How to Prevent Active Directory from Malicious Password Attacks

What is Active Directory Security?

Active Directory Security is a collection of safeguards against intrusions into the directory service architecture. The core of the system consists of domain controllers, which are servers that respond to security authentication requests from within a Windows Server network. Because it is crucial to grant users, access, and apps permission throughout an organization, Active Directory is a common target for attackers. If a hacker manages to get access to the Active Directory system, they might be able to access all associated user accounts, databases, apps, and other types of data.

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Why is Active Directory Security Important?

Active Directory Security is essential for a few key reasons:

1. System Access: System access is Active Directory’s most significant contribution to the security of the company. If you don’t take the required precautions to keep Active Directory safe, any malevolent user can access private information, protected files, and other programs. Phishing and social engineering attacks are typically carried out by an attacker posing as a legitimate user to get access to a victim’s account. They will travel laterally through the system and raise their privileges once they are inside the Active Directory, corrupting the entire network. Once they get access to privileged accounts, they can launch ransomware attacks and steal confidential information. To identify any unexpected activity before significant harm is done, Active Directory security must be strengthened, and user activity must be routinely monitored.
2. The loss of Private Information: Active Directory is linked to adherence to regulations. Not only is it necessary to secure your Active Directory for network security, but you are also required to safeguard users’ private data. Confidential information can be easily accessed by an outsider who gains access to your Active Directory. This security violation has the potential to permanently close your company in addition to seriously harming its brand.
3. Password Policy: The best strategy to safeguard privileged user accounts may seem to be to follow a strict password policy that uses a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters to secure Active Directory which seems to be convenient. The possibility of a security breach is increased if a user forgets the password and stores it in unsafe locations. The same is true with weak passwords, which might make it simple for hackers to access your Active Directory. When creating a password policy, it’s critical to strike a balance between security and usability.
4. Difficulty in Attack Recovery: Due to the difficulty of recovering from these attacks, Active Directory Security should be a top priority for any organization. These three problems like identifying the attack’s source, determining the damage, and establishing a safe environment to stop such threats in the future are challenging to resolve. The Data Breach Investigation Report states that 85% of enterprise security breaches were discovered over the course of several weeks. Think about the damage that the breach may have caused right now. It might be challenging to identify malicious behaviour in Active Directory until the attacker has caused significant network damage.
5. Security Recovery Plan: It becomes challenging to patch vulnerabilities in Active Directory if the attacker is not identified. The more damage they can do, the longer they stay in your system. A disaster recovery plan must be in place for a business to handle these security breaches. In the event of a breach, they must be prepared to act. Having monitoring tools that notify you when an unwanted user has access to your Active Directory is crucial. The only hope of preventing an attack before it compromises your network security is to routinely monitor your system and keep an eye out for any strange activity. Some strategies to reduce the danger of Active Directory Security breaches in the first place include the use of encryption technologies, two-factor authentication, access control systems, and firewall protection programs.
6. Least Privileged Policy: Active Directory may exert strong control over the IT setup.It is used to assign users access rights and specify their positions inside the company. An increased danger of unauthorized users gaining access to features they are not supposed or allowed to use can result from improperly configured permissions. The entire domain might be compromised, and the network could be permanently shut down, if they manage to gain access to the administrator’s account. It’s also possible that these people will encrypt private information and demand a ransom to unlock it. The strongest defense against the possibility of a compromised domain is to limit privileged user accounts. Only those users who really need domain access are granted access, according to the least privileged security system.

What is a Password-Spraying Attack in Active Directory

An attack tactic known as a “password spraying attack” involves an adversary attempting to breach user accounts by authenticating using a well curated set of passwords that are either commonly used or likely to be used by their target. Stated differently, the attacker does not target a single account with numerous passwords; instead, they try a few weak or common passwords across numerous accounts in an effort to obtain illegal access. The basic concept is to test many passwords, presuming that some users have selected a weak password.

Since LDAP allows any authenticated user in an Active Directory environment to query accounts, password spraying attacks are a serious risk. Without activating account lockout settings, this would allow an attacker with limited privileges to try weak or common passwords across numerous accounts.

Aftermath of Password Attacks

The consequences of password hacks are extensive and have a significant influence on society. A data breach has led 51% of firms to plan to raise security investments, according to IBM’s research. Below is a discussion of some of the most significant consequences of password attacks:

1. Reputational Damage: A company’s reputation might suffer greatly as a result of any personal attack. Within a few hours of a breach being revealed, an organization can become the subject of a worldwide news story since news spreads quickly. The compromised company may suffer irreversible harm as a result of this bad news and a decline in customer confidence. Long-lasting reputational harm will also affect a company’s capacity to draw in new clients, possible investments, and staff members. It can destroy client trust and damage your reputation for years if your business is found to have weak password security.
2. Loss of Personal Data: There may be disastrous repercussions if an attack has led to the loss of private information. Any information that can be used to identify a person directly or indirectly is considered personal data. This covers all of the following: name, IP address, credentials, and passwords. It also contains private information that can be used to identify a person, like genetic or biometric information. There is no place for complacency in today’s changing cyber security environment, especially when it comes to the repercussions of a data breach, regardless of how prepared your company is for the attack. To protect data privacy, reduce threats, and preserve the reputation of your brand, you need to have a well-coordinated security plan in place.
3. Intellectual Property Theft: The business may lose its competitive edge if rivals or nation-state actors obtain proprietary information or trade secrets. Stolen IP can be used to create knock-off products, underbid you on contracts, or even blackmail your executives. Password attacks are a huge liability for businesses of all sizes. The question of whether or not your login credentials will be compromised is not if, but when. Additionally, the repercussions could be disastrous if you’re unprepared.

Best Practices to Tackle Password Attacks

Below is a list of the best practices to tackle password attacks:

1. 1. 1. PenTesting: Pen testing is one of the greatest ways to determine whether an organization is susceptible to password attacks. To quickly conduct password assaults, utilize an automated pen testing program. One way to determine whether your environment is vulnerable is to conduct a password spraying scenario, which reveals which machines are sharing credentials. In addition to giving you time to change your password before you are actually attacked, this should lead to a reconsideration of the methods used to generate and enforce passwords.
      2. Monitoring Activity: An IT environment has a lot of activity, so a password attack might quickly get past the security measures. An abnormal number of login attempts can be detected by using a SIEM to monitor activity. This automatically escalates the problem to the security team, enabling them to promptly stop or eliminate threats. The analysts and security teams will be able to decide instantly whether they need to go and look into this more. Many SIEM solutions also have the ability to lock out users automatically after a predetermined number of unsuccessful tries.
      3. Training and Reviews: Employees are the most valuable resource, yet they also pose the biggest security risk. Putting solutions in place will help lower risk when pen testing reveals your weakest areas. To make sure they comprehend the value of password security and the manner in which their credentials might be compromised, staff members must also receive frequent training. For instance, those who have been identified as vulnerable to phishing attempts could need education sessions to improve their ability to recognize questionable emails. It is especially crucial to regularly execute phishing campaign simulations since an attacker only requires one user to make a mistake and new employees may have been onboarded since the last scenario was run.
      4. Strong Security Posture: A single password is no longer sufficient to secure IT environments and their attackers, who have become significantly more sophisticated. As diverse as the infrastructures they safeguard, security plans must be. Password-focused products, such as MFA and password managers, need to be used in conjunction with other solutions, such as antivirus software and other threat detection tools. Both proactive and preventative measures against malware attacks are possible with these, as is a reactive approach to advanced persistent threats that infiltrate a system. Dynamic risk management allows firms to be prepared for any kind of disruption or security threat.
      5. Implement Rate Limiting: One efficient technique to secure passwords and prevent brute force attacks is rate limitation. This technique involves setting a limit on how many attempts a person or IP address may make to connect in a specific amount of time. It becomes significantly more difficult for attackers to guess passwords by trying a variety of combinations once the number of attempts is decreased. For example, after five failed attempts in a minute, a Rate- Limiting system can block the attacker’s attempts to gain unauthorized access to an account. The strike is slowed down and less effective as a result of this temporary blockage.
      6. Ban Password Expiration Policies: Password expiration policies prohibit password expiration to promote frequent changes and reduce the possibility of leaks. It appears like a good security measure when spoken aloud. However, in practice, these rules push users to act differently. Typically, users create passwords that are straightforward and simple to figure out. They seldom alter the previous passwords; instead, they simply add a few characters, which weakens the security. Therefore, it is advised to do away with these systematic expiration policies. Encouraging users to generate lengthy, intricate passwords from the start is a better way to combat password hacks. This would lower the hazards connected to unproductive behaviors and guarantee longer-lasting security.

How Lepide Helps Keep Active Directory Secure

Lepide Auditor allows users to track all modifications across Active Directory and Entra ID, including changes made to objects, infrastructure, OUs, GPOs, users, computers, and more. It also provides complete visibility over permissions and permission changes. This gives users instant visibility over what matters most in AD, so that they can take steps to reduce risk.

Lepide also enables you to understand logon/logoff behavior, track failed logons, and spot potential brute force attacks with pre-defined threat models. This means that you can easily detect and react in real time to threats targeting your AD.

Set up a demo with one of our engineers or download the Free Trial to find out how Lepide can help shield Active Directory from malicious password attacks.