Core Technical Skills

Linux Command Line Survival

The commands you'll use in every shell you land on.

Beginner · 15 min

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Most servers you attack run Linux, and when you get a shell it'll usually be a Linux one. Fluency here directly speeds up every engagement.

whoami          # who am I on this box?
id              # my user id and groups (privesc hints)
pwd; ls -la     # where am I, what's here (including hidden files)
cat /etc/passwd # list users on the system
find / -perm -4000 2>/dev/null   # find SUID binaries (privesc gold)
grep -R "password" /var/www 2>/dev/null  # hunt hardcoded creds

Why these matter for hacking

• id / whoami — instantly tells you how much power your shell has.
• find with -perm -4000 — SUID binaries are a top privilege-escalation path.
• grep for 'password' — config files leak credentials constantly.
• Understanding file permissions (rwx) — decides what you can read, write, or execute.

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