In the previous article, we found the ransomware key, and now we are on the hunt for the Windows AD domain controller to decrypt the research data, which also contains the flag. In this article, we will concentrate on the host named Cayenne. Discovery Since we already performed host discovery, we do not need to do it again. However, we need to figure out which ones are Windows-based hosts out of the three left. The quickest way to figure out if a host is running Windows is by …
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Passed GCIH
I recently passed the GCIH (GIAC Certified Incident Handler) certification exam with a score of 99%. I did not expect such a high score because my practice tests scores were 89% and 92%. I did, however, aim to get at least 90% to be part of the GIAC Advisory Board. While it is an impressive score, I think getting a high score on any certification exam is all about your preparation. Folks familiar with GIAC exams know that it is an open book format. That includes your notes or any cheat …
Exploiting PrintNightmare
I am pretty sure that everyone in IT has heard of PrintNightmare (CVE-2021-1675) by now. Most, if not all, of the organizations, have installed KB5004947. However, that patch comes with caveats. On Friday, my colleague, who created the Kaos Corp CTF scenario, reached out to me to let me know that I can exploit the PrintNightmare vulnerability with his test VM, running Windows 2019 Server with the patch. I ran into a few obstacles, so I decided to build a VM locally …
Kaos Corp: Habanero
As mentioned in my previous article, our first internal CTF included an offensive security category called Kaos Corp. Since there are multiple hosts in the environment, it's better to break it into a series. In this article, we will concentrate on the host with a DNS name of Habanero. Scenario You are a security lead at a renowned University directly supporting the prestigious Scoville Lab. It is a research institute focused on leveraging unprecedented biotechnology …
Passed eJPT
On Friday, I passed the eJPT certification exam. Since then, I've had a few people asked me about my experience. Instead of answering them one by one, I decided to write a post about my preparation and exam experience. Cert info According to this security certification roadmap, this cert is a tad higher than CompTIA PenTest+. If I had to speculate on why it's rated higher than PenTest+, it's probably because this cert is 100% practical. Sure, it's a multiple-choice certification …