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## Description
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- SSH keys are crucial for secure access to remote servers and systems. Attackers
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- may attempt to steal them for gaining access to sensitive systems, data theft,
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- lateral movement, privilege escalation, and persistence.
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+ SSH public/private key pairs are credentials that allow users to remotely
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+ access systems using the [ Secure Shell Protocol
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+ (SSH)] ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Shell ) . Stealing them could enable
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+ an attacker to:
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- The SSH Credentials Collector steals SSH keys from Linux users. For all users
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- on the system, it locates the ` /home/<user>/.ssh ` directory and steals keypairs
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- from it. The supported private key encryption formats are RSA, DSA, EC, and
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- ECDSA.
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+ - Gain access to sensitive systems
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+ - Steal data
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+ - Move laterally through the network
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+ - Escalate their privileges
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+ - Establish a persistent presence
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+
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+ While SSH key pairs can be encrypted to mitigate this risk, many users skip this
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+ step and trade security for convenience. This leaves the SSH keys vulnerable to
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+ theft. Infection Monkey's SSH Credentials Collector seeks out and steals
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+ unprotected SSH key pairs. After compromising a Linux host, the SSH Credentials
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+ Collector will locate the ` $HOME/.ssh ` directory for each user and attempt to
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+ steal unencrypted SSH key pairs from it.
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+
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+ The SSH Credentials Collector will attempt to steal any key pair matching all
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+ of the following criteria:
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+
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+ - The key pair is stored in ` $HOME/.ssh ` for any user on the system.
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+ - The key pair is readable by the user running the Infection Monkey Agent.
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+ - The key pair is not encrypted.
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+ - The key pair is stored in one of the supported formats (RSA, DSA, EC, or
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+ ECDSA).
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