Detect Cached Domain Credentials in IBM QRadar
Adversaries access cached domain credentials (DCC2/MS-Cache v2) stored locally for offline authentication when domain controllers are unavailable. On Windows, these are stored as MSCACHE v2 (PBKDF2-derived) hashes in HKLM\SECURITY\Cache and cannot be used for pass-the-hash but can be cracked offline. Linux systems using SSSD store cached credentials at /var/lib/sss/db/cache.[domain].ldb. Tools include Mimikatz (lsadump::cache), LaZagne, Cachedump, and Quarks PwDump. Used by Okrum, APT33, OilRig, Leafminer, MuddyWater.
MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic
- Credential Access
- Technique
- T1003 OS Credential Dumping
- Sub-technique
- T1003.005 Cached Domain Credentials
- Canonical reference
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1003/005/
QRadar Detection Query
SELECT
DATEFORMAT(starttime, 'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss') AS event_time,
sourceip,
username,
QIDNAME(qid) AS event_name,
CATEGORYNAME(category) AS category_name,
"EventID",
"CommandLine",
"Image",
"TargetObject",
logsourcename(logsourceid) AS log_source
FROM events
WHERE
LOGSOURCETYPEID(logsourceid) IN (12, 13, 14, 352)
AND (
(
"EventID" = '1'
AND (
LOWER("CommandLine") ILIKE '%lsadump::cache%'
OR LOWER("CommandLine") ILIKE '%cachedump%'
OR LOWER("CommandLine") ILIKE '%mscache%'
OR LOWER("CommandLine") ILIKE '%ms-cache%'
OR LOWER("Image") ILIKE '%lazagne.exe'
OR LOWER("Image") ILIKE '%cachedump.exe'
OR LOWER("Image") ILIKE '%fgdump.exe'
OR LOWER("Image") ILIKE '%gsecdump.exe'
)
)
OR (
"EventID" IN ('12', '13', '14')
AND (
"TargetObject" ILIKE '%\SECURITY\Cache%'
OR "TargetObject" ILIKE '%\SECURITY\Policy\Secrets\NL$%'
)
AND "Image" NOT ILIKE '%lsass.exe'
AND "Image" NOT ILIKE '%svchost.exe'
AND "Image" NOT ILIKE '%services.exe'
)
OR (
"EventID" = '11'
AND (
"TargetFilename" ILIKE '/var/lib/sss/db/%'
OR "TargetFilename" ILIKE '/var/opt/quest/vas/authcache/%'
)
AND "Image" NOT ILIKE '%sssd%'
)
)
LAST 24 HOURS
ORDER BY starttime DESCQRadar AQL query detecting cached domain credential access via Sysmon process creation (EventID 1) for known credential-dumping tools, registry modification events (EventID 12/13/14) targeting SECURITY\Cache and NL$ registry hives by non-system processes, and Sysmon file creation (EventID 11) targeting Linux SSSD cache paths.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Domain backup agents (e.g., Veeam, Commvault) that enumerate SECURITY hive keys during system state backups — whitelist by known backup service account usernames
- Authorized red team or penetration testing engagements using Mimikatz or LaZagne — correlate with change management records
- Security information gathering scripts by IT operations running cachedump-style tooling during vulnerability assessments — verify against approved tools list
Other platforms for T1003.005
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 3 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1Mimikatz Cached Domain Credentials Dump
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 1: Process Create for mimikatz.exe with 'lsadump::cache' in CommandLine. Sysmon Event ID 12/13: Registry access to HKLM\SECURITY\Cache by mimikatz.exe. Security Event ID 4688 for mimikatz.exe.
- Test 2Check Cached Credential Count via Registry
Expected signal: Sysmon Event ID 12: Registry Key Opened for HKLM\SECURITY\Cache (if Sysmon is configured to log registry reads). Security Event ID 4656/4663 if registry auditing is enabled. Process Create for reg.exe.
- Test 3Linux SSSD Cache Access Simulation
Expected signal: Linux auditd events for file access on /var/lib/sss/db/ by non-sssd processes. Syslog entries for file access audit events. Process creation events for ls, file, and stat commands.
References (6)
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1003/005/
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-r2-and-2012/hh994565
- https://ired.team/offensive-security/credential-access-and-credential-dumping/dumping-and-cracking-mscash-cached-domain-credentials
- https://passlib.readthedocs.io/en/stable/lib/passlib.hash.msdcc2.html
- https://labs.portcullis.co.uk/download/eu-18-Wadhwa-Brown-Where-2-worlds-collide-Bringing-Mimikatz-et-al-to-UNIX.pdf
- https://github.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/blob/master/atomics/T1003.005/T1003.005.md
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