Presented at
DEF CON 31 (2023),
Aug. 13, 2023, 1 p.m.
(45 minutes)
As cyber threats continue to evolve, attackers constantly develop new methods for exploiting system vulnerabilities and evading detection. In this presentation, we will delve into cutting-edge techniques for manipulating Linux memory in highly constrained environments, such as read-only, no-exec, and distroless setups. These techniques can be utilized by sophisticated malware to remain stealthy and evade traditional security mechanisms.
We will begin by providing an overview of the unique challenges faced in these limited environments and discuss the reasons behind their increasing prevalence. Next, we will explore how attackers can exploit vulnerabilities within these constraints and demonstrate several novel methods for manipulating Linux memory.
Throughout the presentation, we will showcase real-world examples and provide step-by-step explanations for each technique, enabling attendees to gain a deeper understanding of how they can be employed by adversaries. Additionally, we will discuss potential countermeasures and mitigation strategies to help security professionals better defend against these emerging threats.
By attending this presentation, participants will gain valuable insights into the latest advancements in Linux memory manipulation and acquire the knowledge needed to anticipate and counter stealthy attacks in constrained environments. Whether you are a security researcher, a system administrator, or an ethical hacker, this session will equip you with the expertise necessary to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity.
REFERENCES:
Most of the parts of the developed technique for this presentation is just based on our knowledge and experience. However, it's true that some previous research was done in this topic by sektor7 in https://blog.sektor7.net/#!res/2020/meterp-inject-yt.md and David Buchanan in https://twitter.com/David3141593/status/1386663070991360001
Presenters:
-
Yago Gutierrez
- Offensive Security Researcher at Mollitiam Industries
Yago is currently studying Telecommunications Engineering. He is an experienced C programmer, tolerates python and has extensive knowledge of Linux Internals. He works as a vulnerability researcher on binaries as well as malware on mobile systems. He is an occasional CTF player and has participated in the ECSC2020 as a member of the Spanish team.
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Carlos Polop
- Web, Mobile & Cloud Pentesting Team Leader at Halborn
Carlos has a degree in Telecommunications Engineering with a Master in Cybersecurity.
He has worked mainly as Penetration Tester and Red Teamer for several companies, but also as developer and system administrator. He has several relevant certifications in the field of cybersecurity such as OSCP, OSWE, CRTP, eMAPT and eWPTXv2. He was captain of the Spanish team in the ECSC2021 and member of Team Europe for the ICSC2022.
Since he started learning cybersecurity he has tried to share his knowledge with the infosec community by publishing open source tools such as https://github.com/carlospolop/privilege-escalation-awesome-scripts-suite and writing a free hacking book that anyone can consult at https://book.hacktricks.xyz.
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