In the hacking adventure of conquering the Windows machine known as MonteVerde on HackTheBox, the journey was filled with challenges, determination, and strategic maneuvers. The initial steps involved using nmap to scan for open ports, revealing key services like Kerberos, LDAP, and MSRPC, indicating the presence of a Windows machine. Enumerating information through tools like enum4linux led to the discovery of usernames, paving the way for a password spray attack that uncovered a lazy user with easily guessable credentials. Accessing SMB shares through smbclient revealed a crucial azure.xml file containing valuable credentials.
With these credentials, remote access was gained using evil-winrm, leading to the capture of the user flag. Further enumeration unveiled the membership of an Azure Admin group, setting the stage for an AD Connect script attack exploiting Azure AD Password Hash Sync (PHS) to obtain administrator credentials. By executing the script and decrypting the synchronized password hashes, full control over MonteVerde as an administrator was achieved.
The successful conquest of MonteVerde highlighted the importance of thorough enumeration, strategic attacks, and utilizing the right tools at the right time. Each step, from scanning to exploiting vulnerabilities, demonstrated the power of methodical exploration and persistence in the world of hacking. The journey exemplified the thrilling combination of technical skill, critical thinking, and determination required to uncover hidden vulnerabilities in seemingly secure systems.
Ultimately, the experience of overcoming MonteVerde reinforced the never-ending quest for knowledge and mastery in cybersecurity. Every conquest serves as a stepping stone towards greater understanding and proficiency in the art of hacking. As one challenge is conquered, the anticipation for the next adventure and the continuous pursuit of exploration and discovery in the cybersecurity realm remain strong. Happy hacking and may the journey towards conquering the next digital mountain be filled with even more excitement and success!
Article Source
https://medium.com/@sanskarkalra121/scaling-monteverde-conquering-a-windows-machine-with-ldap-and-azure-ad-phs-shenanigans-b0e3e1ef796d