Network & System Exploitation
Post-Exploitation & Pivoting
Maintaining access, looting, and reaching deeper internal networks.
After gaining control, post-exploitation assesses real impact: what data can you reach, and can you use this machine to attack others deeper in the network (pivoting)?
- Loot — hunt for credentials, keys, database dumps, and sensitive files.
- Persistence — (in-scope only) a way to keep access if the shell drops.
- Pivoting — route traffic through the compromised host to reach internal-only machines.
- Impact mapping — translate access into business risk for the report.