7MS #585: DIY Pentest Dropbox Tips – Part 7

Brian Johnson -

Hey friends, today I'm super excited to share I found the missing link! Specifically, the missing piece that now allows me to create fully automated Windows 10 installs that serve as virtual pentest jumpboxes. Here are the high points:

  • When your deployment script is finishing and you need the system to reboot and run some final commands, temporarily add your account as an auto-login account like so:
new-itemproperty -path 'hklm:\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\winlogon' -name AutoAdminLogon -value 1 -force
new-itemproperty -path 'hklm:\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\winlogon' -name DefaultUserName -value "your-local-user" -force
new-itemproperty -path 'hklm:\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\winlogon' -name DefaultPassword -value "your-password" -force

Then tell Windows to run your final script one time after automatically logging in as your-local-user:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce" /v MyRunOnceKey /t REG_SZ /d "c:\your-final-script.bat"

Finally, make sure your your-final-script.bat deletes the auto-login creds:

reg delete "hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\Winlogon" /v DefaultUserName /f
reg delete "hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\Winlogon" /v DefaultPassword /f
reg delete "hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\Winlogon" /v AutoAdminLogon /f