Hackthebox Walkthrough Best Fixed | Forest

The Forest machine on HackTheBox is a classic Active Directory (AD) exploitation lab. The "best" walkthroughs, such as the one by 0xdf hacks stuff, typically break the attack into three main pieces: Reconnaissance, Initial Access via AS-REP Roasting, and Privilege Escalation using BloodHound. 1. Reconnaissance (The First Piece)

The machine is a Windows Domain Controller with no web surface.

Tooling: Use nmap to identify open ports like 88 (Kerberos), 135 (RPC), 389 (LDAP), and 445 (SMB).

LDAP/RPC Enumeration: Enumerate the domain users through a null session or anonymous LDAP bind. Tools like enum4linux or windapsearch can extract a list of valid usernames. 2. Initial Access: AS-REP Roasting

Once you have a list of usernames, you look for accounts that do not require Kerberos pre-authentication.

Exploit: Use Impacket's GetNPUsers.py to request an AS-REP for these users. If successful, you receive a hash.

Cracking: Use John the Ripper or Hashcat to crack the hash (e.g., for user svc-alfresco) to obtain a plaintext password. Shell: Log in via Evil-WinRM using the cracked credentials. 3. Privilege Escalation: BloodHound & WriteDACL

This is the core "piece" of the box where you map out AD permissions to become Domain Admin. HTB Write-up: Forest - theyknow

Verify with Evil-WinRM

WinRM is open (port 5985). Connect:

evil-winrm -i 10.10.10.161 -u svc-alfresco -p s3rvice

We are in. Grab the user.txt flag from C:\Users\svc-alfresco\Desktop.

Foothold achieved without a single brute-force password guess.

Connect via WinRM

Since port 5985 is open, use evil-winrm:

evil-winrm -i 10.10.10.161 -u svc-alfresco -p s3rvice

We are now in a limited shell. Navigate to the desktop:

cd C:\Users\svc-alfresco\Desktop
type user.txt

User flag obtained.

Step 2: Request AS-REP Hashes

Use impacket-GetNPUsers to request hashes for users without preauth.

impacket-GetNPUsers htb.local/ -dc-ip 10.10.10.161 -usersfile users.txt -format hashcat -outputfile asreproast.hashes

The output will include a hash for svc-alfresco:

$krb5asrep$23$svc-alfresco@HTB.LOCAL:hash_string...

6. Administrator Access

evil-winrm -i 10.10.10.161 -u Administrator -p 'ThePassword123'

Root flag:

cd C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop
type root.txt

Using Impacket-GetNPUsers

impacket-GetNPUsers htb.local/ -usersfile users.txt -dc-ip 10.10.10.161 -request -format hashcat -outputfile asreproast.hashes

Output:

[-] User sebastien doesn't have UF_DONT_REQUIRE_PREAUTH set
... (many failures) ...
$krb5asrep$23$svc-alfresco@htb.local:...

Bingo. The user svc-alfresco is vulnerable.

Cracking the Hash

Save the hash in hash.txt and use hashcat (mode 18200):

hashcat -m 18200 -a 0 hash.txt /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt

Result (after 30 seconds):

$krb5asrep$... : s3rvice

Credentials: svc-alfresco : s3rvice

Conclusion

The Forest box on Hack The Box provides a challenging but educational experience in the realm of cybersecurity. By following this walkthrough, you'll be able to:

Enumerate open ports and services
Identify and exploit vulnerabilities
Compromise the box as svc-admin
Escalate privileges to root

Best Practices and Takeaways

Always perform thorough reconnaissance to identify potential entry points.
Keep an eye out for misconfigured services and weak credentials.
Understand the privilege escalation paths on the target system.

Additional Resources

Forest is an Easy-rated Windows machine on HackTheBox that focuses on Active Directory (AD)

exploitation. The primary path involves enumerating users without passwords, performing an AS-REP Roasting attack, and leveraging BloodHound to find a path to Domain Admin via group memberships. 🛠️ Phase 1: Enumeration Start by identifying open ports and services. Nmap Scan:

Target ports like 88 (Kerberos), 135 (RPC), 389 (LDAP), and 445 (SMB). LDAP Enumeration: ldapsearch windapsearch to dump user lists. Identify Users: Look for accounts like svc-alfresco , which is often the entry point. 🔑 Phase 2: Initial Access (AS-REP Roasting) forest hackthebox walkthrough best

Since you have a list of usernames, check for accounts that do not require Kerberos pre-authentication. Use Impacket’s GetNPUsers.py Request a TGT for the discovered users. If a user has DONT_REQ_PREAUTH set, you will receive a hash. (Mode 18200) or John the Ripper rockyou.txt wordlist to crack the svc-alfresco Phase 3: Post-Exploitation (BloodHound) Once you have a low-privileged shell (via evil-winrm ), you need to map out the domain. Collection: SharpHound.exe on the target to collect AD data. Import the data into BloodHound on your local machine. Pathfinding: Use the "Find Shortest Paths to Domain Admins" query. Discovery: You will likely see that your user belongs to a group (like Service Accounts ) that has specific rights over others. 🚀 Phase 4: Privilege Escalation The BloodHound graph usually reveals a path involving Exchange Windows Permissions Account Operators Group Membership: You may find you can add users to the Exchange Windows Permissions DCSync Attack: Members of this group can often grant themselves DS-Replication-Get-Changes Final Step: Use Impacket’s secretsdump.py to perform a attack and dump the NTLM hash for the Administrator Pass-the-Hash evil-winrm to log in as the Domain Admin. If you're stuck on a specific step, let me know: Are you having trouble cracking the hash BloodHound not showing a clear path? Do you need the specific for one of the Impacket tools?

I can provide the exact commands for whichever part is giving you trouble!

Forest HackTheBox Walkthrough: Mastering Active Directory Exploitation

Hack The Box's Forest machine is a classic Windows "Easy" box that serves as a cornerstone for learning Active Directory (AD) exploitation. Despite its "Easy" rating, many users find it challenging because it requires a deep understanding of AD misconfigurations, particularly AS-REP Roasting and DACL abuse.

This walkthrough provides a comprehensive guide to gaining a foothold and escalating to Domain Admin. Phase 1: Reconnaissance and Enumeration

The first step is identifying the attack surface. Since Forest is a Windows machine, we expect to see standard AD services.

Nmap Scan: Start with a full port scan to identify open services.

Port 88 (Kerberos): Confirms the machine is a Domain Controller.

Port 389 (LDAP): Reveals the domain name htb.local and hostname forest.htb.local.

Port 445 (SMB) and 5985 (WinRM): Potential entry points for lateral movement and remote management.

User Enumeration: Use rpcclient with a null session to enumerate domain users. Command: rpcclient -U '' -N 10.10.10.161

Use enumdomusers to generate a list of valid usernames, such as svc-alfresco, andy, and mark. Phase 2: Initial Access via AS-REP Roasting

With a list of valid users, the next objective is finding an account vulnerable to AS-REP Roasting—a technique targeting accounts that do not require Kerberos pre-authentication.

machine on HackTheBox is an "Easy" rated Windows box that serves as a foundational exercise for Active Directory (AD)

exploitation. The attack path focuses on Kerberos vulnerabilities and abusing AD group permissions. Walkthrough Summary Enumeration

: Perform an Nmap scan to identify open ports like 88 (Kerberos), 135 (RPC), 389 (LDAP), and 445 (SMB). Use tools like enum4linux null session to enumerate domain users. Initial Access (AS-REP Roasting)

: Identify users that do not require Kerberos pre-authentication. Use GetNPUsers.py from the Impacket suite to request an AS-REP for the user svc-alfresco . Extract the hash and crack it locally using John the Ripper to obtain the plaintext password. : Use the cracked credentials to gain a remote shell via Evil-WinRM Privilege Escalation BloodHound Analysis SharpHound

on the target to collect AD data and visualize attack paths in BloodHound. Abuse Group Permissions : The user svc-alfresco is a member of the Account Operators

group, which allows for the creation of new users and modification of certain group memberships. DCSync Attack : Use the newly created user to grant yourself privileges (via on the domain object). Then, use Impacket's secretsdump.py to dump the NT hashes for all domain users, including the Administrator Root Access : Perform a Pass-the-Hash (PtH) attack using the Administrator's hash with wmiexec.py to gain full control of the machine. Top Resources

Forest machine on Hack The Box is a retired, easy-difficulty Windows machine that serves as a classic introduction to Active Directory (AD) exploitation

. The "best" walkthrough path focuses on exploiting common AD misconfigurations, specifically AS-REP Roasting privilege escalation. Walkthrough Summary 1. Enumeration Identify Services : Start with an

scan. You'll find common AD ports: 88 (Kerberos), 135 (RPC), 389 (LDAP), and 5985 (WinRM). User Enumeration : Use tools like enum4linux

to enumerate users anonymously through RPC or LDAP. Look for accounts like svc-alfresco 2. Initial Foothold (AS-REP Roasting) The Vulnerability : Some users, such as svc-alfresco

, may have the "Do not require Kerberos pre-authentication" property enabled. Exploitation : Use Impacket's GetNPUsers.py

to request a Ticket-Granting Ticket (TGT) for these users. If successful, you'll receive a hash. : Crack the hash offline (e.g., using ) to retrieve the plaintext password. : Use the credentials to log in via WinRM (e.g., using evil-winrm ) to grab the

3. Privilege Escalation (Analyzing Active Directory Permissions)

: Active Directory environments can be visualized using tools like BloodHound to identify permission chains. In this scenario, the svc-alfresco account is found to be a member of the Account Operators Privilege Path Account Operators The Forest machine on HackTheBox is a classic

group often has elevated permissions, such as the ability to modify group memberships for certain administrative groups. Specifically, the path involves identifying groups with

(Write Discretionary Access Control List) privileges over the domain object. Concepts Involved Permission Delegation

: Understanding how nested group memberships and specific ACLs (Access Control Lists) can lead to unintended privilege escalation. DCSync Rights : This involves the DS-Replication-Get-Changes DS-Replication-Get-Changes-All

extended rights. If an account is granted these rights, it can synchronize account data from a Domain Controller. Credential Harvesting : Security professionals use tools like Impacket's secretsdump

in authorized environments to demonstrate how an attacker could extract NT hashes for the entire domain once the necessary replication rights are obtained. Final Objective

: After gaining the Administrator hash through the replication process, the final step in this training exercise involves using Pass-the-Hash

techniques to authenticate as the local administrator and access the

flag, completing the box. This illustrates the importance of the principle of least privilege in AD management.

Forest HackTheBox Walkthrough: Mastering Active Directory Exploitation

Forest is an "Easy" difficulty Windows machine on HackTheBox (HTB) that serves as a fundamental introduction to Active Directory (AD) exploitation. The attack path focuses on reconnaissance, abusing Kerberos pre-authentication, and leveraging nested group permissions for domain-level privilege escalation. 1. Enumeration and Information Gathering

The objective is to map the attack surface and identify the target as a Domain Controller.

Network Scanning: Use nmap to identify open ports. Typical results for Forest include: Port 88 (Kerberos): Confirms AD environment. Port 135/445 (RPC/SMB): Crucial for user enumeration. Port 389 (LDAP): Used for querying domain objects.

User Enumeration: Use tools like rpcclient or enum4linux to identify valid domain users. A notable account found during this phase is svc-alfresco. 2. Initial Access: AS-REP Roasting

Once users are identified, the next step is to look for accounts with Kerberos Pre-Authentication disabled.

HTB Forest Walkthrough: Master Active Directory Exploitation

Forest is a retired Hack The Box machine rated as Easy, but it serves as one of the most comprehensive introductions to Active Directory (AD) exploitation. This guide covers the best path from initial reconnaissance to capturing the root flag, focusing on Kerberos attacks and automated AD enumeration. Phase 1: Reconnaissance

The first step is identifying the target's open services. Forest is a Windows Server 2016 Domain Controller (forest.htb.local), so expect a wide range of open ports typical for AD environments.

Nmap Scan: Use nmap -p- -sC -sV 10.10.10.161 to find active services.

Port 88 (Kerberos): Primary indicator of a Domain Controller.

Port 389/3268 (LDAP): Useful for unauthenticated user enumeration.

Port 445 (SMB) & 135 (RPC): Standard for Windows file sharing and communication.

Port 5985 (WinRM): Key for gaining remote shell access later. Phase 2: Initial Access (AS-REP Roasting)

Since there is no web surface, we focus on user enumeration through RPC or LDAP. Forest (Easy) - Hack The Box

The Forest machine on Hack The Box is a classic "Easy" Windows box that focuses heavily on Active Directory (AD) enumeration and exploitation. Its most interesting feature is the complete lack of a web application. Instead of searching for a website vulnerability, you must attack the core Windows services directly. Best Walkthrough Steps

According to top-rated guides like those from 0xdf and IppSec, the optimal path follows these stages:

Reconnaissance: Use nmap to find open ports like 88 (Kerberos), 135 (RPC), and 389 (LDAP).

User Enumeration: Exploit an RPC Null Session using rpcclient to list valid domain users without a password. Verify with Evil-WinRM WinRM is open (port 5985)

Initial Access: Perform an AS-REP Roasting attack against the identified users to grab a password hash and crack it offline.

Internal Access: Use the cracked credentials to log in via Evil-WinRM.

Privilege Escalation: Run BloodHound to visualize the AD environment and find a path from your current user to Domain Admin.

Root Execution: Abuse ACL permissions (specifically for the "Exchange Windows Permissions" or "Exchange Trusted Subsystem" groups) to grant yourself DCSync rights.

Final Step: Use the secretsdump tool from the Impacket suite to dump the Administrator's hash and gain full control. 🌟 Interesting Feature: No Web Surface

Most CTF machines begin with a web server, but Forest forces you to engage with Active Directory misconfigurations immediately. This makes it a premier training ground for the OSCP exam and real-world enterprise pentesting. 🛠️ Key Tools Used BloodHound: Essential for mapping complex AD attack paths.

Impacket: Used for AS-REP Roasting and dumping domain secrets.

Evil-WinRM: The primary method for gaining a shell once you have credentials.

For a visual guide on the methodology used to tackle Windows Active Directory machines like Forest, watch this walkthrough: Getting Started with HackTheBox in 2025 | Cheatsheet Inside The Cyber Mentor YouTube• Jun 7, 2025 AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more

Machine Information

Name: Forest
Difficulty: Easy
Operating System: Windows
IP Address: 10.10.10.79

Initial Recon

Nmap scan:

PORT      STATE SERVICE
53        open  domain
88        open  kerberos
135       open  msrpc
139       open  netbios-ssn
445       open  microsoft-ds

The machine appears to be a Windows domain controller.

Enumerating DNS

Use dig to query the DNS server:

dig @10.10.10.79 forest.htb

This returns a list of domains and subdomains.

Enumerating SMB

Use smbclient to connect to the SMB share:

smbclient //10.10.10.79

This allows us to list shares and files.

Finding Credentials

We find a file called creds.txt in the sysvol share:

 cat creds.txt

The file contains credentials for a user: svc-ata: P@ssw0rd

Impersonating a User

Use runascs to impersonate the svc-ata user:

runascs /user:svc-ata /password:P@ssw0rd

This allows us to run commands as the svc-ata user.

Privesc

We find that the svc-ata user is a member of the Account Operators group.
We can use this group membership to add ourselves to the Domain Admins group.

Getting a Shell

Use powerview to add ourselves to the Domain Admins group:

powerview Add-DomainGroupMember -GroupName "Domain Admins" -Members svc-ata

We can now get a shell as the Domain Admins user.

Final Steps

We can now read the root.txt file on the machine.

The walkthrough is now complete.

Best Approach

The best approach for this machine is to focus on enumerating the DNS and SMB shares.
Using the credentials found in the creds.txt file to impersonate a user and then escalate privileges.

That's it. I hope you find this walkthrough helpful.

Would you like a more in-depth explanation on a specific part of the walkthrough?

Verify

Get-DomainGroupMember -Identity "Exchange Windows Permissions"

Now, use mimikatz or impacket-secretsdump to perform DCSync:

impacket-secretsdump -just-dc htb.local/svc-alfresco:s3rvice@10.10.10.161

This will dump the NTLM hash of the Administrator account.

Administrator hash:

aad3b435b51404eeaad3b435b51404ee:32693b11e6aa90f43dfa1e816ec0a1c8