LinPEAS

What it is

LinPEAS is the Linux privilege-escalation script in the free open-source PEASS-ng suite (github.com/peass-ng/PEASS-ng). In authorised penetration tests and lab environments such as Hack The Box Academy Linux PrivEsc paths, it surveys a host for misconfigurations, interesting files and known escalation techniques explained in community guidance such as HackTricks.

What it helps with

- Enumerating Linux and Unix-like hosts for privilege-escalation candidates after initial access in scoped tests.
- Highlighting SUID binaries, writable paths, cron jobs, credentials and kernel-related hints for further manual review.
- Speeding up HTB Academy and similar lab workflows where systematic post-exploitation checks are taught.
- Pairing with WinPEAS and other PEASS components when engagements span Windows and Linux targets.
- Producing colourised or quieter output suited to interactive shells and transferred scripts.
- Running without a commercial licence for the core scripts and release binaries under the project GPL terms.

Who it's for

Penetration testers, red teamers and students on HTB Academy-style Linux privilege-escalation modules who need a free, widely recognised enum script for authorised hosts only.

Worth knowing

LinPEAS is free and open source as part of PEASS-ng (GPL with optional proprietary embedding licences from the author). Official repository: github.com/peass-ng/PEASS-ng. Distinct from Windows-focused WinPEAS. Authorised penetration testing and educational lab use only; the project's own advisory requires owner permission.