Finding security vulnerabilities can be helpful for an important system. It sounds like this is just a test/staging box inside the network. What's the threat

Finding security vulnerabilities can be helpful for an important system. It sounds like this is just a test/staging box inside the network. What's the threat to a system like that, that it's worth your boss or your time? I agree with other commenters that running privilege escalation exploits on a system that DOES matter would be even worse, due to the potential for side-effects and damage. Good curiosity and energy, but you can find a lot of better ways to channel it.