🔐 Total Identity Compromise: DART lessons on securing Active Directory 🔐
Microsoft's Detection and Response Team (DART) often encounters total domain compromise in on-premises Active Directory environments. This post highlights some common issues and offers guidance to address them. 🛠💻
1️⃣ Initial Access
🔸Weak password policies
🔸Excessive privilege & poor credential hygiene
🔸Insecure account configuration
💡Recommendations:
🔸Deploy passwordless authentication like Windows Hello for 🔸Business or FIDO2 security keys
🔸Strengthen on-premises password policies
🔸Limit Domain Admin privileges and service accounts
🔸Use Group Managed Service Accounts (gMSA) for better password management
🔸Monitor account configurations using Defender for Identity, BloodHound, or PingCastle
2️⃣ Credential Access
🔸Privileged credential exposure
🔸Kerberoasting
🔸Insecure delegation configuration
🔸LAPS misconfiguration
🔸Excessive privilege via built-in groups
💡Recommendations:
🔸Implement Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs) or Remote Credential Guard
🔸Regularly audit Active Directory security configurations
🔸Limit administrative access to a small number of trusted devices
🔸Implement strong access control for service accounts
🔸Use Just-in-Time (JIT)
3️⃣ Privilege Escalation
🔸ACL abuse
🔸Escalation via Exchange permissions
🔸Group Policy abuse
🔸Insecure trust configuration
💡Recommendations:
🔸Monitor and restrict access to sensitive ACLs
🔸Limit excessive permissions in Exchange
🔸Regularly review and update Group Policy
🔸Audit trust configurations and minimize unnecessary trusts
Want to learn more? 💡
📚Read the full article by our amazing Matthew Zorich here: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-security-experts-blog/total-identity-compromise-dart-lessons-on-securing-active/ba-p/3753391
📚Security Sentinel blog: https://securitysentinel.substack.com/