Description
Adversaries may forge credential materials that can be used to gain access to web applications or Internet services. Web applications and services (hosted in cloud SaaS environments or on-premise servers) often use session cookies, tokens, or other materials to authenticate and authorize user access.
Adversaries may generate these credential materials in order to gain access to web resources. This differs from Steal Web Session Cookie, Steal Application Access Token, and other similar behaviors in that the credentials are new and forged by the adversary, rather than stolen or intercepted from legitimate users.
The generation of web credentials often requires secret values, such as passwords, Private Keys, or other cryptographic seed values.(Citation: GitHub AWS-ADFS-Credential-Generator) Adversaries may also forge tokens by taking advantage of features such as the AssumeRole and GetFederationToken APIs in AWS, which allow users to request temporary security credentials (i.e., Temporary Elevated Cloud Access), or the zmprov gdpak command in Zimbra, which generates a pre-authentication key that can be used to generate tokens for any user in the domain.(Citation: AWS Temporary Security Credentials)(Citation: Zimbra Preauth)
Once forged, adversaries may use these web credentials to access resources (ex: Use Alternate Authentication Material), which may bypass multi-factor and other authentication protection mechanisms.(Citation: Pass The Cookie)(Citation: Unit 42 Mac Crypto Cookies January 2019)(Citation: Microsoft SolarWinds Customer Guidance)
Platforms
Sub-Techniques (2)
Mitigations (4)
Privileged Account ManagementM1026
Restrict permissions and access to the AD FS server to only originate from privileged access workstations.(Citation: FireEye ADFS)
Software ConfigurationM1054
Configure browsers/applications to regularly delete persistent web credentials (such as cookies).
AuditM1047
Administrators should perform an audit of all access lists and the permissions they have been granted to access web applications and services. This should be done extensively on all resources in order to establish a baseline, followed up on with periodic audits of new or updated resources. Suspicious accounts/credentials should be investigated and removed. Enable advanced auditing on ADFS. Check
User Account ManagementM1018
Ensure that user accounts with administrative rights follow best practices, including use of privileged access workstations, Just in Time/Just Enough Administration (JIT/JEA), and strong authentication. Reduce the number of users that are members of highly privileged Directory Roles.(Citation: Microsoft SolarWinds Customer Guidance) In AWS environments, prohibit users from calling the `sts:GetFede
References
- AWS. (n.d.). Requesting temporary security credentials. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
- Chen, Y., Hu, W., Xu, Z., et. al. (2019, January 31). Mac Malware Steals Cryptocurrency Exchanges’ Cookies. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- Damian Hickey. (2017, January 28). AWS-ADFS-Credential-Generator. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
- MSRC. (2020, December 13). Customer Guidance on Recent Nation-State Cyber Attacks. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
- Rehberger, J. (2018, December). Pivot to the Cloud using Pass the Cookie. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- Zimbra. (2023, March 16). Preauth. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is T1606 (Forge Web Credentials)?
T1606 is a MITRE ATT&CK technique named 'Forge Web Credentials'. It belongs to the Credential Access tactic(s). Adversaries may forge credential materials that can be used to gain access to web applications or Internet services. Web applications and services (hosted in cloud SaaS environments or on-premise serv...
How can T1606 be detected?
Detection of T1606 (Forge Web Credentials) typically involves monitoring system logs, network traffic, and endpoint telemetry. Use SIEM rules, EDR solutions, and behavioral analytics to identify suspicious activity associated with this technique.
What mitigations exist for T1606?
There are 4 documented mitigations for T1606. Key mitigations include: Privileged Account Management, Software Configuration, Audit, User Account Management.
Which threat groups use T1606?
While specific threat group attribution may vary, this technique has been observed in various real-world attacks. Check the MITRE ATT&CK website for the latest threat intelligence.