Baby
Executive summary — Baby is a Windows machine built on a Domain Controller (Active Directory) that isn't cracked with a single exploit, but by chaining configuration slips: an anonymous LDAP bind leaks an initial password in the
descriptionattribute, group membership reveals hidden accounts that direct enumeration never shows, a targeted password spray plus an SMB password reset yields a shell as a member of Backup Operators, andSeBackupPrivilegelets us dumpNTDS.ditfor a final Pass-the-Hash as Administrator. An LDAP → SMB → WinRM → Root path.
| Platform | Hack The Box |
| Operating system | Windows |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Status | Retired |
| Target IP | 10.129.33.154 |
Attack map
[anon LDAP] baby.vl (BabyDC) — anonymous bind
│ Teresa.Bell description leaks BabyStart123!
▼
[dev/it groups] the member attribute reveals hidden users
│ Caroline.Robinson · Ian.Walker (different read ACL)
▼
[Password spray] Caroline.Robinson → STATUS_PASSWORD_MUST_CHANGE
│ password reset over SMB → Hackerman2026!
▼
[WinRM] Caroline.Robinson (BUILTIN\Backup Operators)
│ SeBackupPrivilege → diskshadow (VSS) → robocopy /b → NTDS.dit
▼
[secretsdump] Administrator NTLM hash
│ Pass-the-Hash
▼
[ROOT] Administrator via WinRM → root.txt
1. Reconnaissance
We start by mapping the attack surface: a full-port sweep tuned for speed, then a scripted, version-detecting scan over the open ports:
nmap -p- --min-rate 3000 -T4 -Pn 10.129.33.154
nmap -p 53,88,135,139,389,445,464,593,636,3268,3269,3389,5985,9389 -sC -sV -Pn 10.129.33.154
Relevant result: a port set that is the classic fingerprint of a Domain Controller — 53 (DNS), 88 (Kerberos), 135 (MSRPC), 139/445 (SMB), 389/636/3268/3269 (LDAP/LDAPS/Global Catalog), 464 (kpasswd), 3389 (RDP), 5985 (WinRM) and 9389 (ADWS). The scan also reveals: Windows Server 2022 (build 20348), domain baby.vl, hostname BabyDC, and a self-signed RDP certificate (commonName=BabyDC.baby.vl).
Analysis: against a DC, AD enumeration (SMB, LDAP, Kerberos) is almost always the entry vector. There is no web app: all focus goes to the directory services.
Resumen ejecutivo — Baby es una máquina Windows construida sobre un Domain Controller (Active Directory) que no se rompe con un exploit, sino encadenando descuidos de configuración: un bind LDAP anónimo filtra una contraseña inicial en el atributo
description, la membresía de grupo revela cuentas ocultas que la enumeración directa no ve, un password spray dirigido más un reseteo de contraseña vía SMB da una shell como miembro de Backup Operators, ySeBackupPrivilegepermite volcarNTDS.ditpara un Pass-the-Hash final como Administrator. Un recorrido LDAP → SMB → WinRM → Root.
| Plataforma | Hack The Box |
| Sistema operativo | Windows |
| Dificultad | Easy |
| Estado | Retired |
| IP objetivo | 10.129.33.154 |
Mapa del ataque
[LDAP anón] baby.vl (BabyDC) — bind anónimo
│ description de Teresa.Bell filtra BabyStart123!
▼
[Grupos dev/it] el atributo member revela usuarios ocultos
│ Caroline.Robinson · Ian.Walker (ACL de lectura distinta)
▼
[Password spray] Caroline.Robinson → STATUS_PASSWORD_MUST_CHANGE
│ reseteo de contraseña vía SMB → Hackerman2026!
▼
[WinRM] Caroline.Robinson (BUILTIN\Backup Operators)
│ SeBackupPrivilege → diskshadow (VSS) → robocopy /b → NTDS.dit
▼
[secretsdump] hash NTLM de Administrator
│ Pass-the-Hash
▼
[ROOT] Administrator vía WinRM → root.txt
1. Reconocimiento
Empezamos mapeando la superficie de ataque con un barrido de todos los puertos, priorizando velocidad, y luego un escaneo con scripts y detección de versión sobre los que están abiertos:
nmap -p- --min-rate 3000 -T4 -Pn 10.129.33.154
nmap -p 53,88,135,139,389,445,464,593,636,3268,3269,3389,5985,9389 -sC -sV -Pn 10.129.33.154
Resultado relevante: un conjunto de puertos que es la huella clásica de un Domain Controller — 53 (DNS), 88 (Kerberos), 135 (MSRPC), 139/445 (SMB), 389/636/3268/3269 (LDAP/LDAPS/Global Catalog), 464 (kpasswd), 3389 (RDP), 5985 (WinRM) y 9389 (ADWS). El escaneo revela además: Windows Server 2022 (build 20348), dominio baby.vl, hostname BabyDC y un certificado RDP propio (commonName=BabyDC.baby.vl).
Análisis: ante un DC, la enumeración de AD (SMB, LDAP, Kerberos) es casi siempre la vía de entrada. No hay web: todo el foco va a los servicios de directorio.
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