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SMB PowerShell History Scanner (smbpshistory)

The SMB PowerShell History Scanner retrieves the PSReadline command history files from every user profile on each target host via SMB (port 445). Windows stores every command typed in a PowerShell console in a plaintext file:

%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\PowerShell\PSReadLine\ConsoleHost_history.txt

The scanner walks the user profile directories on each target and downloads these files for each user it can read. Each result row contains the target IP, the username whose history was retrieved, the full file path on the remote host and the file contents.

These history files are a goldmine during post-exploitation: they frequently contain plaintext passwords passed as command-line arguments (-Password Pa$$w0rd), internal URLs, database connection strings, service account names, helpful one-liner scripts that reveal what the host is used for, and AD group / server names that map out further pivoting opportunities. Always review them carefully for credential material and operational intelligence.

Combine with other secret-mining scanners

Parameters

Normal Parameters

credential

Specifies the ID of the credential to use for authentication. Local-admin or backup-operator privileges are typically required to read other users' profile directories.

Enter the ID of the credential stored in the Credentials Window.

targets

Specifies the targets to scan.

A list of targets can be specified in the following formats:

  • ID: ID of the target server from the targets window.
  • IP: Single IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.1).
  • CIDR: IP range in CIDR notation (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24).
  • Hostname: Resolvable hostname.
  • File: Path to a file containing targets (must be in OctoPwn’s /browserefs/volatile directory). File lists need to be uploaded into OctoPwn and separated by newlines.
  • Control word: Use all to scan all stored targets.
  • Single Group: g:<groupname> (e.g., g:test1).
  • Multiple Groups: g:<groupname1>,g:<groupname2> (e.g., g:test1,g:test2).
  • Port Group: p:<port> (e.g., p:445).
  • Port Group with Protocol: p:<port>/<protocol> (e.g., p:445/tcp).

Advanced Parameters

authtype

Specifies the authentication protocol.

Available protocols:

  • NTLM
  • Kerberos

dialect

Specifies the SMB connection dialect. Fixed to SMB2 for this scanner.

krbetypes

Specifies the Kerberos encryption types to use during the scan.

Provide a comma-separated list of encryption types (e.g., 23,17,18).

krbrealm

Specifies the Kerberos realm to use.

maxruntime

Specifies the maximum runtime per host (in seconds). Set to -1 to disable.

proxy

Specifies the proxy ID to use for the scan.

Enter the ID of the proxy to route the scan through. Proxies must be configured in the Proxy Window.

resultsfile

Specifies a file for saving the scan results.

The file will be saved in OctoPwn’s /browserefs/volatile directory.

showerrors

Determines whether errors encountered during the scan should be displayed.

timeout

Sets the timeout (in seconds) for each connection attempt.

triggerports

Ports which trigger an automated smbpshistory scan when discovered by other scanners. Pre-populated with 445/TCP.

workercount

Specifies the number of parallel workers for the scan.

wsnetreuse

Internal parameter. Do not modify.