T1556 Modify Authentication Process Mappings

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®

NIST 800-53 Mappings

Capability ID Capability Description Mapping Type ATT&CK ID ATT&CK Name Notes
CA-07 Continuous Monitoring mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
CM-06 Configuration Settings mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
CM-05 Access Restrictions for Change mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
IA-05 Authenticator Management mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
IA-13 Identity Providers and Authorization Servers mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
SC-39 Process Isolation mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
SI-07 Software, Firmware, and Information Integrity mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
AC-20 Use of External Systems mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
CM-02 Baseline Configuration mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
IA-02 Identification and Authentication (Organizational Users) mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
CM-07 Least Functionality mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
SI-04 System Monitoring mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
AC-02 Account Management mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
AC-03 Access Enforcement mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
AC-05 Separation of Duties mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
AC-06 Least Privilege mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process
AC-07 Unsuccessful Logon Attempts mitigates T1556 Modify Authentication Process

VERIS Mappings

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

GCP Mappings

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
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

ATT&CK Subtechniques

Technique ID Technique Name Number of Mappings
T1556.003 Pluggable Authentication Modules 15
T1556.002 Password Filter DLL 3
T1556.007 Hybrid Identity 7
T1556.008 Network Provider DLL 12
T1556.006 Multi-Factor Authentication 8
T1556.009 Conditional Access Policies 17
T1556.001 Domain Controller Authentication 17
T1556.005 Reversible Encryption 5
T1556.004 Network Device Authentication 16