NTLM

WAF Connected — What Next? How to Configure Web Application Firewalls for Real Protection Without Disruption

After successful pilot testing, organizations often struggle when scaling WAF protection across dozens or hundreds of applications. Each app brings unique technology stacks, traffic patterns, and legitimate anomalies that can break existing rules. The article stresses starting in monitoring mode rather than blocking to avoid false positives that frustrate users and damage business operations. A structured Risk Score and Priority Score system helps teams prioritize applications based on exposure, business impact, control weaknesses, technical risks, and data sensitivity. Regular tuning, log analysis, and quarterly re-evaluation of the application registry are required because applications evolve constantly. Well-configured WAF solutions must deliver low false-positive rates, rapid exception handling, and resilience under peak loads without creating new operational burdens for security teams.

Hashcat Password Cracking: Why Complex Passwords Like Summer2026! Often Fail First

Password cracking tools such as hashcat and John the Ripper exploit predictable human patterns when generating candidates, allowing structured passwords to be recovered faster than truly random strings. The process relies on comparing computed hashes against stored values without needing to reverse the one-way function. Modern password storage uses salted, computationally expensive algorithms including bcrypt, Argon2id, sha512crypt and yescrypt to increase the cost of each guess. Different formats require specific hashcat modes, and parameters such as cost factors or memory settings directly affect cracking speed. WordPress 6.8 introduced bcrypt with SHA-384 preprocessing while older phpass records remain supported. Audits must preserve full hash records, verify modes on test data, and combine dictionaries, rules, masks and statistical models to measure real risk. After testing, organizations should migrate to properly tuned Argon2id and enforce long unique passphrases managed by password managers.

Essential Active Directory Checks Before Launching Any Penetration Test

Internal penetration tests of Active Directory can quickly generate noise in logs or disrupt services if techniques are applied without proper context. The article stresses that testers must first map domain boundaries, identify controllers, clarify allowed segments, and establish escalation procedures with the client. Detailed inventory of user, service, and privileged accounts is required, including analysis of Kerberos pre-authentication settings that enable AS-REP Roasting. Testers should also examine DACL permissions, delegation relationships, and Active Directory Certificate Services templates before attempting any exploitation. The guidance covers NTLM relay risks, the importance of maintaining an action log, and the distinction between standard pentests and Red Team engagements. A demo version of the Red September course on Active Directory attacks is offered to practice these steps in a controlled environment.