This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by ahmed Awad (Nullc0d3)

🔓 1. Initial Access Isn't the Win - Escalation Is
Whether it's a phishing link, a leaked RDP login, or a credential dump - attackers usually gain access as a standard user. What happens next makes or breaks the breach.
Common escalation paths I've seen:
Unpatched privilege escalation vulnerabilities
Misconfigured local admin permissions
Stored credentials in lsass.exe or registry
Reused passwords across privileged accounts

🧠 2. Lateral Movement Is What Builds the Empire
Once they're in, attackers move fast - mapping out internal architecture using simple tools:
net view and net user /domain
WMI and PowerShell remoting
RDP hopping
Exploiting file shares with dropped payloads

Defensive tip: Most of this activity uses built-in tools and doesn't trigger alerts unless you're actively watching behavior.

🛡️ 3. How Defenders Can Catch It
What works in the field (as I share in Inside the Hacker Hunter's Toolkit):
Enable detailed PowerShell logging (and actually review it)
Use Sysmon with Sigma rules for process relationships
Build correlation rules for new service creation + admin access
Hunt for lateral movement paths using tools like BloodHound

What attackers automate, defenders must contextualize.

📘 Learn More
This is a key lesson in Inside the Hacker Hunter's Toolkit - based on real cases I've worked from breach to remediation.
📗 Grab the Toolkit book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FFG7NFY7
 📘 Read the mindset stories from the field: https://a.co/d/gIwvppM

CyberSecurity #PrivilegeEscalation #LateralMovement #RedTeam #SOC #ThreatHunting #CTI #DFIR #HackerHunter #AhmedAwad #Nullc0d3 #InfoSec

This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by ahmed Awad (Nullc0d3)

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ahmed Awad (Nullc0d3) | Sciencx (2025-07-08T01:28:34+00:00) The Real Breach Happens After the Login: How Privilege Escalation Fuels Cyber Attacks. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/07/08/the-real-breach-happens-after-the-login-how-privilege-escalation-fuels-cyber-attacks/

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" » The Real Breach Happens After the Login: How Privilege Escalation Fuels Cyber Attacks." ahmed Awad (Nullc0d3) | Sciencx - Tuesday July 8, 2025, https://www.scien.cx/2025/07/08/the-real-breach-happens-after-the-login-how-privilege-escalation-fuels-cyber-attacks/

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ahmed Awad (Nullc0d3) | Sciencx Tuesday July 8, 2025 » The Real Breach Happens After the Login: How Privilege Escalation Fuels Cyber Attacks., viewed ,<https://www.scien.cx/2025/07/08/the-real-breach-happens-after-the-login-how-privilege-escalation-fuels-cyber-attacks/>

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" » The Real Breach Happens After the Login: How Privilege Escalation Fuels Cyber Attacks." ahmed Awad (Nullc0d3) | Sciencx [Online]. Available: https://www.scien.cx/2025/07/08/the-real-breach-happens-after-the-login-how-privilege-escalation-fuels-cyber-attacks/. [Accessed: ]

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