Unusual access to the AD Sync credential files

Cortex XDR Analytics Alert Reference by data source
Product
Cortex XDR
Last date published
2024-12-03
Category
Analytics Alert Reference
Order
data source

Synopsis

Activation Period

14 Days

Training Period

30 Days

Test Period

N/A (single event)

Deduplication Period

1 Day

Required Data

  • Requires:
    • XDR Agent with eXtended Threat Hunting (XTH)

Detection Modules

Cloud

Detector Tags

ATT&CK Tactic

Credential Access (TA0006)

ATT&CK Technique

Credentials from Password Stores (T1555)

Severity

Informational

Description

The AD Sync credential files were accessed in an unusual way.

Attacker's Goals

  • Extracting and decrypting stored Azure AD and Active Directory credentials from Azure AD Connect servers.

Investigative actions

  • See whether this was a legitimate action.
  • Follow the causality chain/user/host activities.
  • Follow unusual actions of the AD Sync user.
  • Check for remote SMB connections to the agent.
  • Check for unusual Azure AD authentications.
  • Check if this happened on other endpoints.
  • Check for unusual logins.

Variations

Suspicious process access to the AD Sync credential files

Synopsis

ATT&CK Tactic

Credential Access (TA0006)

ATT&CK Technique

Credentials from Password Stores (T1555)

Severity

Medium

Description

The AD Sync credential files were accessed in an unusual way.

Attacker's Goals

  • Extracting and decrypting stored Azure AD and Active Directory credentials from Azure AD Connect servers.

Investigative actions

  • See whether this was a legitimate action.
  • Follow the causality chain/user/host activities.
  • Follow unusual actions of the AD Sync user.
  • Check for remote SMB connections to the agent.
  • Check for unusual Azure AD authentications.
  • Check if this happened on other endpoints.
  • Check for unusual logins.


An abnormal process accessed the AD Sync credential files

Synopsis

ATT&CK Tactic

Credential Access (TA0006)

ATT&CK Technique

Credentials from Password Stores (T1555)

Severity

Low

Description

The AD Sync credential files were accessed in an unusual way.

Attacker's Goals

  • Extracting and decrypting stored Azure AD and Active Directory credentials from Azure AD Connect servers.

Investigative actions

  • See whether this was a legitimate action.
  • Follow the causality chain/user/host activities.
  • Follow unusual actions of the AD Sync user.
  • Check for remote SMB connections to the agent.
  • Check for unusual Azure AD authentications.
  • Check if this happened on other endpoints.
  • Check for unusual logins.