Is HTB Pro Lab: Dante Actually Worth the Money, Like For Real ?
A Bit About Me
I’m Reju, a full-time bug hunter and an athlete. 💪 I spend my days digging into code, hunting for vulnerabilities, and pushing my limits both online and in the gym. When I’m not breaking things apart, I’m probably tackling a new challenge or chasing that next adrenaline rush. 🚀
Let’s Start: My Experience on Dante
I hit up the HTB Discord for advice before the CPTS exam, and Dante Pro Labs was a popular pick. Together with Zephyr, it was a great way to dig into Linux exploits with a few Windows ones sprinkled in.
Subscription Cost
Hack The Box offers Pro Labs at USD $49/month for the monthly plan or USD $490/year for the annual plan, providing access to all scenarios with the flexibility to switch between them anytime. Your rankings and progress remain active even if you cancel your subscription.
You can purchase it here.
Lab Overview
Dante Pro Labs is presented as an entry-level Pro Lab, designed to help learners grasp essential penetration testing techniques through hands-on practice.
Dante Pro Labs: Red Team Operator Level I
Designed for beginners and junior pentesters, Dante Pro Labs offers a Red Team Operator Level I experience, helping you sharpen your offensive skills. You’ll learn how to establish footholds, gain situational awareness, and exploit both Linux and Windows systems using real-world attack paths.
- Who Should Try Dante ?
Dante is ideal for those new to information security or junior pentesters looking to expand their knowledge. It covers common vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and attack strategies frequently encountered in real engagements.
2. Skills & Knowledge Required:
- Proficiency with networking and web application attacks
- Solid understanding of Linux, Windows, and Active Directory systems
- Familiarity with penetration testing tools and techniques
3. Mindset & Approach:
- Patience and perseverance are essential
- A willingness to research extensively
- Accepting that failure is part of the process
4. What You’ll Gain:
Dante’s lab environment challenges you with both Linux and Windows systems, helping you advance in:
- Enumeration and Exploit Development
- Lateral Movement and Privilege Escalation
- Web Application Attacks and more!
Successfully completing Dante Pro Lab demonstrates your expertise in network penetration testing and equips you with hands-on skills for real-world scenarios.
Dante Lab Experience: The Good and the Bad
Dante offers a total of 14 machines and 27 flags, which might sound intense, but the flags leaned heavily into the CTF-style that HTB is known for. While it’s supposed to simulate a corporate network environment, I was surprised to find that most of the machines felt disconnected, more like a series of standalone HTB boxes than an actual network with meaningful dependencies.
On the positive side, there were a few machines that required multiple pivots to access, which was a welcome challenge and a great way to sharpen pivoting skills. This aspect added some depth to the experience, making the network feel less linear.
One downside, though, was the lack of up-to-date realism. A lot of the machines and operating systems were clearly 5–7 years out of date, which led to situations where publicly known vulnerabilities made exploitation a bit too straightforward. This outdated setup made some parts feel less like a realistic engagement and more like a walkthrough of archived CVEs, which was a bit disappointing.
Tackling Dante: A Pivoting Adventure
I spent about 2–3 days exploring Dante, and the biggest takeaway was how much it tested my pivoting skills between different networks. The exploits themselves weren’t too difficult, but figuring out how to move through the network layers definitely threw me off at times. It was both frustrating and rewarding, making it a solid learning experience overall.
When I first took on Dante, I mainly knew how to handle SSH port forwarding, Chisel, and sshuttle. Having to pivot manually through various networks taught me a lot about patience and strategic thinking. While the process was pretty challenging, it really helped me sharpen my network navigation skills.
Looking back, I’d say mastering manual pivoting is super important before trying out any tools that simplify the process. It’s tempting to take shortcuts, but the hands-on practice is worth it. Dante was definitely a test of both skill and mindset, pushing me to keep adapting with each new challenge.
After spending a lot of time in the Dante lab, I can confidently say it was worth it. The experience was both challenging and rewarding and finally pwning!!! the lab felt amazing.
Final Thoughts
All in all, I had a great time working through Dante. It really helped reinforce my penetration testing methodology and gave me a chance to dive into multi-layer pivoting. The outdated OS and machines did lead to some unexpected exploits, which was a bit off-putting, but it didn’t take away from the overall experience. I’d definitely recommend Dante to beginners, or anyone looking to practice pivoting and tunneling techniques in a hands-on environment.
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