CrackMapExec Timeout
CrackMapExec (CME) is a swiss army knife for pentesting Windows/Active Directory environments. It can perform various tasks such as enumerating logged on users, spidering SMB shares, executing psexec style attacks, auto-injecting Mimikatz/Shellcode/DLL's into memory using Powershell, dumping the NTDS.dit and more.
Crackmapexec Timeout
However, CME may encounter a timeout issue when trying to connect to a target host or execute a command. This can happen due to various reasons such as network latency, firewall rules, antivirus software, or misconfigured settings. In this article, we will explore some possible causes and solutions for the CME timeout issue.
Possible Causes and Solutions
Network latency: If the target host is too far away or the network connection is slow, CME may not be able to establish a connection or send/receive data within the specified timeout period. To fix this, you can try to increase the timeout value using the --timeout option. For example, cme smb 192.168.1.100 --timeout 10 will set the timeout to 10 seconds instead of the default 5 seconds. You can also use the --jitter option to add a random delay between each connection attempt to avoid triggering any rate-limiting mechanisms on the target host. For example, cme smb 192.168.1.100 --jitter 0.5 will add a random delay between 0 and 0.5 seconds.
Firewall rules: If the target host has a firewall that blocks or drops certain ports or protocols, CME may not be able to connect or communicate with it. To fix this, you can try to use a different protocol or port that is allowed by the firewall. For example, if SMB is blocked on port 445, you can try to use WinRM on port 5985 instead. For example, cme winrm 192.168.1.100 -u user -p pass will use WinRM instead of SMB to connect to the target host. You can also try to use stealth techniques such as --darrell option to avoid detection by firewalls. For example, cme smb 192.168.1.100 --darrell will use a stealthy SMB dialect that is less likely to be blocked.
Antivirus software: If the target host has an antivirus software that detects or blocks CME's payloads or commands, CME may not be able to execute them successfully. To fix this, you can try to use obfuscation techniques such as --obfs option to evade antivirus detection. For example, cme smb 192.168.1.100 -x whoami --obfs will obfuscate the whoami command before executing it on the target host. You can also try to use alternative payloads or commands that are less likely to be flagged by antivirus software.
Misconfigured settings: If the target host has some settings that prevent CME from connecting or executing commands properly, CME may fail with a timeout error. To fix this, you can try to check and adjust the settings on the target host according to the protocol you are using. For example, if you are using SMB protocol, you can check and enable SMB signing and encryption on the target host. For example, cme smb 192.168.1.100 --signing true --encrypt true will enable SMB signing and encryption on the connection.
Conclusion
CME is a powerful tool for pentesting Windows/Active Directory environments, but it may encounter a timeout issue due to various reasons such as network latency, firewall rules, antivirus software, or misconfigured settings. In this article, we have discussed some possible causes and solutions for the CME timeout issue. We hope this article helps you troubleshoot and resolve the CME timeout issue and enjoy using CME for your pentesting needs.
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