Client Overview

Our client is a prominent technology company based in the United States, providing innovative solutions and services to a diverse clientele. As part of their commitment to security, they engaged our firm to conduct a comprehensive penetration test to identify vulnerabilities in their network infrastructure.

 

Objective

The primary objective of the penetration test was to evaluate the security posture of the client's network, identify potential vulnerabilities, and recommend mitigations to enhance their overall security.

MethodologyOur team employed a systematic approach, following industry best practices and frameworks for penetration testing. This included reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, and post-exploitation phases.

 

Findings

During the reconnaissance phase, we identified an NFS (Network File System) share that was publicly accessible from a logging server. Upon connecting to this NFS share, we discovered logs containing sensitive credentials. These credentials had elevated privileges on a critical system secured by Duo Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).

 

Exploitation

Our team successfully bypassed the Duo MFA mechanism, gaining access to the system that served as a jump box into a more sensitive area of the network. Utilizing the compromised credentials, we conducted further exploration within the network.

While navigating through the internal environment, we discovered a system with configuration files related to proprietary software. By leveraging these files, we were able to connect to the software and gain entry into a secure network segment.

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Data Extraction Simulation

Once inside the secure network, we accessed a location containing sensitive data. We simulated a data extraction scenario to demonstrate the potential impact of an actual breach, highlighting the risks associated with the identified vulnerabilities.

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Privilege Escalation

In the course of our assessment, we identified a weak point in the Active Directory Certificate Services. By exploiting a vulnerable certificate template, we elevated our access privileges to that of a domain administrator. This effectively allowed us to take control of the entire domain, illustrating the critical need for robust security measures.

 

Recommendations

Post-assessment, we provided the client with a detailed report outlining our findings, including:

1. Securing NFS Shares: Implement strict access controls on NFS shares to ensure only authorized users can access sensitive information.

2. MFA Enhancements: Review and strengthen MFA implementations to prevent bypass techniques.

3. Network Segmentation: Improve network segmentation to limit lateral movement and access to sensitive areas.

4. Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular penetration testing and security audits to identify and remediate vulnerabilities proactively.

5. Active Directory Hardening: Implement stricter controls and monitoring for Active Directory environments to mitigate risks associated with privilege escalation.

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Conclusion

This penetration test underscored the importance of comprehensive security assessments to uncover hidden vulnerabilities within an organization’s infrastructure. By addressing the identified issues, the client can significantly enhance their security posture and protect sensitive data from potential threats. Our collaboration demonstrated the value of proactive security measures in today's increasingly complex threat landscape.