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Persistence vs Privilege Escalation
Comparison card: Persistence vs Privilege Escalation. Easy English, with a real example. Scan the QR for the full lesson.
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What this card says
What each one is
Persistence: keeping a way back in after reboot, patch or password reset.
Privilege escalation: getting more power, like going from normal user to admin (Chapter 26).
How they differ
Persistence is about staying. Privilege escalation is about rising.
Attackers often do both: get admin, then hide a backdoor.
Example
Persistence: an extra SSH key in authorized_keys, or a hidden web shell.
Privilege escalation: a weak sudo setting that lets a normal user become root.
How to defend
Persistence: hunt for new users, keys, cron jobs and services; rebuild if unsure.
Privilege escalation: least privilege, patching, and careful sudo rules.
Learn more in the lesson: 23.8 Persistence: How Attackers Keep Access