Windows Credential Manager
https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1555/004/
ATT&CK ID: T1555.004
Permissions Required: Administrator | SYSTEM | User
Description
Adversaries may acquire credentials from the Windows Credential Manager. The Credential Manager stores credentials for signing into websites, applications, and/or devices that request authentication through NTLM or Kerberos in Credential Lockers (previously known as Windows Vaults).[1][2]
The Windows Credential Manager separates website credentials from application or network credentials in two lockers. As part of Credentials from Web Browsers, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge website credentials are managed by the Credential Manager and are stored in the Web Credentials locker. Application and network credentials are stored in the Windows Credentials locker.
Credential Lockers store credentials in encrypted .vcrd
files, located under %Systemdrive%\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\[Vault/Credentials]\
. The encryption key can be found in a file named Policy.vpol
, typically located in the same folder as the credentials.[3][4]
Adversaries may list credentials managed by the Windows Credential Manager through several mechanisms. vaultcmd.exe
is a native Windows executable that can be used to enumerate credentials stored in the Credential Locker through a command-line interface. Adversaries may gather credentials by reading files located inside of the Credential Lockers. Adversaries may also abuse Windows APIs such as CredEnumerateA
to list credentials managed by the Credential Manager.[5][6]
Adversaries may use password recovery tools to obtain plain text passwords from the Credential Manager.[4]
Techniques
LaZagne
Get-VaultCredential (PowerSploit)
Get-WebCredentials (Nishang)
Github: https://github.com/samratashok/nishang/blob/master/Gather/Get-WebCredentials.ps1
Mitigation
Group Policy
Policy Description
This security setting determines whether Credential Manager saves passwords and credentials for later use when it gains domain authentication.
Policy name
Network access: Do not allow storage of passwords and credentials for network authentication
Location
Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options
Value
Enabled
Reference
Last updated