v6.5.0

[6.5.0] - 2026-03-08

• Updated Starkiller to v3.4.0

Added

• Log Empire version and git commit SHA at startup for easier production diagnostics; commit SHA is baked into the Docker image at build time via --build-arg
• Added C stager for lightweight stage0 shellcode injection via Fibers
• Added shellcode_compiler utility for compiling position-independent C stagers into raw x64 shellcode for BOF process injection
• Added clipboard_window_inject_list BOF module for enumerating processes with clipboard window class
• Added PIC shellcode C template and linker script for MinGW-based shellcode compilation
• Added unit tests for shellcode_compiler and rewrote test_bof_packer to cover the new Packer class API
• Added a runtime Background option to C# modules, allowing operators to override background/foreground execution at task time
• Added C# PatchETW module for in-process ETW patching via ntdll!EtwEventWrite
• Added C# PatchlessAMSI module for patchless AMSI bypass using hardware breakpoints and vectored exception handling
• Added PowerShell Invoke-VSSExtract module for NTDS.dit and SYSTEM hive extraction via Volume Shadow Copy
• Added PowerShell Invoke-RDPHijack module for RDP session hijacking via tscon.exe
• Added Python linux_keyring module for credential extraction from the Linux kernel keyring subsystem
• Added Python aws_imds module for AWS IAM role credential theft via EC2 Instance Metadata Service
• Added BOF spawn module for EarlyBird process hollowing with suspended process creation, shellcode injection, and APC thread hijacking

Changed

• Added Python 3.14 support (supports 3.13 and 3.14); Dockerfile now uses python:3.14.3-trixie
• Replace os.path with pathlib in core code and enforce PTH lint rule for all core files
• Switch stager_generation_service from deprecated installPath (str) to install_path (Path)
• Optimized test suite for faster CI and local runs
• Modernize Python patterns in core code: use setdefault(), truthiness checks, click.style() for terminal colors, and remove redundant operations
• Reduced test fixture boilerplate with a shared make_agent() factory and deduplicated plugin_task fixture across test files
• Removed autouse from test fixtures that don't need it, making test dependencies explicit
• Added unit tests for encryption, packet handling, helpers, malleable transformations, and listener utilities
• Migrate remaining installPath usages to install_path (Path) in core services
• Use Path.read_text(encoding="utf-8") instead of read_bytes().decode() in stager generation
• Replace os.system() calls with subprocess.run() in stager JAR generation
• Upgraded all Python dependencies to latest versions (Feb 2026)
• Replace deprecated handle_error_message with raised ModuleValidationException in all modules (#716)
• Convert 51 modules to use @auto_get_source and @auto_finalize decorators, eliminating boilerplate (#716)
• Replace unmaintained terminaltables dependency with prettytable (#809)
• Refactored bof_packer from standalone functions to a Packer class with granular packing methods (addbytes, addstr, addWstr, addbool, adduint32, addint, addshort)
• Rewrote clipboard_window_inject BOF module to use PIC shellcode instead of PowerShell launcher-based shellcode generation
• Simplified clipboard_window_inject module options by removing unnecessary launcher parameters and corrected BOF format string
• Bumped Empire Compiler from v0.4.3 to v0.4.4

Removed

• Removed secinject BOF module and its pre-compiled binary

Fixed

• Fixed SQLAlchemy connection pool exhaustion caused by async hooks receiving the caller's committed session. run_hooks now wraps async hooks in _run_async_hook, which opens a fresh SessionLocal session for each hook and closes it cleanly after the hook returns. ORM objects are re-attached via session.merge() so lazy-loaded relationships resolve correctly.
• Fixed SQLAlchemy connection pool exhaustion during agent check-ins by releasing the DB session before expensive file I/O, encryption, and packet building in handle_agent_request()
• Fixed custom-generate BOF modules (clipboard_window_inject, spawn, clipboard_window_inject_list) returning .NET-only file|,json format for Go agents, causing BOF execution to fail on the Go agent's COFF loader
• Added format_bof_output() to ModuleService to centralize BOF output formatting for Go and .NET agents
• Pass agent_language to custom-generate modules so they can produce agent-appropriate output
• Fixed malleable HTTP listener stagers failing after server restart due to random URI regeneration in Stager._defaults()
• Fix null-safety bug in _process_agent_packet when save_module_file returns None on skywalker exploit detection
• Fixed stop-job handlers in PowerShell and Python agents crashing when the target job doesn't exist
• Fixed the docs/quickstart/installation/README.md file to specify a previously missing reference to Ubuntu
• Fixed 9 malformed MITRE ATT&CK technique IDs across PowerShell, Python, and C# modules
• Fixed 2 malformed tactic fields that used space-separated strings instead of YAML lists
• Replaced 7 deprecated or revoked ATT&CK techniques with current equivalents
• Added missing software field for known ATT&CK tools (Rubeus, BloodHound, Mimikatz)
• Added missing tactics field to 82 Python modules that had none
• Fixed 74 technique-to-tactic inconsistencies across all module languages
• Replaced 27 additional deprecated technique IDs predating ATT&CK v10 with current equivalents across Python and template modules
• Removed incorrect T1482 (Domain Trust Discovery) from 32 modules that perform user, group, or computer enumeration
• Removed incorrect T1615 (Group Policy Discovery) from 24 modules unrelated to GPO enumeration
• Replaced T1106 (Native API) with T1059.006 (Python) on 5 DCOS REST API modules
• Added missing techniques field to 3 session enumeration modules
• Corrected 3 macOS LaunchAgent persistence modules from T1055 (Process Injection) to T1543.001 (Launch Agent)
• Corrected macOS screensaver credential prompt module from T1113 (Screen Capture) to T1056.002 (GUI Input Capture)
• Corrected Invoke-DownloadFile from T1041 (Exfiltration Over C2) to T1105 (Ingress Tool Transfer)
• Upgraded 3 keylogger modules from parent T1056 to specific T1056.001 (Keylogging) sub-technique
• Upgraded macOS email search module from T1114 to T1114.001 (Local Email Collection) sub-technique
• Upgraded macOS LoginHook persistence from T1037 to T1037.002 (Login Hook) sub-technique
• Added T1105 (Ingress Tool Transfer) to 12 lateral movement modules that deploy stagers to remote hosts
• Added 10 new ATT&CK technique IDs across 51 modules to improve coverage from 181 to 190 unique techniques
• Added T1005 (Data from Local System) to 8 macOS and Linux credential and collection modules
• Added T1550.002 (Pass the Hash) to PsExec, SMBExec, and WMI lateral movement modules
• Added T1562.001 (Impair Defenses) to AMSI bypass, ETW patching, and Outlook security modules
• Fixed duplicate technique entries in RevertToSelf and NetRipper modules
• Fixed PSRansom module name field incorrectly set to Invoke-Script instead of PSRansom