Hacking Tools

AWS Cobalt Redirector : Streamlining Red Team Operations With Automated C2 Infrastructure

The AWS Cobalt Redirector is a tool designed to streamline the deployment of a command-and-control (C2) infrastructure for red team operations using AWS services.

It leverages Terraform and Ansible for automation and integrates AWS resources like CloudFront, Lambda, and EC2 to create a robust redirector setup.

Functionality

The AWS Cobalt Redirector simplifies the process of deploying a redirector for Cobalt Strike, a popular red teaming tool.

The redirector acts as an intermediary between the attacker’s team server and the target systems, obfuscating traffic and enhancing operational security. The setup uses:

  • AWS CloudFront: A content delivery network (CDN) that masks the origin of traffic.
  • AWS Lambda: A serverless compute service that processes incoming HTTP requests and forwards them to the team server.
  • AWS EC2: Hosts the Cobalt Strike team server.

The Lambda function is configured to consume minimal resources (125 MB memory), ensuring cost-effectiveness during operations.

  1. Configure variables in the terraform.tfvars file.
  2. Deploy infrastructure using Terraform.
  3. Update the Ansible inventory with the host details (ansible/inventory/hosts.yml).
  4. Place your Cobalt Strike archive (cobaltstrike.tgz) in ansible/roles/cobaltstrike/files/.
  5. Add your malleable profile file to ansible/roles/cobaltstrike/files/.
  6. Define mandatory variables in ansible/inventory/redteam.yml.
  7. Execute the playbook playbook/cobaltstrike.yml to finalize the setup.

Once completed, this automated process deploys a fully functional redirector infrastructure.

  • Automation: The use of Terraform and Ansible ensures rapid and error-free deployment.
  • Obfuscation: CloudFront and Lambda add layers of redirection, making it harder to trace back to the team server.
  • Scalability: AWS services provide flexibility to scale resources as needed.

This tool is particularly valuable for red teams seeking efficient, secure, and scalable C2 infrastructure without manual configuration complexities.

Varshini

Varshini is a Cyber Security expert in Threat Analysis, Vulnerability Assessment, and Research. Passionate about staying ahead of emerging Threats and Technologies.

Recent Posts

Understanding the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and How It Works

Introduction to the Model Context Protocol (MCP) The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open…

20 hours ago

The file Command – Quickly Identify File Contents in Linux

While file extensions in Linux are optional and often misleading, the file command helps decode what a…

1 day ago

How to Use the touch Command in Linux

The touch command is one of the quickest ways to create new empty files or update timestamps…

1 day ago

How to Search Files and Folders in Linux Using the find Command

Handling large numbers of files is routine for Linux users, and that’s where the find command shines.…

1 day ago

How to Move and Rename Files in Linux with the mv Command

Managing files and directories is foundational for Linux workflows, and the mv (“move”) command makes it easy…

1 day ago

How to Create Directories in Linux with the mkdir Command

Creating directories is one of the earliest skills you'll use on a Linux system. The mkdir (make…

1 day ago