A high-level journey through HTB Academy Active Directory Penetration Tester preparation, focused on methodology, lessons learned, and building practical AD security skills.
My no-spoiler OSEP review: preparation strategy, Windows lab mindset, evasion reasoning, reporting lessons, and what actually helped me pass.
A practical comparison of OSCP and CPTS from my own path into penetration testing: what each certification taught me, where they differ, and how they shaped real-world readiness.
Responsible endpoint-security research in an isolated Windows lab: how Microsoft Defender detects suspicious behavior, how to reason about controls, and how defenders can validate coverage.
A practical look at Active Directory trust relationships, why misconfigurations matter, and how defenders can reduce cross-domain attack paths.
ADCS is a critical identity component. This article explains why certificate-service misconfigurations matter and how to think about detection, hardening, and risk.
A high-level review of Sliver C2 concepts for authorized red team operations, with emphasis on lab scope, operational discipline, and defensive lessons.
Advanced DACL notes focused on misconfiguration impact, privilege paths, and how defenders can identify dangerous permissions.
An introduction to DACL security in Active Directory: permissions, abuse paths, and why access-control hygiene matters.
Kerberos security notes for Active Directory environments, covering ticket-based authentication concepts, common risks, and practical defensive awareness.
Windows lateral-movement concepts from a lab perspective, with emphasis on how movement paths are discovered, validated, and defended.
BloodHound-focused notes on mapping Active Directory relationships, finding attack paths, and turning graph data into useful remediation guidance.
CrackMapExec methodology for authorized network assessments: enumeration, validation, and responsible reporting without losing sight of defensive value.
PowerView and SharpView notes for Active Directory enumeration, with focus on methodology, useful signals, and defensive visibility.
LDAP fundamentals for Active Directory security work: how directory data is structured, queried, and used during authorized assessments.
A practical HTB Academy module review focused on Active Directory enumeration, attack-path thinking, and the foundations needed for serious enterprise security testing.
