What You Need to Know Before You Dive In
Hack The Box has kicked off Season 12, and this one’s a special one — codenamed Aero. Whether you’re a seasoned box-crusher or just getting your feet wet in offensive security, there’s plenty to unpack. Here’s everything you need to know before you start racking up those points.
Season 12 at a Glance
- Season Name: Aero (Special Season)
- Duration: September – November 2026 (9 weeks)
- Current Status: Live — Week 1 of 9
- Active Players: 980 and climbing
- Format: User Points + Root Points, with +5 points per First Blood
The seasonal format rewards consistency. You earn User Points for initial footholds and Root Points for full compromise. First Blood bonuses mean speed matters — but only if you’re confident.
This Week’s Target: Layover
The headline machine for Week 1 is Layover:
- Difficulty: Medium
- OS: Linux
- Status: Live now
Medium Linux boxes are where most players separate themselves from the pack. They typically require solid enumeration, chaining multiple misconfigurations, and a clean privilege escalation path. If you’re stuck, don’t just throw exploits at it — go back to your recon notes.
Coming Soon: Touch
Dropping in roughly 5 days:
- Difficulty: Easy
- OS: Windows
- Points: Play & Earn
Easy Windows boxes are a great warm-up — Active Directory basics, token impersonation, or a classic misconfigured service. If you’re newer to Windows pentesting, this is your on-ramp.
The HTB PRO Subscription Shake-Up
Heads up for anyone still on the fence about upgrading:
Legacy Pro Labs Bundles (monthly and annual) will be delisted for new purchases on September 30th.
The new HTB PRO subscription is rolling out soon. If you’ve been eyeing a legacy bundle, you have a limited window to grab one before it’s gone. After that, you’ll be dealing with the new PRO tier structure.
My take: If you’re already deep into Pro Labs and happy with the current pricing, lock in the legacy bundle now. If you’re new to HTB Pro, wait for the new subscription details before committing.
My Season 12 Strategy
Here’s how I’m approaching this season:
- Prioritize the live machine. Points decay mentally, not literally — but momentum matters. Get Layover rooted early while the community is active and writeups aren’t saturated.
- Bank the easy wins. When Touch drops, treat it as a guaranteed point injection. Easy Windows boxes are usually solvable in a few hours.
- Chase First Blood selectively. The +5 bonus is tempting, but burning 10 hours for a shot at first blood on a Medium Linux box is rarely worth it unless you’re already close.
- Document everything. Every box becomes a blog post, a note, or a technique you’ll reuse. That’s how you turn HTB into real skill.
Current Standings Snapshot
- Players: around 980
- My Status: Unranked (Season 12 Tier: —)
- Points: 30 User / 35 Root
It’s early. Plenty of time to climb.
Final Thoughts
Season 12 “Aero” looks like a solid mix of Medium Linux and Easy Windows — a good season for both newcomers and veterans. The subscription change is the wildcard; if you’re planning to go Pro, make your move before September 30th.
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I’ll be posting walkthroughs and notes for Layover and Touch as the season progresses. Follow along at SecurityWalay.com — and if you’re grinding this season too, drop a comment with your progress.
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