detecting-credential-dumping-techniques

name	detecting-credential-dumping-techniques
description	Detect LSASS credential dumping, SAM database extraction, and NTDS.dit theft using Sysmon Event ID 10, Windows Security logs, and SIEM correlation rules. Use when detecting lsass credential dumping, sam database extraction, and ntds.dit theft.
domain	cybersecurity
subdomain	threat-detection
tags	["credential-dumping","lsass","mimikatz","sysmon","active-directory","windows-security","defense-evasion"]
version	1.0
author	oyi77
license	Apache-2.0
d3fend_techniques	["Token Binding","Execution Isolation","File Metadata Consistency Validation","Restore Access","Application Protocol Command Analysis"]
nist_csf	["DE.CM-01","DE.AE-02","DE.AE-06","ID.RA-05"]

Detecting Credential Dumping Techniques

Overview

Credential dumping (MITRE ATT&CK T1003) is a post-exploitation technique where adversaries extract authentication credentials from OS memory, registry hives, or domain controller databases. This skill covers detection of LSASS memory access via Sysmon Event ID 10 (ProcessAccess), SAM registry hive export via reg.exe, NTDS.dit extraction via ntdsutil/vssadmin, and comsvcs.dll MiniDump abuse. Detection rules analyze GrantedAccess bitmasks, suspicious calling processes, and known tool signatures.

When to Use

Trigger phrases:

• "detecting credential dumping techniques"

• "Detect LSASS credential dumping, SAM database extraction, and NTDS"

• When investigating security incidents that require detecting credential dumping techniques

• When building detection rules or threat hunting queries for this domain

• When SOC analysts need structured procedures for this analysis type

• When validating security monitoring coverage for related attack techniques

Prerequisites

• Sysmon v14+ deployed with ProcessAccess logging (Event ID 10) for lsass.exe
• Windows Security audit policy enabling process creation (Event ID 4688) with command line logging
• Splunk or Elastic SIEM ingesting Sysmon and Windows Security logs
• Python 3.8+ for log analysis

Steps

# Example: IOC detection
import re

IOC_PATTERNS = {
    "ip": r"\b(?:\d{1,3}\.){3}\d{1,3}\b",
    "domain": r"\b[a-z0-9-]+\.[a-z]{2,}\b",
    "hash_md5": r"\b[a-f0-9]{32}\b",
    "hash_sha256": r"\b[a-f0-9]{64}\b",
}

def extract_iocs(text: str) -> dict:
    return {k: re.findall(v, text) for k, v in IOC_PATTERNS.items()}

1. Configure Sysmon to log ProcessAccess events targeting lsass.exe
2. Forward Sysmon Event ID 10 and Windows Event ID 4688 to SIEM