How to complete your first Lab
Starting your first lab on HackerDNA (HDNA), a popular online platform for testing and advancing your skills in penetration testing and cybersecurity, can be an exciting challenge. Here's a step-by-step guide to help beginners dive into their first "lab," which is a virtual machine designed to emulate real-world vulnerabilities and configurations for educational purposes.
Create an Account: Visit HackerDNA and sign up for an account.
- Select an Easy Lab: For beginners, it's recommended to start with labs labeled as "Easy." You can find these by navigating to the "Labs" > "Easy" section of the HDNA website.
- Start the Machine: Click on the green button labeled "Start Machine" to launch an instance of the Lab. Once started the IP Address of the Machine will be displayed.
- The easiest lab you can start with is called "[Secrets in Source](https://app.hackerdna.com/lab/details?lab_uuid=6bb01157-eedf-429c-abe0-2cf939d576b9)". Do not overthink on this lab, this lab is there to get you up and running.
- Scan the Machine: Use tools like Nmap to scan the machine for open ports and services. This will help you understand what kind of services are running and what vulnerabilities might be present.
- Enumerate Services: Based on the open ports, enumerate the services running on those ports. For example, if there's a web server running (port 80), browse to it and explore any web applications.
- Complete the Tasks by answering the Questions. These tasks are clues to help you advance in the Machine up to the flag.
- Identify Potential Vulnerabilities: Use what you've learned from enumeration to research potential vulnerabilities. This might involve Googling the service versions you've found or using vulnerability databases like CVE.
- Tools and Exploits: Familiarize yourself with tools that can exploit these vulnerabilities, such as Metasploit, or look for existing exploits that might work.
- Exploit Vulnerabilities: Once you've identified a potential exploit, it's time to try it out. Success here might mean gaining a shell or access to a restricted part of the system.
- Privilege Escalation: Often, your initial access will be limited. Look for ways to escalate your privileges to gain more control over the system. This might involve more enumeration and research.
- Find the Flags: HDNA labs can have one or two flags (only one in the Easy Labs), a user flag and a root flag, typically stored as files in the user and root directories. Your goal is to read the content of these files.
- Document Your Process: Keep notes on how you've solved challenges. This is not only useful for reporting and future reference but also a requirement for HDNA write-ups.
- Submit on HDNA: Once you've captured both flags, submit them on the HDNA website to complete the lab. Each flag is a unique UUID that you'll find in the files mentioned.
- Review and Learn: Take time to understand why and how your exploits worked. If you used someone else's exploit, try to understand the underlying vulnerability and how the exploit takes advantage of it.
Starting your first lab on HackerDNA might seem daunting, but it's a highly rewarding experience. Each lab is a puzzle waiting to be solved, and each solution enhances your skills. Remember, persistence is key in cybersecurity, so don't get discouraged by initial failures. Happy hacking!
Step 1: Sign Up and Set Up
Create an Account: Visit HackerDNA and sign up for an account.
Step 2: Choose Your First Lab
- Select an Easy Lab: For beginners, it's recommended to start with labs labeled as "Easy." You can find these by navigating to the "Labs" > "Easy" section of the HDNA website.
- Start the Machine: Click on the green button labeled "Start Machine" to launch an instance of the Lab. Once started the IP Address of the Machine will be displayed.
- The easiest lab you can start with is called "[Secrets in Source](https://app.hackerdna.com/lab/details?lab_uuid=6bb01157-eedf-429c-abe0-2cf939d576b9)". Do not overthink on this lab, this lab is there to get you up and running.
Step 3: Enumeration
- Scan the Machine: Use tools like Nmap to scan the machine for open ports and services. This will help you understand what kind of services are running and what vulnerabilities might be present.
- Enumerate Services: Based on the open ports, enumerate the services running on those ports. For example, if there's a web server running (port 80), browse to it and explore any web applications.
Step 4: Research Vulnerabilities
- Complete the Tasks by answering the Questions. These tasks are clues to help you advance in the Machine up to the flag.
- Identify Potential Vulnerabilities: Use what you've learned from enumeration to research potential vulnerabilities. This might involve Googling the service versions you've found or using vulnerability databases like CVE.
- Tools and Exploits: Familiarize yourself with tools that can exploit these vulnerabilities, such as Metasploit, or look for existing exploits that might work.
Step 5: Gain Access
- Exploit Vulnerabilities: Once you've identified a potential exploit, it's time to try it out. Success here might mean gaining a shell or access to a restricted part of the system.
- Privilege Escalation: Often, your initial access will be limited. Look for ways to escalate your privileges to gain more control over the system. This might involve more enumeration and research.
Step 6: Capture the Flag
- Find the Flags: HDNA labs can have one or two flags (only one in the Easy Labs), a user flag and a root flag, typically stored as files in the user and root directories. Your goal is to read the content of these files.
- Document Your Process: Keep notes on how you've solved challenges. This is not only useful for reporting and future reference but also a requirement for HDNA write-ups.
Step 7: Submit Flags
- Submit on HDNA: Once you've captured both flags, submit them on the HDNA website to complete the lab. Each flag is a unique UUID that you'll find in the files mentioned.
Step 8: Reflect and Learn
- Review and Learn: Take time to understand why and how your exploits worked. If you used someone else's exploit, try to understand the underlying vulnerability and how the exploit takes advantage of it.
Conclusion
Starting your first lab on HackerDNA might seem daunting, but it's a highly rewarding experience. Each lab is a puzzle waiting to be solved, and each solution enhances your skills. Remember, persistence is key in cybersecurity, so don't get discouraged by initial failures. Happy hacking!
Updated on: 06/04/2024
Thank you!