{"id":7193,"date":"2024-10-29T11:38:35","date_gmt":"2024-10-29T15:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solutionsreview.com\/identity-management\/?p=7193"},"modified":"2024-10-29T11:39:44","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T15:39:44","slug":"to-secure-active-directory-think-like-an-attacker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/solutionsreview.com\/identity-management\/to-secure-active-directory-think-like-an-attacker\/","title":{"rendered":"To Secure Active Directory, Think Like an Attacker"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"To<\/p>\n

Craig Birch, a Technology Evangelist and Principal Security Engineer at Cayosoft<\/a>, shares his take on how companies can secure their Active Directory solutions by thinking like a cyber-criminal. This article originally appeared in Insight Jam<\/a>, an enterprise IT community that enables human conversation on AI.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Insight<\/a>Microsoft Active Directory (AD) and its cloud counterpart Entra ID form the identity management backbone for over 90 percent of large organizations. AD functions as the ‘keys to the kingdom,’ with centralized control of critical resources, making it an irresistible target for cyber-criminals. Many ransomware incidents involve compromising AD to gain widespread access to an organization’s systems and data. Despite its pivotal role in controlling access to sensitive resources, AD is often overlooked in security strategies.<\/p>\n

To secure AD and Entra ID environments, IT professionals must adopt an attacker’s perspective, anticipating potential exploits and fortifying defenses accordingly. This approach is crucial, as identity-related security incidents are on the rise. In fact, AD was the entry point for many high-profile cyber-attacks, including the SolarWinds breach, the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, and the recent Toyota data leak.<\/p>\n

According to the IDSA\u00a02024 Trends in Identity Security Report<\/a>, 84 percent of identity stakeholders reported that identity-related incidents directly impacted their business \u2013 a significant increase from 68 percent in 2023. By thinking like adversaries, security teams can proactively identify and address AD and Entra ID vulnerabilities to safeguard organizations’ most critical assets.<\/p>\n

Taking on the Attacker’s Mindset<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Attackers want elevated privileges and aim for the easiest target with the least amount of effort. So, security teams should ask themselves: What’s the quickest attack pathway that leads to the most privileges? The answer is often Active Directory and Entra ID. This is due to the immense level of access these systems provide and the fact that they are usually managed by infrastructure teams and are thus overlooked by security teams.<\/p>\n

Once inside, attackers focus on lateral movement and immediate privilege escalation. They may also exploit legacy systems, searching for old credentials on outdated machines. This approach is particularly effective against organizations that run hybrid AD environments, making it crucial for security teams to understand the complete picture of all environments to anticipate these tactics.<\/p>\n

Mapping the Attack Surface of Active Directory and Entra ID<\/strong><\/h3>\n

AD and Entra ID are inherently vulnerable due to their default configurations and the complex interplay between on-premises and cloud environments. Neither system is secure by default, exposing organizations to various attack vectors.<\/p>\n

In AD environments, attackers frequently exploit weak passwords, use Kerberos ticket attacks like Golden Ticket and Silver Ticket, and exploit Active Directory Certificate Services to escalate privileges. Hybrid attacks that bridge on-premises and cloud environments pose a significant threat, while AD delegation issues and misconfigured attributes can lead to unintended privilege escalation.<\/p>\n

Password-based attacks remain prevalent for Entra ID, but security token theft and manipulation have become more common. Illicit consent grant attacks exploit OAuth 2.0 permissions, while malicious Entra ID applications can be used to gain unauthorized access. Cross-tenant attacks targeting multi-tenant environments and hybrid identity scenarios present unique challenges that span both AD and Entra ID infrastructures.<\/p>\n

Unmasking Active Directory and Entra ID Misconfigurations\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

AD and Entra ID environments are plagued by over 270 potential attack pathways that can leave organizations vulnerable to attacks. The complexity of user accounts, computer accounts, and permissions within AD creates ample opportunities for misconfigurations. Attackers often start with those that are the most often overlooked. Here are just a few of the most common ones:<\/p>\n