| Name |
Use of Known Windows Credentials |
|
| Likelyhood of attack |
Typical severity |
| High |
High |
|
| Summary |
An adversary guesses or obtains (i.e. steals or purchases) legitimate Windows domain credentials (e.g. userID/password) to achieve authentication and to perform authorized actions on the domain, under the guise of an authenticated user or service. Attacks leveraging trusted Windows credentials typically result in the adversary laterally moving within the local Windows network, since users are often allowed to login to systems/applications within the domain using their Windows domain password. This domain authentication can occur directly (user typing in their password or PIN) or via Single Sign-On (SSO) or cloud-based authentication, which often don't verify the authenticity of the user's input. Known credentials are usually obtained by an adversary via a system/application breach and/or by purchasing dumps of credentials on the dark web. These credentials may be further gleaned via exposed configuration and properties files that contain system passwords, database connection strings, and other sensitive data. Utilizing known Windows credentials, an adversary can obtain sensitive data from administrator shares, download/install malware on the system, pose as a legitimate user for social engineering purposes, and more. Ultimately, successful spoofing and impersonation of trusted credentials can lead to an adversary breaking authentication, authorization, and audit controls with the target system or application. |
| Prerequisites |
The system/application is connected to the Windows domain. The system/application uses one factor password-based authentication, SSO, and/or cloud-based authentication. The system/application does not have a sound password policy that is being enforced. The system/application does not implement an effective password throttling mechanism. The adversary possesses a list of known Windows user accounts and corresponding passwords that may exist on the target. |
| Execution Flow |
| Step |
Phase |
Description |
Techniques |
| 1 |
Explore |
[Acquire known Windows credentials] The adversary must obtain known Windows credentials in order to access the target system, application, or service within the domain. |
- An adversary purchases breached Windows username/password combinations or leaked hashed passwords from the dark web.
- An adversary leverages a key logger or phishing attack to steal user credentials as they are provided.
- An adversary conducts a sniffing attack to steal Windows credentials as they are transmitted.
- An adversary gains access to a Windows domain system/files and exfiltrates Windows password hashes.
- An adversary examines outward-facing configuration and properties files to discover hardcoded Windows credentials.
|
| 2 |
Experiment |
[Attempt domain authentication] Try each Windows credential against various systems, applications, and services within the domain until the target grants access. |
- Manually or automatically enter each credential through the target's interface.
|
| 3 |
Exploit |
[Impersonate] An adversary can use successful experiments or authentications to impersonate an authorized user or system, or to laterally move within the domain |
|
| 4 |
Exploit |
[Spoofing] Malicious data can be injected into the target system or into other systems on the domain. The adversary can also pose as a legitimate domain user to perform social engineering attacks. |
|
| 5 |
Exploit |
[Data Exfiltration] The adversary can obtain sensitive data contained within domain systems or applications. |
|
|
| Solutions | Leverage multi-factor authentication for all authentication services and prior to granting an entity access to the domain network. Create a strong password policy and ensure that your system enforces this policy. Ensure users are not reusing username/password combinations for multiple systems, applications, or services. Do not reuse local administrator account credentials across systems. Deny remote use of local admin credentials to log into domain systems. Do not allow accounts to be a local administrator on more than one system. Implement an intelligent password throttling mechanism. Care must be taken to assure that these mechanisms do not excessively enable account lockout attacks such as CAPEC-2. Monitor system and domain logs for abnormal credential access. |
| Related Weaknesses |
|
CWE ID
|
Description
|
| CWE-262 |
Not Using Password Aging |
| CWE-263 |
Password Aging with Long Expiration |
| CWE-307 |
Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts |
| CWE-308 |
Use of Single-factor Authentication |
| CWE-309 |
Use of Password System for Primary Authentication |
| CWE-522 |
Insufficiently Protected Credentials |
| CWE-654 |
Reliance on a Single Factor in a Security Decision |
|
| Related CAPECS |
|
CAPEC ID
|
Description
|
| CAPEC-151 |
Identity Spoofing refers to the action of assuming (i.e., taking on) the identity of some other entity (human or non-human) and then using that identity to accomplish a goal. An adversary may craft messages that appear to come from a different principle or use stolen / spoofed authentication credentials. Alternatively, an adversary may intercept a message from a legitimate sender and attempt to make it look like the message comes from them without changing its content. The latter form of this attack can be used to hijack credentials from legitimate users. Identity Spoofing attacks need not be limited to transmitted messages - any resource that is associated with an identity (for example, a file with a signature) can be the target of an attack where the adversary attempts to change the apparent identity. This attack differs from Content Spoofing attacks where the adversary does not wish to change the apparent identity of the message but instead wishes to change what the message says. In an Identity Spoofing attack, the adversary is attempting to change the identity of the content. |
| CAPEC-560 |
An adversary guesses or obtains (i.e. steals or purchases) legitimate credentials (e.g. userID/password) to achieve authentication and to perform authorized actions under the guise of an authenticated user or service. Attacks leveraging trusted credentials typically result in the adversary laterally moving within the local network, since users are often allowed to login to systems/applications within the network using the same password. This further allows the adversary to obtain sensitive data, download/install malware on the system, pose as a legitimate user for social engineering purposes, and more.
Attacks on known passwords generally rely on the primary fact that users often reuse the same username/password combination for a variety of systems, applications, and services, coupled with poor password policies on the target system or application. Adversaries can also utilize known passwords to target Single Sign On (SSO) or cloud-based applications and services, which often don't verify the authenticity of the user's input. Known credentials are usually obtained by an adversary via a system/application breach and/or by purchasing dumps of credentials on the dark web. These credentials may be further gleaned via exposed configuration and properties files that contain system passwords, database connection strings, and other sensitive data.
Successful spoofing and impersonation of trusted credentials can lead to an adversary breaking authentication, authorization, and audit controls with the target system or application. |
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