HackTheBox - VariaType
Source: YouTube · IppSec · published Jun 13, 2026 · 46:10
This video covers the Hack The Box machine "Variatype," focusing on exploiting a font generator application through vulnerabilities in font tools, FontForge, and a Python setup tools arbitrary file write 0:03.
Key Takeaways:
• The initial exploit chain utilizes CVEs within font parsing tools, starting with font tools and followed by FontForge 0:08.
• Privilege escalation is ultimately achieved by exploiting an arbitrary file write vulnerability in Python setup tools 0:11.
• While the CVEs make the exploitation straightforward, the video emphasizes valuable, general reconnaissance techniques rather than relying strictly on tools like pspy 0:16.
• Logical deduction, such as identifying the Steve account and checking the modified size of the sudoers file, can reveal privilege escalation paths without process monitoring 0:29.
Ippsec demonstrates that combining known CVEs with thorough, logical reconnaissance provides a deeper understanding of the attack path than blindly relying on automated tools.
Sources:
- 0:03 Introduction to the Variatype box and font generator theme
- 0:08 Mention of font tools and FontForge exploits
- 0:11 Mention of Python setup tools arbitrary file write
- 0:16 Discussion on CVEs making the box easy but highlighting recon importance
- 0:29 Using deduction and sudoers file size to find the Steve account
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Transcript Preview
First 800 characters of the transcript
What's going on YouTube? This is Ippsec, and today we'll be doing Variatype from Hack The Box, which the theme of this box is exploiting a font generator as we run through a few exploits first with font tools and then font forge, and finally we end the box exploiting an arbitrary file right within Python setup tools. The CVEs make this box pretty easy, but there's a lot of recon that is not specific to this box that I think a lot of people just miss. For example, at one step many people just run pspy and exploit a user arbitrarily. However, through the powers of deduction, we can know at some point we should be finding a way to the Steve account without looking at any processes. Now, you may just say it's obvious because Steve's the only user, but we can also read the size of the sudoers f…