Listen to this Post
Introduction
SharePoint has become a cornerstone of enterprise collaboration, housing sensitive documents and intellectual property. For red teams and adversaries alike, enumerating the files stored within SharePoint environments is a critical first step in identifying high-value targets for data exfiltration or privilege escalation. ElephantPoint, a recently released C‑based enumeration tool, simplifies this process by providing a lightweight, C2‑friendly method to map out SharePoint file structures, giving operators a clear view of an organization’s exposed data.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the role of SharePoint enumeration in offensive security engagements.
- Learn how to compile and operate ElephantPoint for effective file discovery.
- Identify defensive measures to detect and block SharePoint enumeration attempts.
You Should Know
- What Is ElephantPoint and Why SharePoint Enumeration Matters
ElephantPoint is a C tool designed to enumerate files and folders within SharePoint sites. Developed for red team use, it interacts with SharePoint’s underlying APIs to retrieve lists of documents, permissions, and metadata without raising immediate alarms. In modern enterprises, SharePoint often contains confidential contracts, financial records, and personally identifiable information (PII). By automating the discovery of such data, ElephantPoint enables penetration testers to quickly assess the exposure of sensitive information and demonstrate the need for tighter access controls.
The tool’s C implementation makes it particularly suitable for in‑memory execution via command and control (C2) frameworks, reducing its forensic footprint on target systems. It can be compiled as a standalone executable or a .NET assembly, allowing operators to load it directly into memory using tools like Cobalt Strike’s execute-assembly.
2. Setting Up the Environment for ElephantPoint
Before using ElephantPoint, you need to compile the source code. The tool is written in C and targets the .NET Framework, so it can be built on Windows using Visual Studio or the .NET SDK. For cross‑platform flexibility, you can also use Mono on Linux.
On Windows (using .NET SDK):
- Install the .NET SDK (version 4.7.2 or later recommended).
2. Clone or download the ElephantPoint source code.
- Open a command prompt in the project directory containing the `.csproj` file.
4. Run the build command:
dotnet build -c Release
The compiled executable will be located in `bin\Release\net4.7.2\ElephantPoint.exe`.
On Linux (using Mono):
1. Install Mono:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install mono-complete
2. Navigate to the source folder and compile with mcs:
mcs -out:ElephantPoint.exe .cs -r:System.Net.Http.dll -r:System.Runtime.Serialization.dll
(Adjust referenced DLLs based on actual source dependencies.)
After compilation, verify the tool works by running `ElephantPoint.exe –help` (or `mono ElephantPoint.exe –help` on Linux). The expected output should list available commands and parameters.
3. Using ElephantPoint for SharePoint Enumeration
ElephantPoint typically accepts a target SharePoint URL and credentials (or an access token) to perform enumeration. Below is a generic usage example:
ElephantPoint.exe -u https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/marketing -l paths.txt -o output.csv
– `-u` : The base URL of the SharePoint site.
– `-l` : A file containing specific folder paths to enumerate (optional).
– `-o` : Output file to store discovered files and metadata.
The tool will iterate through all accessible folders, extract file names, sizes, modification dates, and (if permissions allow) the associated user permissions. This information can be used to locate files named “passwords.docx”, “financial_forecast.xlsx”, or other high‑interest documents.
Integration with C2 Frameworks
In a red team engagement, you would likely execute ElephantPoint from memory to avoid writing to disk. With Cobalt Strike, use the `execute-assembly` command:
beacon> execute-assembly /path/to/ElephantPoint.exe -u https://victim.sharepoint.com/sites/hr -o \share\results.csv
This runs the tool entirely in the beacon’s current process, leaving minimal traces on the compromised host.
4. Manual Enumeration Techniques Using Native Tools
If you cannot deploy custom binaries, manual enumeration via PowerShell or the SharePoint REST API can be just as effective. These methods also help you understand what ElephantPoint automates.
Using PowerShell with PnP PowerShell:
1. Install the PnP PowerShell module:
Install-Module PnP.PowerShell -Scope CurrentUser
2. Connect to a SharePoint site:
Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/IT" -Interactive
3. Enumerate files in a document library:
Get-PnPFolder -FolderUrl "Shared Documents" | Get-PnPProperty -Property Files, Folders
This recursively lists files and subfolders.
Using the SharePoint REST API with curl:
You can also query the API directly, though this requires authentication (NTLM, OAuth, or cookies).
curl -k -u "domain\user:password" "https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/IT/_api/web/GetFolderByServerRelativeUrl('/sites/IT/Shared%20Documents')/Files" -H "Accept: application/json;odata=verbose"
The response contains file names and URLs, which can be parsed for further access.
5. Defending Against SharePoint Enumeration
To protect against tools like ElephantPoint, organizations must adopt a layered defense strategy:
- Restrict Access Permissions: Apply the principle of least privilege. Regularly audit SharePoint site permissions and remove excessive access, especially for external or guest users.
- Enable Auditing and Monitoring: Turn on SharePoint audit logs to track file and folder enumeration events. Integrate these logs with a SIEM (e.g., Splunk, Azure Sentinel) and create alerts for unusual enumeration patterns—such as a single user querying thousands of files in a short period.
- Implement Conditional Access Policies: Use Azure AD Conditional Access to block access from untrusted IP ranges or require compliant devices. This limits an attacker’s ability to use stolen credentials from outside the corporate network.
- Network Segmentation and IP Restrictions: If possible, restrict SharePoint access to corporate VPN IPs, preventing external enumeration attempts altogether.
- Harden Anonymous Access: Ensure that anonymous or unauthenticated access is disabled for all SharePoint sites. Even “public” sites should require authentication.
- Use Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Configure DLP policies to detect and block the exfiltration of sensitive documents, even if they are enumerated.
6. Ethical Considerations and Responsible Use
ElephantPoint is a powerful tool intended solely for authorized security assessments. Before using it, ensure you have explicit written permission from the system owner. Red team engagements should follow a defined scope and rules of engagement. Misuse of enumeration tools can lead to legal consequences and violates ethical hacking principles. Always respect privacy and data protection laws, such as GDPR or HIPAA, when handling discovered information.
What Undercode Say
- ElephantPoint underscores the growing trend of red team tooling written in C for in‑memory execution, evading traditional antivirus and file‑based detections.
- The ease with which SharePoint can be enumerated highlights the critical need for stringent access controls and continuous monitoring of collaboration platforms.
- Defenders must shift their focus to behavioural analytics—detecting abnormal enumeration patterns rather than relying solely on signature‑based alerts.
- As cloud‑based collaboration becomes ubiquitous, we can expect more tooling to emerge that targets Office 365 and SharePoint, making proactive hardening essential.
- The release of such tools also benefits blue teams by providing them with the means to test their own detection capabilities in a controlled manner.
Prediction
In the next 12‑18 months, we will witness a surge in attacks specifically targeting SharePoint and OneDrive for Business. Attackers will increasingly use lightweight, memory‑only tools like ElephantPoint to silently map out document stores before launching ransomware or data extortion campaigns. Consequently, security vendors will develop enhanced anomaly detection for SharePoint APIs, and Microsoft will likely introduce more granular auditing and automated threat hunting features within the Purview compliance portal. Red teams will continue to refine these techniques, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in cloud‑based enumeration and forcing defenders to adopt a zero‑trust posture for all collaboration data.
▶️ Related Video (80% Match):
🎯Let’s Practice For Free:
IT/Security Reporter URL:
Reported By: Thanos Tserpelis – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
