We started things off by looking at how to utilize information gathered during the previous steps for a target. Information from previous chapters was gathered with measured, but increasing, levels of direct interaction with a target. The intention was to gain additional information that we could use to compromise a system while attempting to be less intrusive.
We typically start with cracking or recovering a password to gain access to an account before attempting to gain additional access to a system through privilege escalation. With this increased access, it is possible to carry out more intrusive tasks. Common actions that an attacker may attempt to carry out typically include installing software, installing remote software, or creating other backdoors for later access.
In the next chapter we will learn about clearing tracks and removing evidence from a target system.