Shadow Credentials Privesc
Takes over AD accounts via key credentials and recovers NT hashes for testing.
Install
npx skills add mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills --skill abusing-shadow-credentials-for-privesc -g -a claude-code -y- Repository
- mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills35.4k
- Category
- Security
- Updated
- 2mo ago
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Context cost
- Mediumabout 2,188 tokens
- Runs scripts
- Yes, review before use
What it does
Take over Active Directory accounts by writing attacker-controlled public keys to msDS-KeyCredentialLink (Shadow Credentials) with pyWhisker, Whisker, or Certipy, then authenticate via PKINIT to recover the target's NT hash without a password reset. Use when BloodHound shows GenericWrite/GenericAll/AddKeyCredentialLink over a target, as a stealthier alternative to ForceChangePassword, during authorized red-team engagements.
Abusing Shadow Credentials for Privilege Escalation
Legal Notice: This skill is for authorized security testing and educational purposes only. Shadow Credentials grant full takeover of the targeted account. Use only against systems you own or are explicitly authorized in writing to test. Unauthorized access is a crime.
Overview
The Shadow Credentials technique abuses the msDS-KeyCredentialLink attribute of Active Directory user and computer objects. This attribute stores raw public keys ("Key Credentials") used by Windows Hello for Business and Azure AD device registration for passwordless certificate-based logon via PKINIT (Public Key Cryptography for Initial Authentication in Kerberos). If an attacker has write permission over a target object's msDS-KeyCredentialLink, typically granted by GenericWrite, GenericAll, WriteProperty, or AddKeyCredentialLink ACEs surfaced in BloodHound, they can append their own attacker-generated public key. They then request a TGT for the target via PKINIT using the matching private key and recover the target's NT hash, achieving complete account takeover without resetting the password, which is far stealthier than a forced password reset.
The technique was published by Elad Shamir ("Shadow Credentials: Abusing Key Trust Account Mapping for Account Takeover") and implemented in the C# tool Whisker. The Python equivalent pyWhisker (ShutdownRepo) manipulates the attribute over LDAP, and Certipy integrates the entire chain via certipy shadow auto. The target environment must support PKINIT and have at least one Domain Controller running Windows Server 2016 or later. Sources: pyWhisker, Whisker, The Hacker Recipes, Shadow Credentials.
