Scenario: Pass-the-Hash (PtH) Attack Detected and Contained
April 2025
A Pass-the-Hash (PtH) attack occurs when an attacker uses stolen password hashes to authenticate as a user without needing the plaintext password. This technique exploits the NTLM authentication protocol and enables lateral movement across a network. Early detection and response are critical to prevent privilege escalation and data theft.
1. Initial Threat Detection
Endpoint security sensors detect a privileged user account making rapid authentication attempts across multiple devices.
Network intrusion detection systems (IDS) flag unusual NTLM authentication traffic originating from an admin workstation targeting domain controllers.
XDR correlates these activities, identifying the behavior as a Pass-the-Hash (PtH) attack, where an attacker exploits stolen password hashes instead of plaintext credentials.
Detection Sources
Endpoint Logs:
Suspicious authentication requests using NTLM hashes instead of traditional passwords.
Unexpected access attempts by privileged accounts on unfamiliar machines.
Network Traffic Analysis:
Lateral movement inside the network without conventional authentication.
SMB and WMI connections initiated from non-administrative endpoints.
Identity Access Logs:
Privileged accounts authenticating on multiple systems without prior logon history.
Sudden escalation of privileges without an associated authorization request.
Domain Controller Logs:
Track NTLM authentication events, specifically:
Event ID 4624: Successful logon.
Event ID 4648: Logon using explicit credentials.
Event ID 4672: Privileged account logon.
Threat Intelligence Integration:
Matches detected behavior against known PtH attack patterns in external intelligence feeds.
2. Data Collection & Correlation
XDR aggregates logs across multiple security domains:
Endpoint activity: Tracks NTLM authentication attempts, account behaviors, and execution of credential dumping tools.
Network logs: Detects SMB and WMI usage patterns related to lateral movement.
Identity logs: Identifies anomalies in privileged access attempts.
Threat intelligence feeds: Cross-references detected behaviors with known PtH attack indicators.
Machine learning-based threat correlation helps reconstruct the attack timeline, pinpointing the source of credential compromise.
3. Automated Response Actions
Block Further Authentication Attempts:
Prevents the compromised credentials from being used to escalate access.
Endpoint Isolation:
Disconnects affected machines to contain lateral movement.
Account Lockdown & Reset:
Disables the compromised privileged accounts and enforces an immediate password reset.
Security Team Alert:
XDR generates high-fidelity forensic alerts, providing detailed remediation steps.
4. Investigation & Remediation
Steps:
Trace the attack source:
Identify how credential hashes were stolen (e.g., Mimikatz execution, LSASS memory scraping).
Forensic Analysis:
Examine affected endpoints for remnants of credential-dumping tools.
Privilege Audit:
Review account escalation paths and authentication anomalies.
Network Review:
Analyze SMB/WMI communication logs for additional compromised machines.
Mitigation & Hardening:
Implement Strong Authentication Mechanisms:
Enforce Kerberos authentication and multifactor authentication (MFA) for privileged accounts.
Enable Credential Guard:
Protect LSASS.exe from unauthorized memory access.
Restrict NTLM Usage:
Disable NTLM authentication where possible to eliminate PtH risks.
Deploy Advanced Monitoring:
Configure real-time detection rules for abnormal NTLM authentication patterns.
Outcome
✅ PtH attack detected and neutralized before domain-wide compromise. ✅ Compromised credentials revoked, preventing further unauthorized access. ✅ Security policies hardened to eliminate future PtH vulnerabilities. ✅ XDR delivers real-time insights to enhance detection strategies.
Last updated
Was this helpful?