Default Creds

Synopsis: # The Retro machine from HTB x Vulnlab was a Windows Active Directory Domain Controller. Initial access was gained by leveraging anonymous SMB enumeration and weak credentials for a ‘trainee’ user. Post-exploitation involved discovering clues in text files, leading to the compromise of a machine account (‘BANKING$’) by guessing its password and then resetting it. This access was then pivotal for privilege escalation via an Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) misconfiguration (ESC1), allowing the attacker to request a certificate as the Domain Administrator, ultimately leading to full administrative control over the domain controller.