Cyber Security & Tech Articles

HackTheBox DarkZero Writeup
HackTheBox DarkZero Writeup
HTB DarkZero is a two-forest assume-breach Active Directory lab. The attack chain is simply: Start with low-privileged domain creds (john.w) in darkzero.htb Enumerate MSSQL on DC01 → discover a linked server to DC02... Read more...
THM SAL2 vs HTB CDSA vs BTL2 : The Real Comparison
THM SAL2 vs HTB CDSA vs BTL2 : The Real Comparison
SYSTEM://THM SAL2 vs BTL2 vs HTB CDSA MNOTES//SEC CYBER · LABS · INTEL SYSTEM ONLINE The blue team certification space just got a new entrant, and predictably, the marketing wars... Read more...
HackTheBox (HTB) Browsed Writeup
HackTheBox (HTB) Browsed Writeup
HTB Browsed Description HTB Broswed is a medium-difficulty Linux machine centred around abusing browser extension functionality to access internal services. By uploading a malicious Chrome extension, we intercept a developer’s... Read more...
The Blue Team Cheat Sheet Every One Needs
The Blue Team Cheat Sheet Every One Needs
If you’ve spent any time exploring a career in cybersecurity particularly on the defensive side, you’ve probably encountered the same overwhelming moment many newcomers face. You decide to pursue blue... Read more...
HackTheBox Expressway Walkthrough
HackTheBox Expressway Walkthrough
HTB Expressway might be tagged as a beginner-friendly Linux machine, but I’m going to stop you right therem do not let that label fool you into casually skimming through your... Read more...
Interactive OSCP/CPTS Roadmap: HTB Machines + THM Rooms
Interactive OSCP/CPTS Roadmap: HTB Machines + THM Rooms
There is a very specific, deeply frustrating kind of paralysis that almost inevitably hits you about two weeks into any serious cybersecurity certification prep, and it is crucial to recognize... Read more...
HackTheBox Guardian Writeup & Walkthrough
HackTheBox Guardian Writeup & Walkthrough
This is a TL;DR, due to the length of the writeup, I created the full post here. HTB Guardian is a Linux machine that hides its real attack surface behind... Read more...
HTB Giveback Writeup & Walkthrough
HTB Giveback Writeup & Walkthrough
HTB Giveback Look, if you've spent any time grinding through complex lab environments or knocking out rooms, you already know that some machines are just built different and are specifically... Read more...
Best AI Security Certifications in 2026 | Expert Breakdown
Best AI Security Certifications in 2026 | Expert Breakdown
Look, if you've been hanging around the cybersecurity space for any amount of time lately, you've probably noticed that the ground is completely shifting beneath our feet when it comes... Read more...
HTB Soulmate Writeup
HTB Soulmate Writeup
In HTB Soulmate, we chain together two devastating 2025 CVEs, turning what looks like a standard web server into a lesson on why enterprise file transfer solutions are often the... Read more...
HTB Signed Writeup
HTB Signed Writeup
If you’ve been looking for a HackTheBox machine that genuinely sits at the intersection of CTF learning and real-world red teaming, then the recently retired HTB Signed box is worth... Read more...
False Confidence in the SOC: The YARA Rule Problem
False Confidence in the SOC: The YARA Rule Problem
In my recent SOC encounters, I cut through the common misconception that syntactically correct equals operationally safe. A YARA rule that compiles is merely the bare minimum, it’s like saying... Read more...