A few years ago, I managed to take over subdomains on Microsoft websites and got access to the mail and files of Outlook and OneDrive users, as well as user profile data on Xbox.com. Today, I am…
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Stratosphere flight. How to crack Struts using an Action app…
Today, I will show how to conquer the stratosphere - i.e. gain root access on the Stratosphere VM available on [Hack The Box](https://www.hackthebox.eu/) CTF grounds. To capture the root flag, I will have to overcome the Apache…
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The PWN realm. Modern techniques for stack overflow exploitation
The buffer overflow vulnerability is an extremely popular topic on hackers' forums. In this article, I will provide a universal and practically-oriented 'introduction' for enthusiasts studying the basics of low-level exploitation. Using stack overflow as an example,…
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Python reverse shell. How to boost your networking capacity with…
In this article, I will show how Python scripts can be used to transmit messages between two computers connected to the web. You may need to perform such an operation while developing an app, pentesting a corporate…
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Hack in one click. Comparing automated vulnerability scanners
Searches for vulnerabilities require special knowledge, extensive experience, and a sixth sense. But what about novice security researchers? They have no experience and cannot gain it because don't know where to start from. This is where automated…
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Compressed Token Format (CTF). One-time passwords, LDAP injections, and tricks…
Today, I will explain how to hack the CTF virtual machine available on [Hack The Box](https://www.hackthebox.eu/) training grounds. For the purposes of this article, the abbreviation "CTF" refers to Compressed Token Format, not Capture the Flag. This…
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Ghostcat. How to exploit a new RCE vulnerability in Apache…
This article addresses a vulnerability in Apache Tomcat that enables the attacker to read files on the server and, under certain conditions, execute arbitrary code. The problem lies in the implementation of the AJP protocol used to…
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Conquering the web. Application instruction for OWASP Testing Guide v4
Web security is a very broad term. It includes bugs in old protocols, usage of dangerous techniques, trivial human errors made by developers, and more. It is difficult to test products in such a broad area without…
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Pentester’s suitcase: Identifying OS on remote host
As you are aware, any penetration test starts from information collection. You have to find out what operating system is running on the remote host, and only then you can start looking for vulnerabilities in it. This…
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DoS attacks on ModSecurity: Exploiting critical bug in popular WAF
A critical vulnerability resulting in a denial-of-service error has been recently discovered in ModSecurity, a popular web application firewall (WAF) for Apache, IIS, and Nginx. The bug is truly severe: not only does the library stop working,…
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Protecting MikroTik. How to make your router safe
Firmware of popular routers often contains errors identified by security researchers on a regular basis. However, it is not enough just to find a bug - it must be neutralized. Today, I will explain how to protect…
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The deplorable four. Testing free antiviruses: Huorong, Preventon, Zoner, and…
Today, I am going to battle-test four antivirus programs: a British one, a Chinese one (featuring an original engine), a Finnish one, and an exciting Czech project at the beta-version stage. All of them are free and…
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The weakest link. Phishing emails as a pentesting tool
Conventional wisdom holds that the most vulnerable component of any computer system is its user. Humans may be inattentive, unthoughtful, or misinformed and easily become victims of phishing attacks. Accordingly, this weak link must be tested for…
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Disassembling REvil. The notorious ransomware hides WinAPI calls
Some unknown hackers have recently attacked Travelex foreign exchange company using REvil ransomware. This trojan employs simple but efficient obfuscation techniques that conceal its WinAPI calls from the victim. Let's see how the encoder works.
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Diabolically reddish pentest. Building tunneling chains through docker containers on…
How to seize control over a host located in a different subnetwork? The right answer is: build numerous intricate tunnels. This article addresses tunneling techniques and their application in pentesting using as an example Reddish, a hardcore…
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Hack the web! Checking web sites for vulnerabilities and exploiting…
Hacking web sites is one of the most common attack types. This article is dedicated to such attacks and protection against them. I will address the pentesting basics for web applications and explain how to deal with…
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DDoS attacks on Bluetooth. How to disable annoying portable speakers
Gangs of teenagers with portable Bluetooth speakers playing loud music drive me nuts. Today, I will explain how to neutralize this 'natural disaster' without (OK, almost without) committing a criminal offense.
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Solar stroke. Two severe vulnerabilities in Apache Solr
Not long ago, researchers have discovered two severe vulnerabilities in Apache Solr, a popular open-source full-text search platform. The first bug relates to incorrect handling of Velocity templates, while the second one originates from the DataImportHandler module.…
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Over-the-air tricks. Simple and effective Wi-Fi pentesting techniques
In this article, I will demonstrate a few simple and common -although efficient! - Wi-Fi pentesting tricks: hiding your MAC address when you scan a network and attack WPA2, identification of 'hidden' networks, bypassing MAC filtering, and…
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Attacking Active Directory. An overview of actual privilege escalation techniques
Compromising a domain controller involves more than just finding a known vulnerability, stealing user credentials, or identifying an error in the security policy settings. The above 'achievements' grant only the minimum access level that may be insufficient…
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