How Privilege Escalation Attacks Threaten Your Network
Getting into a network is only half the battle for an attacker. Initial access typically delivers limited permissions on a single system, hardly enough to achieve meaningful objectives. Privilege escalation bridges that gap, allowing attackers to move from a restricted user account to administrative control over critical systems. This step transforms a minor intrusion into a catastrophic breach.
Privilege escalation takes two forms. Vertical escalation moves a low-privilege user to a higher-privilege role, such as gaining administrator or root access on a system. Horizontal escalation shifts access laterally to another user account at the same privilege level, often targeting accounts with access to different data or systems that the original compromised account cannot reach.
Misconfigured services create some of the most reliable escalation pathways. Applications running with excessive permissions, scheduled tasks executing under administrative accounts, and services with writable configuration files all offer opportunities for attackers to inherit elevated privileges. These misconfigurations persist because security reviews rarely examine service account permissions with sufficient depth.
Unpatched operating systems and applications remain a primary escalation vector. Local privilege escalation vulnerabilities surface regularly in major operating systems, and patches often lag behind disclosure. An attacker with low-level access who identifies a missing patch can exploit it to gain full system control within seconds. The gap between vulnerability disclosure and patch deployment represents a window of acute risk.
Credential harvesting on compromised systems frequently yields escalation opportunities. Memory scraping tools extract plaintext passwords, hashes, and authentication tokens from running processes. Cached credentials from privileged accounts that previously logged into the compromised machine provide immediate escalation paths. A single forgotten administrative login session can hand an attacker the keys to the entire domain.
Expert Commentary
William Fieldhouse | Director of Aardwolf Security Ltd
“Privilege escalation is the step that turns a minor foothold into a full compromise. Attackers who land on a system with limited permissions almost always attempt to escalate, and they succeed more often than most organisations realise. Misconfigured services, unpatched local vulnerabilities, and weak access controls hand them the keys.”
Regular internal network penetration testing specifically targets privilege escalation pathways. Professional testers begin with limited access and methodically attempt to escalate, documenting every weakness they exploit along the way. The resulting findings show exactly how an attacker would progress from initial compromise to full network control.
Least privilege enforcement dramatically reduces escalation risk. Every user account, service account, and application should operate with the minimum permissions required for its function. Regular access reviews identify and remove excessive privileges that accumulate over time as roles change and projects conclude.
Endpoint detection and response tools monitor for common escalation techniques. Suspicious process creation, credential dumping attempts, and unexpected privilege changes trigger alerts that security teams can investigate before attackers achieve their objectives. These tools provide a critical detection layer when preventive controls fail.
Active Directory environments deserve particular attention because domain escalation often represents the ultimate prize. Misconfigurations in Group Policy, delegation settings, and trust relationships create paths from a single compromised workstation to domain administrator access. Engaging the best penetration testing company for Active Directory focused assessments reveals these paths before attackers discover them.
Preventing privilege escalation requires ongoing vigilance rather than a one-time configuration effort. New vulnerabilities emerge constantly, configurations drift over time, and business changes introduce new escalation opportunities. Treat privilege management as a continuous process, and test your defences regularly to ensure they hold up against current attack techniques.
