从密码存储中获取凭证是指攻击者通过访问系统或应用程序的密码存储机制,窃取用户认证信息的攻击技术。常见目标包括操作系统凭据保险库、浏览器保存的密码、云服务密钥管理器等。防御方通常通过监控敏感文件访问、检测异常进程内存操作以及分析加密存储访问模式等手段进行防护,例如使用文件完整性监控工具或限制高权限进程的创建。
为规避传统检测机制,攻击者发展出多种隐蔽式凭证窃取技术,通过内存操作精准化、API调用合规化、加密破解离线化等手段,将凭证提取过程深度融入系统正常业务流程,显著降低攻击行为的可观测性。
当前隐蔽式凭证窃取技术的共性在于对系统信任机制的逆向工程与时空维度攻击链重构。攻击者通过分层隐匿策略实现多级防护突破:内存隐蔽提取技术利用进程注入与瞬时内存解析,将攻击窗口压缩至密码解密瞬间;合法API劫持通过参数伪装与调用链合规化,使恶意操作获得系统合法性背书;加密存储密钥破解采用离线分布式计算,规避在线检测的同时提升破解效率;云凭证代理同步则借助云服务信任链,将数据外泄伪装成正常同步行为。这些技术的核心突破点在于将传统显性攻击动作解构为多个符合系统预期的微操作,并通过加密混淆、协议合规、环境融合等手法重构攻击路径。
匿迹技术的演进导致传统基于文件监控或进程行为的检测方法逐渐失效,防御方需构建内存完整性验证、API调用上下文分析、加密存储访问模式学习等新型检测能力,并实施硬件级安全防护以阻断侧信道攻击,形成覆盖凭证全生命周期的防护体系。
| 效应类型 | 是否存在 |
|---|---|
| 特征伪装 | ✅ |
| 行为透明 | ✅ |
| 数据遮蔽 | ✅ |
| 时空释痕 | ✅ |
攻击者通过模拟合法API调用流程与云同步协议,使凭证窃取行为在日志记录中呈现为正常业务操作。例如劫持浏览器密码管理接口时严格遵循标准调用规范,在参数结构与加密方式上与合法组件保持完全一致,规避基于API调用特征的检测规则。
利用零日漏洞突破加密存储防护机制,例如通过未公开的侧信道攻击提取硬件安全模块中的临时密钥。此类技术使得传统基于已知漏洞特征的检测手段无法识别攻击行为,实现"无特征"攻击。
在数据传输阶段采用多层加密与分片混淆技术,例如将窃取的凭证数据封装在标准TLS流量中,或使用云存储服务的客户端加密功能进行二次加密,使网络层监控无法直接解析攻击载荷。
通过分布式破解架构与离线攻击链设计,将高强度密码破解任务分散到多个计算节点长期执行。同时利用云同步机制的周期性特征,将数据外泄行为拆解为低频次合法操作,使攻击特征稀释在正常业务流量中。
| ID | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| S0331 | Agent Tesla |
Agent Tesla has the ability to steal credentials from FTP clients and wireless profiles.[1] |
| G0064 | APT33 |
APT33 has used a variety of publicly available tools like LaZagne to gather credentials.[2][3] |
| G0087 | APT39 |
APT39 has used the Smartftp Password Decryptor tool to decrypt FTP passwords.[4] |
| G0096 | APT41 |
APT41 has obtained information about accounts, lists of employees, and plaintext and hashed passwords from databases.[5] |
| S0373 | Astaroth |
Astaroth uses an external software known as NetPass to recover passwords. [6] |
| S0484 | Carberp |
Carberp's passw.plug plugin can gather account information from multiple instant messaging, email, and social media services, as well as FTP, VNC, and VPN clients.[7] |
| S0050 | CosmicDuke |
CosmicDuke collects user credentials, including passwords, for various programs including popular instant messaging applications and email clients as well as WLAN keys.[8] |
| S1111 | DarkGate |
DarkGate use Nirsoft Network Password Recovery or NetPass tools to steal stored RDP credentials in some malware versions.[9] |
| G0120 | Evilnum | |
| G0037 | FIN6 |
FIN6 has used the Stealer One credential stealer to target e-mail and file transfer utilities including FTP.[11] |
| G1001 | HEXANE |
HEXANE has run |
| S0526 | KGH_SPY | |
| S0349 | LaZagne |
LaZagne can obtain credentials from databases, mail, and WiFi across multiple platforms.[14] |
| G0077 | Leafminer |
Leafminer used several tools for retrieving login and password information, including LaZagne.[15] |
| S0447 | Lokibot |
Lokibot has stolen credentials from multiple applications and data sources including Windows OS credentials, email clients, FTP, and SFTP clients.[16] |
| G1026 | Malteiro |
Malteiro has obtained credentials from mail clients via NirSoft MailPassView.[17] |
| S1156 | Manjusaka |
Manjusaka extracts credentials from the Windows Registry associated with Premiumsoft Navicat, a utility used to facilitate access to various database types.[18] |
| S0167 | Matryoshka |
Matryoshka is capable of stealing Outlook passwords.[19][20] |
| S1146 | MgBot |
MgBot includes modules for stealing stored credentials from Outlook and Foxmail email client software.[21][22] |
| S0002 | Mimikatz |
Mimikatz performs credential dumping to obtain account and password information useful in gaining access to additional systems and enterprise network resources. It contains functionality to acquire information about credentials in many ways, including from the credential vault and DPAPI.[23][24][25][26][27] |
| S1122 | Mispadu |
Mispadu has obtained credentials from mail clients via NirSoft MailPassView.[17][28][29] |
| G0069 | MuddyWater |
MuddyWater has performed credential dumping with LaZagne and other tools, including by dumping passwords saved in victim email.[30][31][32] |
| S0198 | NETWIRE |
NETWIRE can retrieve passwords from messaging and mail client applications.[33] |
| G0049 | OilRig |
OilRig has used credential dumping tools such as LaZagne to steal credentials to accounts logged into the compromised system and to Outlook Web Access.[34][35][36][37] |
| S0138 | OLDBAIT |
OLDBAIT collects credentials from several email clients.[38] |
| S0048 | PinchDuke |
PinchDuke steals credentials from compromised hosts. PinchDuke's credential stealing functionality is believed to be based on the source code of the Pinch credential stealing malware (also known as LdPinch). Credentials targeted by PinchDuke include ones associated with many sources such as The Bat!, Yahoo!, Mail.ru, Passport.Net, Google Talk, and Microsoft Outlook.[8] |
| S0435 | PLEAD |
PLEAD has the ability to steal saved passwords from Microsoft Outlook.[39] |
| S0378 | PoshC2 |
PoshC2 can decrypt passwords stored in the RDCMan configuration file.[40] |
| S0113 | Prikormka |
A module in Prikormka collects passwords stored in applications installed on the victim.[41] |
| S0192 | Pupy | |
| S0262 | QuasarRAT |
QuasarRAT can obtain passwords from common FTP clients.[43][44] |
| C0024 | SolarWinds Compromise |
During the SolarWinds Compromise, APT29 used account credentials they obtained to attempt access to Group Managed Service Account (gMSA) passwords.[45] |
| G0038 | Stealth Falcon |
Stealth Falcon malware gathers passwords from multiple sources, including Windows Credential Vault and Outlook.[46] |
| G1017 | Volt Typhoon |
Volt Typhoon has attempted to obtain credentials from OpenSSH, realvnc, and PuTTY.[47] |
| ID | Mitigation | Description |
|---|---|---|
| M1027 | Password Policies |
The password for the user's login keychain can be changed from the user's login password. This increases the complexity for an adversary because they need to know an additional password. Organizations may consider weighing the risk of storing credentials in password stores and web browsers. If system, software, or web browser credential disclosure is a significant concern, technical controls, policy, and user training may be used to prevent storage of credentials in improper locations. |
| M1026 | Privileged Account Management |
Limit the number of accounts and services with permission to query information from password stores to only those required. Ensure that accounts and services with permissions to query password stores only have access to the secrets they require. |
| M1051 | Update Software |
Perform regular software updates to mitigate exploitation risk. |
| ID | Data Source | Data Component | Detects |
|---|---|---|---|
| DS0025 | Cloud Service | Cloud Service Enumeration |
Monitor for API calls and CLI commands that attempt to enumerate and fetch credential material from cloud secrets managers, such as Analytic 1 - High volume of secret requests from unusual accounts or services.
|
| DS0017 | Command | Command Execution |
Monitor executed commands and arguments that may search for common password storage locations to obtain user credentials. Analytic 1 - Commands indicating credential searches.
|
| DS0022 | File | File Access |
Monitor for files being accessed that may search for common password storage locations to obtain user credentials. Analytic 1 - Unauthorized access to files containing credentials.
|
| DS0009 | Process | OS API Execution |
Monitor for API calls that may search for common password storage locations to obtain user credentials. |
| Process Access |
Monitor for processes being accessed that may search for common password storage locations to obtain user credentials. Analytic 1 - Unauthorized process access indicating credential searches.
|
||
| Process Creation |
Monitor newly executed processes that may search for common password storage locations to obtain user credentials. Analytic 1 - New processes with parameters indicating credential searches.
|