(Metasploitable Project: Lesson 9)

{ Exploiting the Grub Menu to Gain the Root Password }

1. Metasploitable 
   • Metasploitable is an intentionally vulnerable Linux virtual machine.
   • This VM can be used to conduct security training, test security tools, and practice common penetration testing techniques.
   • http://www.offensive-security.com/metasploit-unleashed/Metasploitable
   
   
2. Pre-Requisite Lab
   • Metasploitable Project: Lesson 1: Downloading and Configuring
    
3. Ubuntu 8.04 Physical Exploit.
   • This lab illustrates how easy it is to compromise the root password (1) if you have physical access to the machine, and (2) don't know the root password.
   • A counter-measure to this exploit, is to set the power-on password.
   
   
4. Lab Notes
   • In this lab we will do the following:
     1. We will access the Grub menu during the boot process.
     2. We will edit the Grub menu to boot into single user mode.
     3. We will change the root password.
   
   
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   • You are on notice, that continuing and/or using this lab outside your "own" test environment is considered malicious and is against the law.
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1. Start Up VMWare Player
   • Instructions:
     1. Click the Start Button
     2. Type Vmplayer in the search box
     3. Click on Vmplayer
   • 

    

2. Open a Virtual Machine
   • Instructions:
     1. Click on Open a Virtual Machine
   • 

    

3. Open the Metasploitable VM
   • Instructions:
     1. Navigate to where the Metasploitable VM is located
     2. Click on on the Metasploitable VM
     3. Click on the Open Button
   • 

    

4. Edit the Metasploitable VM
   • Instructions:
     1. Select Metasploitable2-Linux VM
     2. Click Edit virtual machine settings
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5. Edit the Metasploitable VM
   • Instructions:
     1. Click on "Network Adapter NAT"
     2. Select the radio button "Bridged: Connected directly to the physical network"
     3. Click on the OK button
   • Warning:
     • By changing from NAT to Bridged opens the VM and network up to potential attacks.
     • To maintain a safe network, you could (1) skip this section and only use the host-only network, (2) unplug your router from the internet, (3) use an ACL to not allow traffic into your network, etc.
   • 

    

6. Play the Metasploitable VM
   • Instructions:
     1. Click on the Metasploitable VM
     2. Click on Play virtual machine
   • 

1. VMWare Menu
   • Instructions
     1. Once you see the below vmware screen, (1) Left Click in the screen
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2. Access the Grub Menu
   • Instructions
     1. Press the <Esc> key
   • 

1. Select Recovery Kernel
   • Instructions
     1. Highlight: Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-16-server (recovery mode)
     2. Press "e" to edit
   • 

    

2. Select the kernel
   • Instructions
     1. Highlight: kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-server
     2. Press "e" to edit
   • 

    

3. Edit kernel setting (Part 1)
   • Instructions
     1. Delete everything until you reach the "r" in "ro".
   • 

    

4. Edit kernel setting (Part 2)
   • Instructions
     1. Add the string rw init=/bin/bash
     2. Press <Enter>
   • 

    

5. Boot From Kernel
   • Instructions
     1. Press "b" to boot.
   • 

1. Admire your work
   • Note(FYI)
     1. You are now root
     2. Continue to next step.
   • 

    

2. Reset Root Password
   • Instructions
     1. passwd root
     2. Enter new UNIX password:
     3. Retype new UNIX password:
   • 

1. Reboot Machine
   • Instructions
     1. /sbin/reboot -f
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2. Test Root Password
   • Instructions
     1. metasploitable login: root
     2. Password:
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1. Proof of Lab
   • Instructions:
     1. grep "ROOT LOGIN" /var/log/auth.log | tail -1
     2. ls -l /etc/shadow
     3. date
     4. echo "Your Name"
        • Put in your actual name in place of "Your Name"
        • e.g., echo "John Gray"
   • Proof of Lab Instructions
     1. Press the <Ctrl> and <Alt> key at the same time.
     2. Press the <PrtScn> key.
     3. Paste into a word document
     4. Upload to Moodle
   •