Advanced Tools and CTF Practice

After this lesson, you will be able to: Use Wireshark + Nmap NSE and complete a full CTF machine end-to-end.

This lesson is hands-on: complete a HackTheBox easy/medium machine from recon to root, narrating every decision. Plus Wireshark for protocol-level investigation and Nmap NSE for advanced scripting.

Prerequisites:Post-Exploitation and Reporting

Wireshark in 5 minutes

Capture filters (`tcp port 80`) reduce noise. Display filters (`http.request.method == POST`) find specific events. Follow TCP Stream re-assembles a full conversation. Saving captures: .pcap.

Nmap NSE essentials

Nmap Scripting Engine extends Nmap with vuln checks:

tsx

# Vulnerability scripts
nmap --script vuln 10.10.10.10

# Specific service
nmap -sV --script smb-vuln* 10.10.10.10

# Default + safe scripts
nmap -sC -sV 10.10.10.10

Mental model for a CTF machine

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1. Don't rabbit-hole, if a path is dry after 30 min, switch.
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2. Enumerate ALL services before exploiting any.
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3. Every found credential gets reused everywhere.
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4. Write notes as you go (CherryTree, Obsidian).
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5. Stuck? Use the room's 'official walkthrough' AS LAST RESORT.

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