PowerSploit
A PowerShell post-exploitation framework for penetration testers, providing modules for code execution, persistence, reconnaissance, and credential theft.
What is PowerSploit?
PowerSploit is a PowerShell post-exploitation framework used by penetration testers and security researchers to perform advanced attacks after initial system compromise. It provides modules for executing code, maintaining persistence, bypassing antivirus, stealing credentials, and conducting reconnaissance, all while minimizing disk writes to evade detection. The framework is designed to integrate seamlessly into security assessments, offering a suite of tools that operate in memory to reduce forensic evidence.
Penetration testers, red teamers, and security professionals conducting authorized security assessments who need advanced post-exploitation capabilities on Windows systems. It is also used by researchers studying offensive security techniques and defense evasion.
Developers choose PowerSploit because it provides a comprehensive, PowerShell-native toolkit for post-exploitation that emphasizes stealth and operational security. Its modular design, in-memory execution, and avoidance of disk writes make it a preferred choice for evading endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions during security engagements.
Overview
PowerSploit - A PowerShell Post-Exploitation Framework
Use Cases
Best For
- Executing payloads in memory without touching disk during penetration tests
- Maintaining persistent access to compromised Windows systems
- Bypassing antivirus signatures using single-byte detection methods
- Dumping credentials and hashes from memory using Mimikatz
- Conducting internal network reconnaissance and domain enumeration
- Escalating privileges on Windows machines using common misconfigurations
Not Ideal For
- Security teams conducting assessments on non-Windows environments like Linux or macOS
- Organizations requiring actively maintained, vendor-supported tools for compliance audits
- Penetration testers needing real-time collaboration features or GUI-based interfaces
- Projects focused solely on defensive security without authorized offensive testing needs
Pros & Cons
Pros
Emphasizes operational security by enabling tools like Invoke-Mimikatz to run entirely in memory, avoiding disk writes and reducing forensic evidence, as highlighted in the project philosophy.
Maintains compatibility with older Windows systems, ensuring wide applicability across environments, which is specified in the scripting standards for reliability.
Offers a full range of post-exploitation tools from code execution to reconnaissance, such as PowerUp for privilege escalation and PowerView for domain enumeration, covering all assessment phases.
Follows strict style guides with comment-based help and error handling, ensuring code quality and ease of use for penetration testers, as detailed in the contribution rules.
Cons
The project is explicitly marked as unsupported in the README, meaning no updates, bug fixes, or security patches, which increases risks of detection and compatibility issues in modern environments.
Relies entirely on PowerShell and Windows APIs, making it ineffective for cross-platform security assessments or cloud-based environments beyond traditional Windows systems.
Requires deep knowledge of PowerShell scripting and Windows internals, with modules like Invoke-ReflectivePEInjection demanding expertise for effective deployment, as indicated by the lack of beginner-friendly documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
Metasploit FrameworkMetasploit Framework
SQLMapAutomatic SQL injection and database takeover tool
MasscanTCP port scanner, spews SYN packets asynchronously, scanning entire Internet in under 5 minutes.
mimikatzA little tool to play with Windows security
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