SSH Authorized Keys
Sub-technique of T1098 Account Manipulation
Adding your public key to authorized_keys to log in over SSH without a password.
How it shows up on Hack The Box
If you can write as another user (or as root) in their home, generating a key and adding it to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys gives you a stable shell that survives reboots.
Techniques in our catalog that match this one (the number is their machines):
Machines to practice it
Sorted from easiest to hardest. The ▶ link takes you to the minute of the IppSec video where it is used.
Commands
Taken from our cheatsheets and tool pages. Type your details and they are filled into every command.
C2 and post-exploitation › Persistence
Your SSH key in authorized_keys
Target
mkdir -p ~/.ssh && echo 'ssh-ed25519 AAAA... tu_clave' >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
Add a root SSH key (if you can write)
Target
echo 'ssh-ed25519 AAAA... tu_clave' | sudo tee -a /root/.ssh/authorized_keysNo command matches.