Privilege Escalation
Understand how attackers escalate privileges once inside a system, and how to mitigate these attacks.
Privilege Escalation is a free Ethical Hacking Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 2 of 3. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Ethical Hacking Academy learning path, one of 3 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
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Welcome to Privilege Escalation
Privilege escalation is the process of gaining higher levels of access on a system, often exploited by attackers.
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What is Privilege Escalation?
It refers to exploiting system vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to higher privileges.
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Types of Privilege Escalation
- Vertical Escalation - Gaining admin/root access from a lower-privileged user.
- Horizontal Escalation - Accessing another user's account without increasing privileges.
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Common Privilege Escalation Techniques
- Exploiting weak permissions.
- Abusing misconfigurations.
- Kernel exploits.
- Credential dumping.
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Kernel Exploits
Vulnerable operating system kernels can be exploited to gain root access.
uname -r && searchsploit linux kernel6
Credential Dumping
Attackers extract stored passwords from system memory.
mimikatz.exe 'privilege::debug' 'sekurlsa::logonpasswords'7
Common Tools for Privilege Escalation
LinPEAS- Linux privilege escalation checker.WinPEAS- Windows privilege escalation scanner.Mimikatz- Extracts credentials from Windows memory.
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Preventing Privilege Escalation
- Apply security patches regularly.
- Use the principle of least privilege.
- Monitor system logs for suspicious activity.
- Disable unnecessary services.
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Summary
Privilege escalation exploits system vulnerabilities to gain higher access. Proper security measures can help prevent it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Privilege Escalation” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Privilege Escalation” is free to read here on the web, and the Ethical Hacking Academy course includes 3 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Ethical Hacking Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “Privilege Escalation”?
Understand how attackers escalate privileges once inside a system, and how to mitigate these attacks. You practise Ethical Hacking Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start Ethical Hacking Academy?
No prior experience is required. Ethical Hacking Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 2 of 3, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “Privilege Escalation” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this Ethical Hacking Academy lesson?
Yes. Every Ethical Hacking Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- Password Cracking Techniques
- Privilege Escalation
- Maintaining Access