9.4.0 Stage 04: Shells, Transfers and Credentials
← Main index | Strategy map | Study methods: Map useful web behavior; Recover and use authentication material; Select and adapt public exploits; Establish sessions and move files; Escalate privileges on Linux; Gain a more useful domain identity; Resolve payload execution obstacles; Escalate privileges on Windows
Purpose: make execution usable, move tools/evidence through an explicitly understood route, and classify/recover/test authentication material without confusing authentication with authorization.
| Task | Use it to |
|---|---|
| File transfer | Serve or copy tools to Linux/Windows targets and retrieve output through HTTP, SSH, SMB, Netcat or encoded text |
| Shells and payloads | Choose direct/reverse/bind/authenticated access, match payload format/architecture, repair a session and diagnose callbacks |
| Credential use and cracking | Classify passwords, keys, hashes, responses and tickets; crack supported material and validate compatible reuse |
| File and repository hunting | Inspect exposed Git metadata/history and search scoped Linux/Windows paths for configuration or secret candidates |
| Python tool environments | Isolate source-tool dependencies from system Python and record a reproducible environment |
| Payload execution obstacles | Diagnose client-side delivery, format/architecture/runtime, PowerShell/security controls, handlers and restricted Metasploit use |
Exit condition: the session or credential transition is verified under a named host/identity/context; transfer direction/integrity and authentication/authorization boundaries are recorded; the new state is re-enumerated.