Privilege escalation is one of the essential skills a hacker can have and often separates the newbies from the pros. With a continually changing landscape and a plethora of exploits out there, it can be a problematic aspect of any attack. Luckily, some tools can help expedite the process. Linux Exploit Suggester is just one of many to help you get root.
Privilege escalation is the act of gaining access to the privileges of another user on the system. It comes in two flavors: horizontal and vertical privilege escalation.
Horizontal privilege escalation is when an attacker gains access to another user account, typically with the same status and permissions. It can allow them access to additional systems or data but isn't quite as serious as its vertical cousin. Vertical privilege escalation is when an attacker obtains access to an account with elevated privileges, such as that of a system administrator.
Privilege escalation, especially the vertical kind, is vital for the attacker because it allows them to do things an average user wouldn't be able to. Unless the system is poorly configured, standard users can't usually execute malicious code or configure the system in dramatic ways that would benefit an attacker. That is why privilege escalation is vital for the complete compromise of a target.
Step 1: The Setup & Initial Compromise
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