Foothold on Adamino CTF Writeups

Copy files to and from victim

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 20:51:00 +0100

Introduction

Transferring files to and from a compromised target is a fundamental skill in penetration testing and CTF challenges. Whether you need to upload enumeration scripts, exfiltrate data, or transfer exploits, understanding multiple file transfer techniques is crucial for different scenarios and target configurations.

SSH Key Foothold

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 20:51:00 +0100

Seamless Foothold with SSH Keys (id_rsa + id_rsa.pub)

Using SSH key-based auth is a clean, reliable way to gain and retain access during CTFs when you have a valid user account or write access to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the target. Below is a fast, repeatable workflow to generate keys, install your public key on the victim, and log in without a password.

Pretty Hostnames with /etc/hosts

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 20:22:53 +0100

When attacking or enumerating a target, typing raw IPs everywhere is clunky and error-prone. A simple, built-in trick is to use /etc/hosts to map an IP address to a friendly hostname so your tools, browser, and shell can use a memorable name.

Example mapping:

10.82.186.54 cybershield.nc3

This lets you visit http://cybershield.nc3 in your browser, curl cybershield.nc3, and point tools at the hostname instead of the IP.

What /etc/hosts Does

Local override: Maps hostnames to IPs before DNS is queried.
Zero dependencies: No DNS server required; works offline.
System-wide: Applies to all applications on the machine.

How to Add an Entry (macOS/Linux)

Netcat

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:12:28 +0100

Unleashing Netcat’s Potential in Capture The Flag (CTF) Challenges

Netcat, often referred to as the “Swiss army knife” of networking, is a versatile utility that reads and writes data across network connections using the TCP/IP protocol. Its flexibility and ease of use make it an invaluable tool in Capture The Flag (CTF) challenges, where participants seek to exploit vulnerabilities and capture hidden flags. Let’s delve into the myriad ways Netcat can be utilized in CTF scenarios.