# Passwords and Keys

### Overview

Linux systems frequently store or reference credentials such as:

* Plaintext passwords
* Password hashes
* SSH private keys
* API tokens or service credentials

If a low-privileged user can **read credentials belonging to a higher-privileged account**, escalation may be possible without exploiting anything.

### Password Locations

```bash
# History files
cat ~/.*history

# Look for Hidden files and directories in the system root
ls -la /

# Look for SSH config files / keys
find / -name authorized_keys 2> /dev/null
find / -name id_rsa 2> /dev/null
```

### Secret Search

```bash
grep -RniE "password|secret|apikey|token|flag" .
# -R recursive
# -n show line number
# -i case insensitive
# -E extended regex

rg -i "password|secret|apikey|token|flag"
```


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