Introduction To Windows Command Line - Finding Files and Directories

HTB Content Academy
1

Posting this for a sense check mainly, I spent nearly 4 hours battling with finding waldo.txt

I was able to find the flag only after ending up on these forums, after really debating whether to give in and search for the answer I thought 4 hours was enough.

I was entering the following where command and getting the output shown

C:\Users\htb-student>where /R C:\Users\ *waldo.txt
INFO: Could not find files for the given pattern(s)

I thought I’d change directory to the C: drive and C:\Users\ and search from there, with the same outcome

C:\Users>where /R C:\Users\ waldo.txt
INFO: Could not find files for the given pattern(s).

I was then able to find it, but I’d appreciate if someone could explain whether I was going about this in the correct way? I thought by doing recursive search through all of the user folders it would have picked up the flag? Or am I mistaken because of the permissions on the profiles?

2

I will answer this way.
This is done unintentionally.
In order for you to try ALL possible ways.
Well, to think outside the box.
The first time I encountered a very similar situation in the module - “Windows Privilege Escalation”
For the sake of interest, read how the poor people suffered there.
https://forum.hackthebox.com/t/academy-windows-privilege-escalation-skills-assessment-part-i/

3

Did you try running the cmd as administrator?

4

access via rdp
then open the file andget the flag if you cant

5

it work

6

you must run the powershell or CMD as administrator