Book Image

Hands-On Penetration Testing on Windows

By : Phil Bramwell
Book Image

Hands-On Penetration Testing on Windows

By: Phil Bramwell

Overview of this book

Windows has always been the go-to platform for users around the globe to perform administration and ad hoc tasks, in settings that range from small offices to global enterprises, and this massive footprint makes securing Windows a unique challenge. This book will enable you to distinguish yourself to your clients. In this book, you'll learn advanced techniques to attack Windows environments from the indispensable toolkit that is Kali Linux. We'll work through core network hacking concepts and advanced Windows exploitation techniques, such as stack and heap overflows, precision heap spraying, and kernel exploitation, using coding principles that allow you to leverage powerful Python scripts and shellcode. We'll wrap up with post-exploitation strategies that enable you to go deeper and keep your access. Finally, we'll introduce kernel hacking fundamentals and fuzzing testing, so you can discover vulnerabilities and write custom exploits. By the end of this book, you'll be well-versed in identifying vulnerabilities within the Windows OS and developing the desired solutions for them.
Table of Contents (25 chapters)
Title Page
Dedication
Packt Upsell
Contributors
Preface
Index

Chapter 16. Maintaining Access

We've been on a long journey together through these pages. It's fitting that we end up here, asking the remaining question when you've cracked your way in and proven there's a gap in the client's defense: how do I keep my access? This is a funny question because it's often neglected despite its importance. When a lot of people talk about hacking computers, they think about the excitement of working your way up to breaking open the door. Hacking is problem solving, and sometimes it's easy to forget that being able to persist our access is a problem in its own right. In the context of penetration testing in particular, persistence can be easily taken for granted because we're often working to tight schedules. It seems there's a race to get domain admin or get root, and we stop there to wrap up the report. It's a shame that assessments are often scheduled this way, especially in today's world of advanced persistent threats (APTs).

Remember a broad goal in your...