Active Directory (AD) has been a backbone of enterprise IT since its release in 1999, serving as Microsoft’s directory service for managing users, devices, permissions, and policies across a network. AD could be described as the “keys to the kingdom,” which makes it an appealing target for cybercriminals. Attackers often focus on compromising it to gain control over accounts, escalate privileges, and move deeper into an environment. For organizations that rely heavily on AD, understanding how these attacks work is critical to building stronger defenses against them.
What is an Active Directory Attack?
An Active Directory attack occurs when threat actors exploit weaknesses in AD configuration, authentication, or trust relationships to gain unauthorized access. Instead of breaking into a single endpoint, attackers use AD as an entry point to harvest credentials, impersonate accounts, or manipulate AD data itself. The objective is to control accounts and services in ways that expand the attackers’ reach across the network.
The Implications of an Active Directory Attack
Because AD centralizes authentication and permissions, a successful attack can be devastating. Once inside, cybercriminals can escalate privileges, often moving from a compromised standard user account to domain administrator rights. This allows them to unlock access to confidential data, mission-critical systems, and even backup or security infrastructure.
The business impacts extend far beyond technical disruption. AD attacks can halt operations, trigger costly downtime, and expose sensitive information that leads to compliance violations or lawsuits. Equally damaging is the reputational fallout: customer and partners lose trust quickly when they learn attackers had deep, prolonged access to corporate systems.
Common Active Directory Attack Methods to Know About
Active Directory offers attackers multiple pathways to infiltrate and expand access. Here are ten of the most common AD attack techniques, along with tips for preventing each one.
1. Kerberoasting
Kerberoasting exploits the way AD issues Kerberos tickets for service accounts. Attackers request service tickets and then attempt to crack the hashed credentials offline. Because service accounts often use weak or rarely changed passwords, this method is popular for escalating privileges.
Tips for Prevention:
- Use long, complex passwords for service accounts and rotate them regularly.
- Monitor abnormal Kerberos ticket requests, especially those targeting high-privilege accounts.
- Restrict which accounts can request service tickets.
2. Password Spraying
Instead of brute-forcing a single account, attackers try common passwords (like “Spring2024!”) across many accounts at once. This helps them avoid account lockouts while still exploiting weak credential policies.
Tips for Prevention:
- Enforce strong, unique password policies across the organization.
- Implement account lockout policies that trigger alerts after repeated failed attempts.
- Deploy multi-factor authentication (MFA) to limit the value of stolen or guessed credentials.
3. Pass-the-Hash/Pass-the-Ticket
These attacks steal hashed passwords or Kerberos tickets directly from memory, then reuse them to impersonate users without needing plaintext credentials. They are especially dangerous when privileged accounts are compromised.
Tips for Prevention:
- Limit the number of accounts with administrative privileges.
- Regularly patch systems to prevent credential dumping techniques.
- Use Credential Guard or similar technologies to protect authentication data in memory.
4. LLMNR and NBT-NS Poisoning
When systems fail to resolve names using DNS, they may fall back to older protocols like LLMNR or NetBIOS. Attackers can spoof responses, tricking machines into sending credentials that can be harvested.
Tips for Prevention:
- Disable LLMNR and NBT-NS across the environment if not needed.
- Use strong network segmentation to limit exposure to spoofing attacks.
- Monitor network traffic for suspicious name resolution requests.
5. LDAP Reconnaissance
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) allows users and applications to query AD. Attackers can use LDAP queries to gather information about accounts, groups, and permissions,—valuable pieces of intelligence for planning further attacks.
Tips for Prevention:
- Restrict anonymous or unnecessary LDAP queries.
- Monitor for unusual LDAP requests that target sensitive groups or high-value accounts.
- Limit the visibility of account details within directory queries.
6. BloodHound Reconnaissance
BloodHound is a tool that attackers use to map AD relationships and privilege escalation paths. It visualizes how a compromised account can eventually lead to domain admin access.
Tips for Prevention:
- Review AD structures to eliminate unnecessary trust relationships.
- Regularly audit group memberships to minimize privilege escalation paths.
- Monitor for signs of BloodHound usage, such as suspicious graph-building queries.
7. NTDS.dit Extraction
NTDS.dit is the AD database containing hashed credentials for all domain users. If attackers gain access to a domain controller, they may attempt to extract this file and crack the hashes offline.
Tips for Prevention:
- Protect domain controllers with strict physical and network security.
- Encrypt NTDS.dit files and monitor for attempts to copy or access them.
- Limit the use of highly privileged accounts on domain controllers.
8. Golden Ticket Attack
A Golden Ticket attack involves forging Kerberos Ticket Granting Tickets (TGTs) after compromising the KRBTGT account hash. With this, attackers can impersonate any user, including domain admins.
Tips for Prevention:
- Monitor activity related to the KRBTGT account.
- Regularly reset the KRBTGT password hash (done carefully to avoid disruption).
- Use anomaly detection tools to spot unusual Kerberos ticket activity.
9. Silver Ticket Attack
Similar to Golden Tickets, Silver Ticket attacks involve forging Kerberos service tickets. These target specific services rather than full domain control, but still provide a dangerous amount of access.
Tips for Prevention:
- Rotate service account passwords frequently.
- Monitor for Kerberos service tickets that don’t match normal behavior.
- Limit service account privileges to only what’s necessary.
10. DC Shadow
In a DC Shadow attack, adversaries register a rogue domain controller to inject malicious changes into AD. This technique can be used to create backdoors or persist long-term.
Tips for Prevention:
- Monitor AD for unauthorized domain controller registrations.
- Restrict who has the right to add new domain controllers.
- Use change auditing tools to detect unusual AD modifications.
Best Practices for Avoiding an Active Directory Attack
Beyond the specific measures you can take to defend against common attack techniques, there are also broader practices that serve as the foundation for a sustainable AD security strategy. With a proactive approach, you not only make it harder for attackers to get a foothold, but you also make it easier for your team to spot and mitigate unusual activity.
Enforcing Strong Password Policies
Weak or reused passwords remain one of the easiest ways attackers break in. A strong password policy should go beyond simple length requirements,— it should encourage truly unique credentials and discourage common patterns like seasonal passwords.
Combining this with regular expiration intervals, password managers, and multi-factor authentication (where possible) creates an extra barrier that makes brute force and password spraying attacks far less likely to succeed.
Following the Least Privilege Principle
The more access each user has, the more damage an attacker can cause if those accounts are compromised. Applying the least privilege principle means carefully assigning permissions so employees only have what’s necessary for their specific role. It also means reviewing privileges regularly to remove outdated access, especially for former employees or accounts tied to one-time projects. This approach limits exposure and helps contain the blast radius if something goes wrong.
Implementing Continuous Monitoring and Audits
Active Directory is dynamic. On a constant basis, accounts are created, permissions shift, and systems evolve. Without consistent monitoring, it’s easy for risky changes or suspicious behavior to go unnoticed until it’s too late. This is why and scheduled audits are so important. They give teams a clearer picture of what’s happening in real time, helping them identify unusual logins, unexpected privilege escalations, or unauthorized configuration changes. Over time, this creates a feedback loop that strengthens both technology and policy.
Adopting Modern Security Tools
The complexity of AD environments makes them a natural fit for advanced technologies that can process vast amounts of activity and spot patterns that humans might miss. Automation can streamline patching and updates, while AI and machine learning can highlight anomalies in authentication or access that signal potential attacks.
These tools don’t replace IT teams but instead give them a stronger, faster way to respond before attackers gain momentum. Combined with tailored alerts and dashboards, they help reduce blind spots and shorten response times.
Partnering with Experts
Even seasoned IT teams can find Active Directory security overwhelming, given the sheer number of moving parts. Working with cybersecurity specialists provides access to experienced teams, proven methodologies, and tools that may be out of reach for smaller internal groups. Whether it’s performing detailed AD assessments, designing custom monitoring frameworks, or providing on-call support during a crisis, the right partner can offer long-term resilience and security while internal staff stays focused on business needs.
Take Control of Active Directory Security
Active Directory remains a prime target for attackers because of its central role in managing access and identity. By understanding the most common attack methods, and combining targeted defenses and general best practices, your organization can significantly reduce its exposure.
Quest works with businesses to assess AD vulnerabilities, strengthen defenses, and provide on-call expertise when it matters most. If you’re ready to protect one of your most critical assets, schedule a conversation with our team today to learn how we can help.
I hope you found this information helpful. As always, contact us anytime about your technology needs.
Until next time,
Tim
