cd C:\Users\svc-alfresco\Desktop type user.txt Phase 4: Privilege Escalation (User to Administrator) The path to root.txt is not a simple kernel exploit—it's an AD misconfiguration. Step 1: Enumerate Current Privileges From the WinRM session, run:
10.10.10.161 forest.htb htb.local Use ldapsearch to anonymously query the domain: forest hackthebox walkthrough best
kerbrute userenum --dc 10.10.10.161 -d htb.local /usr/share/seclists/Usernames/xato-net-10-million-usernames.txt But for efficiency, we can also use ldapsearch : cd C:\Users\svc-alfresco\Desktop type user
cd C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop type root.txt Summary of Attack Path | Step | Action | Tool | |------|--------|------| | 1 | Scan ports & enumerate AD | Nmap, ldapsearch | | 2 | AS-REP Roast svc-alfresco | impacket-GetNPUsers | | 3 | Crack hash | Hashcat | | 4 | WinRM access as svc-alfresco | evil-winrm | | 5 | BloodHound enumeration | bloodhound-python | | 6 | Abuse WriteOwner on Exchange Windows Permissions | PowerView | | 7 | DCSync to get Admin hash | impacket-secretsdump | | 8 | Pass-the-Hash to root | evil-winrm | Why This Is the Best Walkthrough Many guides stop at AS-REP roasting and WinRM. But the best Forest HackTheBox walkthrough must explain why you can’t just run a simple exploit: Active Directory privilege escalation is about understanding ACLs, group ownership, and DCSync. Port 5985 is open, meaning we can use
Port 5985 is open, meaning we can use Evil-WinRM later—no need for RDP. DNS & Domain Dump Add the machine to your /etc/hosts file:
ldapsearch -x -H ldap://10.10.10.161 -b "DC=htb,DC=local" This reveals the domain name: htb.local and several users. Forest is vulnerable to Kerberos AS-REP Roasting because some users have the Do not require Kerberos preauthentication setting enabled. Step 1: Enumerate Users Use enum4linux or impacket-GetADUsers to list domain users.
The known attack: privilege on the Exchange Windows Permissions group.