--- description: >- This is the main page. Here you can find the typical workflow for the pentesting of a machine --- # Pentesting Methodology
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\ **Bug bounty tip**: **sign up** for **Intigriti**, a premium **bug bounty platform created by hackers, for hackers**! Join us at [**https://go.intigriti.com/hacktricks**](https://go.intigriti.com/hacktricks) today, and start earning bounties up to **$100,000**!\\ {% embed url="https://go.intigriti.com/hacktricks" %} ## Pentesting Methodology ![](<../.gitbook/assets/p2 (1).png>) ### 0- Physical Attacks Do you have **physical access** to the machine that you want to attack? You should read some [**tricks about physical attacks**](../physical-attacks/physical-attacks.md) and others about [**escaping from GUI applications**](../physical-attacks/escaping-from-gui-applications/). ### 1 - [Discovering hosts inside the network ](pentesting-network/#discovering-hosts)/ [Discovering Assets of the company](external-recon-methodology/) **Depending** if the **test** you are perform is an **internal or external test** you may be interested on finding **hosts inside the company network** (internal test) or **finding assets of the company on the internet** (external test). {% hint style="info" %} Note that if you are performing an external test, once you manage to obtain access to the internal network of the company you should re-start this guide. {% endhint %} ### **2-** [**Having Fun with the network**](pentesting-network/) **(Internal)** **This section only applies if you are performing an internal test.**\ Before attacking a host maybe you prefer to **steal some credentials** **from the network** or **sniff** some **data** to learn **passively/actively(MitM)** what can you find inside the network. You can read [**Pentesting Network**](pentesting-network/#sniffing). ### 3- [Port Scan - Service discovery](pentesting-network/#scanning-hosts) The first thing to do when **looking for vulnerabilities in a host** is to know which **services are running** in which ports. Let's see the[ **basic tools to scan ports of hosts**](pentesting-network/#scanning-hosts). ### **4-** [Searching service version exploits](search-exploits.md) Once you know which services are running, and maybe their version, you have to **search for known vulnerabilities**. Maybe you get lucky and there is a exploit to give you a shell... ### **5-** Pentesting Services If there isn't any fancy exploit for any running service, you should look for **common misconfigurations in each service running.** **Inside this book you will find a guide to pentest the most common services** (and others that aren't so common)**. Please, search in the left index the** _**PENTESTING**_ **section** (the services are ordered by their default ports). **I want to make a special mention of the** [**Pentesting Web**](../network-services-pentesting/pentesting-web/) **part (as it is the most extensive one).**\ Also, a small guide on how to[ **find known vulnerabilities in software**](search-exploits.md) can be found here. **If your service is not inside the index, search in Google** for other tutorials and **let me know if you want me to add it.** If you **can't find anything** in Google, perform your **own blind pentesting**, you could start by **connecting to the service, fuzzing it and reading the responses** (if any). #### 5.1 Automatic Tools There are also several tools that can perform **automatic vulnerabilities assessments**. **I would recommend you to try** [**Legion**](https://github.com/carlospolop/legion)**, which is the tool that I have created and it's based on the notes about pentesting services that you can find in this book.** #### **5.2 Brute-Forcing services** In some scenarios a **Brute-Force** could be useful to **compromise** a **service**. [**Find here a CheatSheet of different services brute forcing**](brute-force.md)**.** \ **Bug bounty tip**: **sign up** for **Intigriti**, a premium **bug bounty platform created by hackers, for hackers**! Join us at [**https://go.intigriti.com/hacktricks**](https://go.intigriti.com/hacktricks) today, and start earning bounties up to **$100,000**!\\ {% embed url="https://go.intigriti.com/hacktricks" %} ### 6- [Phishing](phishing-methodology/) If at this point you haven't found any interesting vulnerability you **may need to try some phishing** in order to get inside the network. You can read my phishing methodology [here](phishing-methodology/): ### **7-** [**Getting Shell**](shells/) Somehow you should have found **some way to execute code** in the victim. Then, [a list of possible tools inside the system that you can use to get a reverse shell would be very useful](shells/). Specially in Windows you could need some help to **avoid antiviruses**: \[Check this page]\(windows/av-bypass.md)**.** ### 8- Inside If you have troubles with the shell, you can find here a small **compilation of the most useful commands** for pentesters: * [**Linux**](../linux-hardening/useful-linux-commands/) * [**Windows (CMD)**](../windows-hardening/basic-cmd-for-pentesters.md) * [**Winodows (PS)**](../windows-hardening/basic-powershell-for-pentesters/) ### **9 -** [**Exfiltration**](exfiltration.md) You will probably need to **extract some data from the victim** or even **introduce something** (like privilege escalation scripts). **Here you have a** [**post about common tools that you can use with these purposes**](exfiltration.md)**.** ### **10- Privilege Escalation** #### **10.1- Local Privesc** If you are **not root/Administrator** inside the box, you should find a way to **escalate privileges.**\ Here you can find a **guide to escalate privileges locally in** [**Linux**](../linux-hardening/privilege-escalation/) **and in** [**Windows**](../windows-hardening/windows-local-privilege-escalation/)**.**\ You should also check this pages about how does **Windows work**: * [**Authentication, Credentials, Token privileges and UAC**](../windows-hardening/authentication-credentials-uac-and-efs.md) * How does [**NTLM works**](../windows-hardening/ntlm/) * How to [**steal credentials**](../windows-hardening/stealing-credentials/) in Windows * Some tricks about [_**Active Directory**_](../windows-hardening/active-directory-methodology/) **Don't forget to checkout the best tools to enumerate Windows and Linux local Privilege Escalation paths:** [**Suite PEAS**](https://github.com/carlospolop/privilege-escalation-awesome-scripts-suite) #### **10.2- Domain Privesc** Here you can find a [**methodology explaining the most common actions to enumerate, escalate privileges and persist on an Active Directory**](../windows-hardening/active-directory-methodology/). Even if this is just a subsection of a section, this process could be **extremely delicate** on a Pentesting/Red Team assignment. ### 11 - POST #### **11**.1 - Looting Check if you can find more **passwords** inside the host or if you have **access to other machines** with the **privileges** of your **user**.\ Find here different ways to [**dump passwords in Windows**](../windows-hardening/stealing-credentials/). #### 11.2 - Persistence **Use 2 o 3 different types of persistence mechanism so you won't need to exploit the system again.**\ **Here you can find some** [**persistence tricks on active directory**](../windows-hardening/active-directory-methodology/#persistence)**.** TODO: Complete persistence Post in Windows & Linux ### 12 - Pivoting With the **gathered credentials** you could have access to other machines, or maybe you need to **discover and scan new hosts** (start the Pentesting Methodology again) inside new networks where your victim is connected.\ In this case tunnelling could be necessary. Here you can find [**a post talking about tunnelling**](tunneling-and-port-forwarding.md).\ You definitely should also check the post about [Active Directory pentesting Methodology](../windows-hardening/active-directory-methodology/). There you will find cool tricks to move laterally, escalate privileges and dump credentials.\ Check also the page about [**NTLM**](../windows-hardening/ntlm/), it could be very useful to pivot on Windows environments.. ### MORE #### [Android Applications](../mobile-pentesting/android-app-pentesting/) #### **Exploiting** * [**Basic Linux Exploiting**](../exploiting/linux-exploiting-basic-esp/) * [**Basic Windows Exploiting**](../exploiting/windows-exploiting-basic-guide-oscp-lvl.md) * [**Basic exploiting tools**](../exploiting/tools/) #### [**Basic Python**](python/) #### **Crypto tricks** * [**ECB**](../cryptography/electronic-code-book-ecb.md) * [**CBC-MAC**](../cryptography/cipher-block-chaining-cbc-mac-priv.md) * [**Padding Oracle**](../cryptography/padding-oracle-priv.md) \ **Bug bounty tip**: **sign up** for **Intigriti**, a premium **bug bounty platform created by hackers, for hackers**! 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🎙️ HackTricks LIVE Twitch Wednesdays 5.30pm (UTC) 🎙️ - 🎥 Youtube 🎥 * Do you work in a **cybersecurity company**? Do you want to see your **company advertised in HackTricks**? or do you want to have access to the **latest version of the PEASS or download HackTricks in PDF**? Check the [**SUBSCRIPTION PLANS**](https://github.com/sponsors/carlospolop)! * Discover [**The PEASS Family**](https://opensea.io/collection/the-peass-family), our collection of exclusive [**NFTs**](https://opensea.io/collection/the-peass-family) * Get the [**official PEASS & HackTricks swag**](https://peass.creator-spring.com) * **Join the** [**💬**](https://emojipedia.org/speech-balloon/) [**Discord group**](https://discord.gg/hRep4RUj7f) or the [**telegram group**](https://t.me/peass) or **follow** me on **Twitter** [**🐦**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks/tree/7af18b62b3bdc423e11444677a6a73d4043511e9/\[https:/emojipedia.org/bird/README.md)[**@carlospolopm**](https://twitter.com/carlospolopm)**.** * **Share your hacking tricks by submitting PRs to the** [**hacktricks repo**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks) **and** [**hacktricks-cloud repo**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks-cloud).