that the hacker executes remotely on the machine.
How to use shellcode?
We have already seen what shellcode is and what it is used for in cybersecurity. Now, We will talk about practical methods for using this concept in audits and audit exercises. penetration testing. Remember that ethical hacking should only be performed with the authorization of the system owner. Therefore, we recommend that you participate in CTF games or Bug Bounty programs to develop your skills.
To use shellcode like payload In a security audit, you must:
Scan the system in search of devices connected to the target’s network.Find possible vulnerabilities information present in the system.Use a framework exploitationsuch as Metasploit or Cobalt Strike, to use some of the vulnerabilities found as a gateway to the system.
Once you have followed the previous steps, you will have already managed to infiltrate your target’s system. Now is when the shellcode would be loaded as payload for cyber attack. If you use framework as Metasploit either Cobalt Strike, you will find that these have post-exploitation tools. That is to say, They will show you options to send shellcode to the hacked system. This means that you don’t have to design the payload yourself, since it usually comes preconfigured in these tools.
What does shellcode allow you to do?
Now that you know what shellcode is and how it can be easily used from frameworks like Metasploit and Cobalt Strike, you may wonder what actions can be executed with it. The answer is that, depending on the vulnerability attacked, the shellcode can allow take full control of the hacked computer. It also allows download or upload files to the computer, connect to a botnet or deploy malware.
How to learn more?
If you want to know more about what shellcode is and how it is used in ethical hacking exercises, at we have an ideal course for you. Enter our Full Stack Cybersecurity Bootcamp and become a specialist in less than 7 months. Learn from the best experts on topics such as penetration testingcryptography, analysis malware and much more. What are you still waiting for? Request more information and discover how you can change your life!