GPEN Domain Escalation and Persistence Practice Question
You have obtained domain administrator credentials during a penetration test. To maintain stealthy persistence on a Windows domain controller, you decide to abuse Kerberos. Which method allows you to authenticate as any user without knowing their password, and is a known persistence technique?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse DCSync, which extracts hashes, with the Golden Ticket, which uses the extracted KRBTGT hash to forge tickets for persistent access.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Golden Ticket attack using the KRBTGT account hash.
The Golden Ticket attack is a powerful persistence technique because it allows an attacker with the KRBTGT hash to forge TGTs for any user, including domain admins, without needing their passwords. This access persists until the KRBTGT password is changed twice, making it highly stealthy and long-lasting.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Golden Ticket attack using the KRBTGT account hash.
Why this is correct
A Golden Ticket is forged using the KRBTGT account's NTLM hash to create a TGT that grants access as any user. This provides long-term persistence because the KRBTGT hash remains valid until the password is changed twice. It is a well-known domain escalation and persistence technique.
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Silver Ticket attack using a service account hash.
Why it's wrong here
A Silver Ticket forges a service ticket for a specific service using its machine or service account hash. It does not grant domain-wide access or allow impersonation of arbitrary users; it is limited to the targeted service. Therefore, it does not meet the requirement of authenticating as any user.
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Skeleton Key attack by patching LSASS on the domain controller.
Why it's wrong here
A Skeleton Key injects a master password into LSASS, allowing authentication with that password for any user. However, it requires patching LSASS in memory, which is not persistent across reboots and is easily detected. It does not provide the same level of stealthy, long-term persistence as a Golden Ticket.
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DCSync attack to replicate domain controller secrets.
Why it's wrong here
DCSync is used to extract password hashes from a domain controller by simulating replication. While it can be used to obtain the KRBTGT hash for creating a Golden Ticket, DCSync itself is an extraction technique, not a persistence mechanism. It does not directly allow authentication as any user.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official GIAC exam blueprint
This GPEN practice question is part of Courseiva's free GIAC certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the GPEN exam.