Adversaries may modify authentication mechanisms and processes to access user credentials or enable otherwise unwarranted access to accounts. The authentication process is handled by mechanisms, such as the Local Security Authentication Server (LSASS) process and the Security Accounts Manager (SAM) on Windows, pluggable authentication modules (PAM) on Unix-based systems, and authorization plugins on MacOS systems, responsible for gathering, storing, and validating credentials. By modifying an authentication process, an adversary may be able to authenticate to a service or system without using Valid Accounts.
Adversaries may maliciously modify a part of this process to either reveal credentials or bypass authentication mechanisms. Compromised credentials or access may be used to bypass access controls placed on various resources on systems within the network and may even be used for persistent access to remote systems and externally available services, such as VPNs, Outlook Web Access and remote desktop.
View in MITRE ATT&CK®| Capability ID | Capability Description | Mapping Type | ATT&CK ID | ATT&CK Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| action.hacking.variety.Backdoor | Hacking action that creates a backdoor for use. | related-to | T1556 | Modify Authentication Process | |
| action.hacking.vector.Backdoor | Hacking actions taken through a backdoor. C2 is only used by malware. | related-to | T1556 | Modify Authentication Process | |
| attribute.integrity.variety.Modify configuration | Modified configuration or services | related-to | T1556 | Modify Authentication Process | |
| attribute.integrity.variety.Modify privileges | Modified privileges or permissions | related-to | T1556 | Modify Authentication Process |
| Capability ID | Capability Description | Mapping Type | ATT&CK ID | ATT&CK Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| file_integrity_monitoring | Microsoft Defender for Cloud: File Integrity Monitoring | technique_scores | T1556 | Modify Authentication Process |
Comments
This control is effective for detecting the Registry and file system artifacts that are generated during the execution of some variations of this technique while minimizing false positives due to the locations being monitored changing infrequently (e.g. /etc/pam.d/).
References
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| ai_security_recommendations | Microsoft Defender for Cloud: AI Security Recommendations | technique_scores | T1556 | Modify Authentication Process |
Comments
This control's "Immutable (read-only) root filesystem should be enforced for containers" recommendation can mitigate a sub-techniques of this technique. Due to it being a recommendation and providing minimal coverage, its score is assessed as Minimal.
References
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| azure_role_based_access_control | Azure Role-Based Access Control | technique_scores | T1556 | Modify Authentication Process |
Comments
This control can protect against modification of the authentication process by limiting access.
References
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| Capability ID | Capability Description | Mapping Type | ATT&CK ID | ATT&CK Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| advanced_protection_program | Advanced Protection Program | technique_scores | T1556 | Modify Authentication Process |
Comments
Advanced Protection Program enables the use of a security key for multi-factor authentication. Integrating multi-factor authentication as part of organizational policy can greatly reduce the risk of an adversary gaining control of valid credentials that may be used for additional tactics such as initial access, lateral movement, and collecting information.
References
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| identity_platform | Identity Platform | technique_scores | T1556 | Modify Authentication Process |
Comments
Identity Platform lets you add Google-grade authentication to your apps and services, making it easier to secure user accounts and securely managing credentials. MFA can be used to restrict access to cloud resources and APIs and provide protection against an adversaries that try to access user credentials.
References
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| Technique ID | Technique Name | Number of Mappings |
|---|---|---|
| T1556.003 | Pluggable Authentication Modules | 17 |
| T1556.002 | Password Filter DLL | 4 |
| T1556.007 | Hybrid Identity | 8 |
| T1556.008 | Network Provider DLL | 13 |
| T1556.006 | Multi-Factor Authentication | 8 |
| T1556.009 | Conditional Access Policies | 17 |
| T1556.001 | Domain Controller Authentication | 17 |
| T1556.005 | Reversible Encryption | 6 |
| T1556.004 | Network Device Authentication | 16 |