Adversaries may “pass the hash” using stolen password hashes to move laterally within an environment, bypassing normal system access controls. Pass the hash (PtH) is a method of authenticating as a user without having access to the user's cleartext password. This method bypasses standard authentication steps that require a cleartext password, moving directly into the portion of the authentication that uses the password hash.
When performing PtH, valid password hashes for the account being used are captured using a Credential Access technique. Captured hashes are used with PtH to authenticate as that user. Once authenticated, PtH may be used to perform actions on local or remote systems.
Adversaries may also use stolen password hashes to "overpass the hash." Similar to PtH, this involves using a password hash to authenticate as a user but also uses the password hash to create a valid Kerberos ticket. This ticket can then be used to perform Pass the Ticket attacks.(Citation: Stealthbits Overpass-the-Hash)
View in MITRE ATT&CK®| Capability ID | Capability Description | Mapping Type | ATT&CK ID | ATT&CK Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| intel-ptt | Intel Platform Trust Technology | Win 11, Credential Guard | T1550.002 | Pass the Hash |
Comments
Credential Guard uses Intel VT-x for providing Virtualization-based security (VBS), to isolate secrets so that only privileged system software can access them. It isolates LSA-related processes and provides real-time protection against in-memory credential-stealing attempts. NTLM, Kerberos, and Credential Manager take advantage of platform security features, including Secure Boot (Intel PTT and Intel Boot Guard) and virtualization, to protect credentials.
Credential Guard prevents credential theft attacks by protecting NTLM password hashes, Kerberos Ticket Granting Tickets (TGTs), and credentials stored by applications such as domain credentials. However, it does not protect against all forms of credential dumping, such as registry dumping. Credential Guard benefits from enabling Secure Boot (BootGuard) and UEFI Lock. When Secure Boot is enabled, a secure and verified environment is established from the start of the boot process. With UEFI Lock, Credential Guard settings are stored in UEFI firmware, significantly increasing the difficulty of disabling Credential Guard through registry changes.
This is marked as significant since it uses VBS to isolate LSA related processes and provide real-time protection against in-memory credential stealing attempts.
References
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