refactor(args): change Authentication to its own arg section and show defaults if set and not None/empty/etc

Author: Marshall-Hallenbeck

nxc/cli.py

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from nxc.paths import NXC_PATH
 from nxc.loaders.protocolloader import ProtocolLoader
 from nxc.helpers.logger import highlight
+from nxc.helpers.args import DisplayDefaultsNotNone
 from nxc.logger import nxc_logger, setup_debug_logging
 import importlib.metadata
 
@@ -25,13 +26,13 @@ def gen_cli_args():
     nxc_logger.debug(f"NXC VERSION: {VERSION} - {CODENAME} - {COMMIT}")
 
     generic_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False)
-    generic_group = generic_parser.add_argument_group("Generic Options", "Generic options for nxc across protocols")
-    generic_group.add_argument("-t", "--threads", type=int, dest="threads", default=256, help="set how many concurrent threads to use (default: 256)")
-    generic_group.add_argument("--timeout", default=None, type=int, help="max timeout in seconds of each thread (default: None)")
-    generic_group.add_argument("--jitter", metavar="INTERVAL", type=str, help="sets a random delay between each authentication (default: None)")
+    generic_group = generic_parser.add_argument_group("Generic", "Generic options for nxc across protocols")
+    generic_group.add_argument("-t", "--threads", type=int, dest="threads", default=256, help="set how many concurrent threads to use")
+    generic_group.add_argument("--timeout", default=None, type=int, help="max timeout in seconds of each thread")
+    generic_group.add_argument("--jitter", metavar="INTERVAL", type=str, help="sets a random delay between each authentication")
 
     output_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False)
-    output_group = output_parser.add_argument_group("Output Options", "Options to set verbosity levels and control output")
+    output_group = output_parser.add_argument_group("Output", "Options to set verbosity levels and control output")
     output_group.add_argument("--verbose", action="store_true", help="enable verbose output")
     output_group.add_argument("--debug", action="store_true", help="enable debug level information")
     output_group.add_argument("--no-progress", action="store_true", help="do not displaying progress bar during scan")
@@ -64,36 +65,40 @@ def gen_cli_args():
     parser.add_argument("--version", action="store_true", help="Display nxc version")
 
     # we do module arg parsing here so we can reference the module_list attribute below
-    module_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False)
-    mgroup = module_parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
+    module_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False, formatter_class=DisplayDefaultsNotNone)
+    mgroup = module_parser.add_argument_group("Modules", "Options for nxc modules")
     mgroup.add_argument("-M", "--module", choices=get_module_names(), action="append", metavar="MODULE", help="module to use")
-    module_parser.add_argument("-o", metavar="MODULE_OPTION", nargs="+", default=[], dest="module_options", help="module options")
-    module_parser.add_argument("-L", "--list-modules", action="store_true", help="list available modules")
-    module_parser.add_argument("--options", dest="show_module_options", action="store_true", help="display module options")
-    module_parser.add_argument("--server", choices={"http", "https"}, default="https", help="use the selected server (default: https)")
-    module_parser.add_argument("--server-host", type=str, default="0.0.0.0", metavar="HOST", help="IP to bind the server to (default: 0.0.0.0)")
-    module_parser.add_argument("--server-port", metavar="PORT", type=int, help="start the server on the specified port")
-    module_parser.add_argument("--connectback-host", type=str, metavar="CHOST", help="IP for the remote system to connect back to (default: same as server-host)")
+    mgroup.add_argument("-o", metavar="MODULE_OPTION", nargs="+", default=[], dest="module_options", help="module options")
+    mgroup.add_argument("-L", "--list-modules", action="store_true", help="list available modules")
+    mgroup.add_argument("--options", dest="show_module_options", action="store_true", help="display module options")
 
     subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(title="Available Protocols", dest="protocol")
 
-    std_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False, parents=[generic_parser, output_parser])
+    std_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False, parents=[generic_parser, output_parser], formatter_class=DisplayDefaultsNotNone)
     std_parser.add_argument("target", nargs="+" if not (module_parser.parse_known_args()[0].list_modules or module_parser.parse_known_args()[0].show_module_options) else "*", type=str, help="the target IP(s), range(s), CIDR(s), hostname(s), FQDN(s), file(s) containing a list of targets, NMap XML or .Nessus file(s)")
-    std_parser.add_argument("-id", metavar="CRED_ID", nargs="+", default=[], type=str, dest="cred_id", help="database credential ID(s) to use for authentication")
-    std_parser.add_argument("-u", metavar="USERNAME", dest="username", nargs="+", default=[], help="username(s) or file(s) containing usernames")
-    std_parser.add_argument("-p", metavar="PASSWORD", dest="password", nargs="+", default=[], help="password(s) or file(s) containing passwords")
-    std_parser.add_argument("--ignore-pw-decoding", action="store_true", help="Ignore non UTF-8 characters when decoding the password file")
-    std_parser.add_argument("-k", "--kerberos", action="store_true", help="Use Kerberos authentication")
-    std_parser.add_argument("--no-bruteforce", action="store_true", help="No spray when using file for username and password (user1 => password1, user2 => password2")
-    std_parser.add_argument("--continue-on-success", action="store_true", help="continues authentication attempts even after successes")
-    std_parser.add_argument("--use-kcache", action="store_true", help="Use Kerberos authentication from ccache file (KRB5CCNAME)")
-    std_parser.add_argument("--aesKey", metavar="AESKEY", nargs="+", help="AES key to use for Kerberos Authentication (128 or 256 bits)")
-    std_parser.add_argument("--kdcHost", metavar="KDCHOST", help="FQDN of the domain controller. If omitted it will use the domain part (FQDN) specified in the target parameter")
-
-    fail_group = std_parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
-    fail_group.add_argument("--gfail-limit", metavar="LIMIT", type=int, help="max number of global failed login attempts")
-    fail_group.add_argument("--ufail-limit", metavar="LIMIT", type=int, help="max number of failed login attempts per username")
-    fail_group.add_argument("--fail-limit", metavar="LIMIT", type=int, help="max number of failed login attempts per host")
+    
+    credential_group = std_parser.add_argument_group("Authentication", "Options for authenticating")
+    credential_group.add_argument("-u", metavar="USERNAME", dest="username", nargs="+", default=[], help="username(s) or file(s) containing usernames")
+    credential_group.add_argument("-p", metavar="PASSWORD", dest="password", nargs="+", default=[], help="password(s) or file(s) containing passwords")
+    credential_group.add_argument("-id", metavar="CRED_ID", nargs="+", default=[], type=str, dest="cred_id", help="database credential ID(s) to use for authentication")
+    credential_group.add_argument("--ignore-pw-decoding", action="store_true", help="Ignore non UTF-8 characters when decoding the password file")
+    credential_group.add_argument("--no-bruteforce", action="store_true", help="No spray when using file for username and password (user1 => password1, user2 => password2)")
+    credential_group.add_argument("--continue-on-success", action="store_true", help="continues authentication attempts even after successes")
+    credential_group.add_argument("--gfail-limit", metavar="LIMIT", type=int, help="max number of global failed login attempts")
+    credential_group.add_argument("--ufail-limit", metavar="LIMIT", type=int, help="max number of failed login attempts per username")
+    credential_group.add_argument("--fail-limit", metavar="LIMIT", type=int, help="max number of failed login attempts per host")
+
+    kerberos_group = std_parser.add_argument_group("Kerberos", "Options for Kerberos authentication")
+    kerberos_group.add_argument("-k", "--kerberos", action="store_true", help="Use Kerberos authentication")
+    kerberos_group.add_argument("--use-kcache", action="store_true", help="Use Kerberos authentication from ccache file (KRB5CCNAME)")
+    kerberos_group.add_argument("--aesKey", metavar="AESKEY", nargs="+", help="AES key to use for Kerberos Authentication (128 or 256 bits)")
+    kerberos_group.add_argument("--kdcHost", metavar="KDCHOST", help="FQDN of the domain controller. If omitted it will use the domain part (FQDN) specified in the target parameter")
+    
+    server_group = std_parser.add_argument_group("Servers", "Options for nxc servers")
+    server_group.add_argument("--server", choices={"http", "https"}, default="https", help="use the selected server")
+    server_group.add_argument("--server-host", type=str, default="0.0.0.0", metavar="HOST", help="IP to bind the server to")
+    server_group.add_argument("--server-port", metavar="PORT", type=int, help="start the server on the specified port")
+    server_group.add_argument("--connectback-host", type=str, metavar="CHOST", help="IP for the remote system to connect back to")    
 
     p_loader = ProtocolLoader()
     protocols = p_loader.get_protocols()

nxc/helpers/args.py

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+from argparse import ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter, SUPPRESS, OPTIONAL, ZERO_OR_MORE
+
+class DisplayDefaultsNotNone(ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter):
+    def _get_help_string(self, action):
+        help_string = action.help
+        if "%(default)" not in action.help and action.default is not SUPPRESS:
+            defaulting_nargs = [OPTIONAL, ZERO_OR_MORE]
+            if (action.option_strings or action.nargs in defaulting_nargs) and action.default:  # Only add default info if it's not None
+                help_string += " (default: %(default)s)"  # NORUFF
+        return help_string