Hacking Active Directory — Ethical Hacking as a Beginner [14]
We have seen here what an Active Directory is, as a quick recap, Active Directory (AD) is a Microsoft technology used in networks to organize and manage resources such as computers, users, printers, and other network devices.
I will be using tryhackme platform to practice this. Attacktive Directory is infact going to be my first room on tryhackme.
Prerequisites: Ensure you have OpenVPN configured to access the TryHackMe lab environment.
Here’s a general overview of the task and the steps we will be following-
Enumeration: Begin with a comprehensive Nmap scan to identify open ports and services. Utilize tools like enum4linux and MSFConsole to gather detailed information, such as SMB versions and NetBIOS domain names.
Installation of Tools: Install essential tools like Impacket for protocol-level interactions and Bloodhound for visualizing AD environments. Execute commands to clone repositories, install dependencies, and configure tools for seamless operation.
Task Execution: Follow the provided tasks, starting with updating the system and installing necessary software like Kerbrute. Remember to download relevant wordlists and user lists for password cracking.
User Enumeration: Utilize Kerbrute to enumerate valid usernames within the domain. Leverage tools like GetNPUsers.py to query tickets from potentially vulnerable accounts without passwords.
Hash Cracking: Crack retrieved Kerberos hashes using hashcat and provided password lists. Analyze hash types and modes to choose appropriate cracking methods.
SMB Share Enumeration: Map remote SMB shares using tools like smbclient. Explore options to list available shares and access files within them.
Privilege Escalation: Dump NTDS.DIT using secretdump.py from Impacket to retrieve valuable hashes. Analyze methods like Pass the Hash attack to authenticate without plaintext passwords.
Remote Access and Flag Retrieval: Utilize tools like Evil-WinRM to access machines using hashes. Retrieve flags from user desktops, demonstrating successful compromise.
This room provides with a good guide to attacking the AD. It enhances our understanding of how ADs work in a System.
