hcidude's blog

Part 3 In Part 1, we looked at post-compromise reality on ESXi.In Part 2, we stepped back to understand defensive baselines defined by VMware’s Security Configuration & Hardening Guide. This final post connects both perspectives – and explains why neither works on its own. Two Projects, One Platform, Different Questions…

Part 2 In Part 1, the focus was deliberately uncomfortable:what happens after access to ESXi already exists. The LOLESXi Project documents post-compromise reality using only native tooling – no exploits, no malware, just intent. The obvious next question is: How do we realistically reduce the chances of ever getting there?…

How the my Home-Lab evolved I published My HomeLab 2025 back in March 2025. At that time, the lab was very much a classic, single-location setup – x86-based ESXi hosts, shared storage, and an environment designed for day-to-day testing, learning, and validation. Since then, the lab has not grown dramatically…

Running a VMware home lab used to be simple. You joined VMUG Advantage, activated your NFR keys, and had full freedom to explore new versions and updates. But since Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, things have become far more complicated – especially for anyone who upgraded their lab to VCF 9.…

When managing VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) environments, administrators often face challenges in bringing existing infrastructure (brownfield) into the fold of a structured and automated VCF deployment. The VCF Brownfield Tool is designed to simplify this process, making it easier to onboard existing workloads, networks, and clusters into a VCF-managed state.…