Offensive Active Directory Testing Methodology

Problem to Solve

In authorized Active Directory offensive testing, the hard part is not collecting as many credentials as possible, but turning objects, groups, service accounts, and delegation relationships into a reproducible, low-noise, auditable attack path. Excessive live enumeration early in an engagement can trip monitoring, while chasing isolated weaknesses can miss the full chain to Domain Admin, Enterprise Admin, or Tier 0.

How It Works

The skill structures the test into a practical sequence:
- Offline reconnaissance first: use BloodHound, ADExplorer snapshots, or other pre-collected data to build a directory map before making live queries.
- Scoped credential harvesting: where permitted, consider poisoning, Kerberoasting, ASREProast, and LSASS access to obtain identities that can support further movement.
- Path mapping to core targets: connect objects, permissions, delegation, and service account relationships into attack paths, then evaluate whether they reach Domain Admin, Enterprise Admin, or Tier 0.
- Low-detection execution: prefer actions with lower detection cost and limited production impact, validating the result after each hop.
- Documentation and persistence: record timestamps, rationale, actions, and outcomes; discuss persistence only within the authorized scope and without destructive changes.

Scope and Cautions

This is intended for internal Active Directory testing under written authorization, a defined scope, and agreed rules of engagement. It is not a permission to access systems without authorization, disrupt services, exfiltrate sensitive data, or bypass customer controls. Real engagements should still align with compliance requirements, monitoring policies, rollback plans, and the client's operational constraints.