Kali Linux

BackupOperatorToDA : From An Account Member Of The Group Backup Operators To Domain Admin

BackupOperatorToDA, From An Account Member Of The Group Backup Operators To Domain Admin Without RDP Or WinRM On The Domain Controller.

If you compromise an account member of the group Backup Operators you can become the Domain Admin without RDP or WinRM on the Domain Controller.

All credit from filip_dragovic with his inital POC ! I build this project because I wanted to have a more generic binary with parameters and also being able to export the SAM database on the remote share !

PS C:\Users\mpgn\POC> .\BackupOperatorToDA.exe -h
Backup Operator to Domain Admin (by @mpgn_x64)
This tool exist thanks to @filip_dragovic / https://github.com/Wh04m1001
Mandatory argument:
-t \computer_name (ex: \dc01.pouldard.wizard
-o Where to store the sam / system / security files (can be UNC path)
Optional arguments:
-u Username
-p Password
-d Domain
-h help

Example:

  • Using the user RON member of the Backup Operators group on another server than the DC
  • I dump and export the SAM database on the remote share
  • Then I read the SAM file with secretdump
  • An I use the computer account fo the DC to dump the NTDS !

What’s the magic ?

The code is really simple, there is only 3 steps:

  • RegConnectRegistryA : Establishes a connection to a predefined registry key on another computer.
  • RegOpenKeyExA : Opens the specified registry key
  • RegSaveKeyA : Saves the specified key and all of its subkeys and values to a new file

Blackfield from HackTheBox

This box was designed by aas_s3curity to exploit a user from the group “Backup Operators” to become domain admin and get the root flag. I search a little bit on the available writeups but all of them where using WinRM to exploit the “Backup Operators” group.

With this POC you don’t need to have an access with WinRM or RPD :

R K

Recent Posts

How OpenClaw Works

Imagine if you had a super-powered assistant who could automatically handle all the boring, repetitive…

1 day ago

How to Use the Linux find Command to Locate Files Like a Pro

Managing files efficiently is a core skill for anyone working in Linux, whether you're a…

3 days ago

How to Check Open Ports in Linux Using netstat, ss, and lsof

Open ports act as communication endpoints between your Linux system and the outside world. Every…

4 days ago

Best Endpoint Monitoring Tools for 2026

Introduction In today’s cyber threat landscape, protecting endpoints such as computers, smartphones, and tablets from…

6 days ago

Best 9 Incident Response Automation Tools

Introduction In today's fast-paced cybersecurity landscape, incident response is critical to protecting businesses from cyberattacks.…

6 days ago

How AI Puts Data Security at Risk

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing how industries operate, automating processes, and driving new innovations. However,…

3 months ago