Authorized-lab note: This writeup documents activity performed exclusively in an authorized Offensive Security Proving Grounds lab. It is shared for educational and portfolio purposes.
Engage in leveraging default credentials and a public exploit against HP Power Manager. This process will include successfully exploiting the application using a public Metasploit module. This activity enhances your skills in exploiting vulnerabilities and utilizing available tools for effective system access.
Scenario
This lab focuses on exploiting a buffer overflow vulnerability in HP Power Manager v4.2 Build 7 to achieve remote code execution. Learners will use both a Python-based exploit and a Metasploit module to gain SYSTEM-level access on a Windows 7 machine. The exercise highlights buffer overflow exploitation and the risks of using default credentials.
Learning objectives
After completion of this lab, learners will be able to:
- Enumerate services running on the target to identify HP Power Manager.
- Use default credentials to access the application and verify its version.
- Deploy the Python-based exploit to trigger the buffer overflow and gain remote access.
- Utilize the Metasploit module to exploit the same vulnerability as an alternative.
- Confirm SYSTEM-level access and retrieve sensitive information from the compromised system.
Enumeration
This block performs reconnaissance or local enumeration. Its output is reviewed for services, files, accounts, and other leads that guide the next step.
(kali㉿kali)-[~/offsec/kevin]
# Map exposed services and versions on the target.
└─$ nmap -sCV -p- 192.168.173.45
Starting Nmap 7.98 ( https://nmap.org ) at 2026-06-16 19:15 -0400
Nmap scan report for 192.168.173.45
Host is up (0.021s latency).
Not shown: 65523 closed tcp ports (reset)
PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION
80/tcp open http GoAhead WebServer
| http-title: HP Power Manager
|_Requested resource was http://192.168.173.45/index.asp
|_http-server-header: GoAhead-Webs
135/tcp open msrpc Microsoft Windows RPC
139/tcp open netbios-ssn Microsoft Windows netbios-ssn
445/tcp open microsoft-ds Windows 7 Ultimate N 7600 microsoft-ds (workgroup: WORKGROUP)
3389/tcp open ms-wbt-server Microsoft Terminal Service
| rdp-ntlm-info:
| Target_Name: KEVIN
| NetBIOS_Domain_Name: KEVIN
| NetBIOS_Computer_Name: KEVIN
| DNS_Domain_Name: kevin
| DNS_Computer_Name: kevin
| Product_Version: 6.1.7600
|_ System_Time: 2026-06-16T23:17:29+00:00
| ssl-cert: Subject: commonName=kevin
| Not valid before: 2026-06-15T23:14:33
|_Not valid after: 2026-12-15T23:14:33
|_ssl-date: 2026-06-16T23:17:37+00:00; +1s from scanner time.
3573/tcp open tag-ups-1?
49152/tcp open msrpc Microsoft Windows RPC
49153/tcp open msrpc Microsoft Windows RPC
49154/tcp open msrpc Microsoft Windows RPC
49155/tcp open msrpc Microsoft Windows RPC
49158/tcp open msrpc Microsoft Windows RPC
49159/tcp open msrpc Microsoft Windows RPC
Service Info: Host: KEVIN; OS: Windows; CPE: cpe:/o:microsoft:windows
Host script results:
| smb2-security-mode:
| 2.1:
|_ Message signing enabled but not required
| smb-os-discovery:
| OS: Windows 7 Ultimate N 7600 (Windows 7 Ultimate N 6.1)
| OS CPE: cpe:/o:microsoft:windows_7::-
| Computer name: kevin
| NetBIOS computer name: KEVIN\x00
| Workgroup: WORKGROUP\x00
|_ System time: 2026-06-16T16:17:29-07:00
|_nbstat: NetBIOS name: KEVIN, NetBIOS user: <unknown>, NetBIOS MAC: 00:50:56:86:c5:ec (VMware)
| smb2-time:
| date: 2026-06-16T23:17:29
|_ start_date: 2026-06-16T23:15:21
| smb-security-mode:
| account_used: <blank>
| authentication_level: user
| challenge_response: supported
|_ message_signing: disabled (dangerous, but default)
|_clock-skew: mean: 1h24m00s, deviation: 3h07m50s, median: 0s- Accessing the website on port 80 takes us to login page for hp power manager
- Trying
admin:admincredentials worked
Takeaways
This lab reinforced the value of methodical enumeration, evidence-driven hypothesis testing, and validating each access-control boundary in an authorized environment.