Notes by Nisha

Container Security Starts Before the Cloud

Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

How I established a container image security baseline using distroless, Trivy, and GitHub Actions before touching any cloud infrastructure.

AWS Lab Walkthrough: Troubleshooting IAM Access Issues

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Learn how to troubleshoot IAM role assumption failures by aligning identity-based policies and trust relationships while maintaining least privilege.

Exploiting AlwaysInstallElevated for Windows Privilege Escalation

Tue, 06 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A walkthrough of exploiting the AlwaysInstallElevated misconfiguration on Windows to escalate from user to SYSTEM using a malicious MSI payload.

Devel Rooted: A Hack The Box Walkthrough

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This post is a walkthrough of the ‘Devel’ retired machine from Hack The Box. I gain initial access through an exposed FTP and WebDAV setup, then escalate privileges using MS15-051.

LazyAdmin TryHackMe Walkthrough

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A complete walkthrough of the LazyAdmin room on TryHackMe, demonstrating enumeration, exploitation, and privilege escalation.

Anonymous Rooted: A TryHackMe Walkthrough

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This walkthrough covers the TryHackMe ‘Anonymous’ room. I gain user-level access via FTP and a writable script, capture the user flag, and escalate to root via a SUID misconfiguration.

Compromising the Dev Box: A PNPT Walkthrough with Mitigation and MITRE ATT&CK Mapping

Sat, 07 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A step-by-step walkthrough of compromising the Dev Box from TCM Security’s PNPT training course, including detailed explanations, mitigation steps, and a comprehensive mapping to MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques.

TryHackMe: Enumeration & Brute Force Room Walkthrough

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Overview #

This walkthrough documents my experience completing the Enumeration & Brute Force room on TryHackMe. The room provides hands-on experience with various enumeration techniques, brute force attacks, and web application vulnerability exploitation. This write-up details my approach to each task and the key learning points along the way.

Investigate Web Attacks Challenge Walkthrough (Let's Defend)

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A detailed walkthrough of how to solve the ‘Investigating Web Attacks Challenge’ on Let’s Defend using the bWAPP web application as the victim.

Exploring Splunk Data Administration: Parsing, Event Line Breaking, and Data Privacy

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

As cybersecurity professionals, one of the key challenges we often face is the sheer volume of log data we need to analyze. Whether we’re hunting for anomalies, investigating security incidents, or just keeping an eye on our network’s health, efficiently processing log data is important. I recently had the opportunity to further explore Splunk Data Administration, specifically the Parsing Phase and Data Preview—two areas that fundamentally shape how Splunk processes incoming data and prepares it for analysis. In this post, I’ll share what I learned and how these skills relate to my daily work.

Escalate and Defend: Linux Kernel Exploit Walkthrough

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A dual perspective walkthrough of TryHackMe’s Linux Privilege Escalation room (Kernel Exploits), including offensive steps and defense strategies mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK Framework.

IPv6 DNS Takeover with MITM6 in an Active Directory Environment

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction #

In this blog post, I will walk you through a demonstration of an IPv6 DNS takeover attack using the mitm6 (Man in the Middle for IPv6) tool in an Active Directory (AD) pentesting environment. This type of attack exploits weaknesses in the network’s handling of IPv6, allowing an attacker to become a Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) and relay NTLM authentication requests to a Domain Controller (DC).

Understanding SMB Relay Attacks and Mitigation Techniques

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction #

In the world of network security, understanding various attack vectors is critical to safeguarding systems and data. One such attack is the SMB (Server Message Block) Relay attack, which exploits vulnerabilities in the SMB protocol commonly used in Windows environments. This article will explore what an SMB Relay attack is, the steps involved in executing such an attack, and mitigation strategies to reduce the associated risks. Additionally, I will include screenshots and steps from my lab demonstration using the Responder tool and NTLM Relay X.

Understanding SMB Relay Attacks and Mitigation Techniques

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Understanding LLMNR Poisoning and Mitigation Techniques

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction #

In this blog post, I discuss a common network attack called Link-Local Multicast Name Resolution (LLMNR) poisoning. This type of attack can be highly effective in capturing NTLMv2 hashes, which can then be used to gain unauthorized access to systems in a Windows environment. I will also share insights on how to mitigate this this type of vulnerability attack, ensuring your network remains secure. To illustrate this attack, I have included screenshots from my recent lab demonstration where I successfully captured NTLMv2 hashes using Responder.

My Journey to eJPT Certification: Insights and Tips for Success

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Earning the INE Security Junior Penetration Tester (eJPT) certification has been a significant milestone in my cybersecurity journey. In this blog post, I’ll share my experience with the eJPT exam and the strategies that helped me succeed. Whether you’re considering this certification or preparing for the exam, I hope my insights will be useful for your own path in ethical hacking and penetration testing.

Dancing - HTB Walkthrough by Nisha

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Room Link: https://app.hackthebox.com/starting-point?tier=0

Task 1 #

What does the 3-letter acronym SMB stand for?

Server Message Block

Task 2 #

What port does SMB use to operate at?

TryHackMe IDOR Room Walkthrough

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Walkthrough of the Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) room on TryHackMe, part of the Jr. Web Penetration Tester learning path.

🧭 Access the TryHackMe IDOR Room — Complete this room to practice real-world exploitation of Insecure Direct Object References in a safe lab environment.

Steel Mountain - TryHackMe Walkthrough by Nisha

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Hack into a Mr. Robot themed Windows machine. Use metasploit for initial access, utilise powershell for Windows privilege escalation enumeration and learn a new technique to get Administrator access.

Hacking Kenobi: From Anonymous Access to Root like a Rebel

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A complete walkthrough of the Kenobi TryHackMe room, covering enumeration, exploiting ProFTPD, and privilege escalation using SUID PATH hijacking.

TryHackMe Ice - Walkthrough by Nisha

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Deploy & hack into a Windows machine, exploiting a very poorly secured media server.

Room Link: https://tryhackme.com/r/room/ice

Task 1 - Connect #

Get connected to the TryHackMe network using OpenVPN. Make sure to first download your configuration file from your access page.

How to Install Remmina on Kali Linux

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Step 1: Update Your System

Install Remmina

sudo apt install remmina

Launch Remmina

Step 4: Configure a Remote Connection

Rooting the Academy Box: A Practical Ethical Hacking Walkthrough

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Exploiting EternalBlue (MS17-010): A Walkthrough and Protection Measures

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A detailed walkthrough of how to exploit the Eternal Blue vulnerability on a Windows 7 Ultimate machine, covering both manual and automated methods.

TryHackMe Ignite Room Walkthrough: Exploiting Fuel CMS 1.4.1 RCE

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Walkthrough of TryHackMe’s Ignite room where we exploit a Remote Code Execution vulnerability in Fuel CMS 1.4.1 (CVE-2018-16763). Learn the steps of enumeration, exploitation, privilege escalation, and defense strategies.

TryHackMe Walkthough - Post-Exploitation Basics

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Room Link: Task 2 Enumeration w/ Powerview

Windows Event Logs (TryHackMe Walkthrough)

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction to Windows Event Logs and the tools to query them. #

Room Link: https://tryhackme.com/r/room/windowseventlogs

Wireshark: The Basics - THM Walkthrough by Nisha

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Room Link: https://tryhackme.com/r/room/wiresharkthebasics

Learning Objectives

Task 1 - Introduction #

Question: Which file is used to simulate the screenshots? Answer: http1.pcapng

<strong>Question: Which file is used to answer the questions? </strong>
<em> Answer: Exercise.pcapng </em></br>

Linux Fundamentals I - TryHackMe Walkthrough By Nisha

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Embark on the journey of learning the fundamentals of Linux. Learn to run some of the first essential commands on an interactive terminal..

Content Discovery - THM Walkthrough by Nisha

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Room Link: https://tryhackme.com/r/room/contentdiscovery

In cybersecurity, discovering hidden or non-obvious content on web servers is critical for any aspiring ethical hacker. The “Content Discovery” room on TryHackMe offers a detailed, hands-on approach to mastering techniques for uncovering various types of web content that can reveal vulnerabilities or sensitive data. Ideal for learners looking to deepen their web penetration testing skills, this room enhances the ability to pinpoint potential entry points on a target website.

Meow - HTB Walkthrough by Nisha

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Room Link: https://app.hackthebox.com/starting-point?tier=0

Task 1 - #

Task 2 - #

Task 3 - #

Walking An Application - THM Walkthrough by Nisha

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Room Link: https://tryhackme.com/r/room/walkinganapplication

In the "Walking An Application" room on TryHackMe, you will learn how to manually assess a web application for security vulnerabilities using only the built-in tools available in your web browser. Automated security tools and scripts often miss many potential vulnerabilities and valuable information. This room emphasizes the importance of manual review to identify and understand these overlooked issues.

The Art of Reconnaissance in Cybersecurity

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The Art of Reconnaissance: A Critical Tool in Cybersecurity #

Welcome to Day 4 of my 100 Days of Cybersecurity Challenge. As I progress through this intensive learning journey, I’m thrilled to share some insights into one of the most critical aspects of cybersecurity: reconnaissance.

Introduction to Offensive Security - THM Walkthrough by Nisha

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Room Link: https://tryhackme.com/r/room/introtooffensivesecurity

Task 1 - What is Offensive Security? #

Question: Which of the following options better represents the process where you simulate a hacker’s actions to find vulnerabilities in a system?

Vulnerability Scanning Nessus

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Vulnerability Scanning with Tenable Nessus #

🚀 Day 3 of my #100DaysOfCybersecurity challenge is all about getting hands-on with Tenable Nessus! 🕵️‍♂️

How to Create Configure a DMZ on Palo Alto FIrewall

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Configuring a DMZ Zone and Policy Using Palo Alto Firewall #

On Day 2 of my #100DaysofCybersecurity challenge, I focused on enhancing defenses by making progress on my Palo Alto Firewall lab.

Vulnerability Scanning With Nmap Network Scanning

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Vulnerability Scanning with Nmap: Network Scanning #

What is Nmap and which problems does it solve in Cybersecurity?

Nmap (Network Mapper) is a powerful open-source network scanning and host discovery tool used in cybersecurity. It allows security professionals and ethical hackers to assess the security posture of computer networks by identifying open ports, services running on those ports, and potential vulnerabilities. Nmap is a versatile and essential utility in the arsenal of cybersecurity experts for conducting network reconnaissance and penetration testing.

How to Configure DNS Settings in Microsoft Azure

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

How to Configure DNS Settings in Microsoft Azure #

Lab Guide from Microsoft Learning

Create Virtual Networks In Azure

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Create Virtual Networks (VNets) in Azure #

Lab Guide from Microsoft Learning

Identity And Access Management Azure Policy

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

IAM: Configure Azure Policy #

Identity And Access Management Resource Manager Locks In Azure

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

IAM: Create Resource Manager Locks in Azure #

Identity And Access Management Role Based Access Control

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

IAM: Configure Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) in Azure #

Incident Handling With Splunk / Splunk 201 (TryHackMe Walkthrough)

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Learn to use Splunk for incident handling through interactive scenarios. #

Room: https://tryhackme.com/r/room/splunk201

Learning Objectives and Pre-requisites

Before going through this room, it is expected that the participants will have a basic understanding of Splunk. If not, consider going through this room, Splunk 101 (https://tryhackme.com/jr/splunk101).

Learn how to leverage OSINT sites during an investigation
How to map Attacker's activities to Cyber Kill Chain Phases
How to utilize effective Splunk searches to investigate logs
Understand the importance of host-centric and network-centric log sources

Task 1 Introduction: Incident Handling

Q: Read the above and continue to the next task.
Answer: No answer needed

Splunk Basics / Splunk 101 (TryHackMe Walkthrough)

Sat, 15 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Room Link: https://tryhackme.com/room/splunk101

Learning Objectives and Pre-requisites

If you are new to SIEM, please complete the Introduction to SIEM. This room covers the following learning objectives:

Splunk overview
Splunk components and how they work
Different ways to ingest logs
Normalization of logs

Task 1 Introduction

Splunk is one of the leading SIEM solutions in the market that provides the ability to collect, analyze and correlate the network and machine logs in real-time. In this room, we will explore the basics of Splunk and its functionalities and how it provides better visibility of network activities and help in speeding up the detection.

Continue with the next task.

Vulnerability Scanning With Openvas Unveiling Cybersecurity Insights

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Vulnerability Scanning with OpenVAS: Unveiling Cybersecurity Insights #

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, staying one step ahead of potential threats is paramount. This is where tools like OpenVAS (Open Vulnerability Assessment System) come into play, offering a powerful solution for identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities within your network. In this article, we will explore the world of OpenVAS, its purpose, and the critical differences between unauthenticated and credentialed scans. Join us on a journey through the realm of vulnerability management.

Introduction to Defensive Security - THM Walkthrough by Nisha

Wed, 03 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Room Link: https://tryhackme.com/r/room/defensivesecurity

Task 1 - Introduction to Defensive Security #

Learning Objectives: Offensive security primarily aims at breaking into systems through various methods like exploiting bugs, abusing insecure setups, and bypassing access control policies. This is the realm of red teams and penetration testers.

Windows Fundamentals 1 - TryHackMe Walkthrough

Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Room Link:

Windows Fundamentals 1 - TryHackMe Walkthrough #

Configure Network Monitoring In Aws

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Configure Network Monitoring in AWS #

Implement Security Controls In Aws

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Implement Security Controls in AWS #

Enable Inter Vpc Connectivity With Aws Transit Gateway

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Enable Inter-VPC Connectivity with AWS Transit Gateway #

Enable Inter Vpc Connectivity Using Peering Connections In Aws

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Enable Inter-VPC Connectivity Using Peering Connections in AWS #

Aws Networking Multi Vpc Architecture

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

AWS Networking: Multi-VPC Architecture #

Introduction to AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A beginner-friendly walkthrough of managing users, groups, and permissions in AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM).

How To Deploy A Secured Static Website On Aws

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

How to Deploy a Secured Static Website on AWS #

How to Deploy a Secured Static Website on AWS

Deploy Amazon Connect Contact Center

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Deploy an Amazon Connect Contact Center #

Enable Session Stickiness Using An Application Load Balancer In Aws (Alb)

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Enable Session Stickiness Using an Application Load Balancer (ALB) in AWS #

Deploy and Configure Azure Firewall and Rules to Allow/Deny Access to Certain Websites

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Deploy and Configure Azure Firewall and Rules to Allow/Deny Access to Certain Websites #

Fig.1 - Azure Premium Firewall Diagram | Image Source: Microsoft.com

The Azure Firewall is a fully managed cloud-native service that provides network security to protect your Azure virtual network resources. The service offers built-in high availability, unrestricted scalability, threat intelligence-based filtering, logging and monitoring, and many more features and capabilities.

Deploy Azure Application Gateway to Direct Web Traffic

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Deploy Azure Application Gateway to Direct Web Traffic #

Create Inbound NAT Rules to Connect to a Single VM in Azure (Port-Forwarding)

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Create Inbound NAT Rules to Connect to a Single VM in Azure (Port-Forwarding) #

Configure Azure Load Balancer

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Configure Azure Load Balancer #

Traffic Routing in Microsoft Azure with Network Virtual Appliacne (NVA)

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Traffic Routing in Microsoft Azure with Network Virtual Appliacne (NVA) #

How to Create Site-to-Site VPN Connections in Microsoft Azure

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Create a Site-to-Site (S2S) VPN Connection in Microsoft Azure #

How to Create Point-to-Site VPN Connections in Microsoft Azure

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

How to Create Point-to-Site VPN Connections in Microsoft Azure #

Creating Azure Point to Site VPN Connections

Creating VNet-to-VNet Connections in Microsoft Azure

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

This walkthrough details how to create secure VPN Gateway connections between two Azure Virtual Networks using VNet-to-VNet tunneling. Learn how to configure VPN Gateways, establish encrypted connections, and verify the status—all from the Azure portal.

About

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Hi, I’m Nisha — a cybersecurity engineer who loves learning all things technology and writing about it along the way.

Notes by Nisha is where I keep my working notes: cloud security, offensive and defensive tradecraft, hands-on lab walkthroughs, and the occasional deep dive into whatever I’m currently obsessed with. If it taught me something, it probably ends up here.