MITRE ATT&CKsub-technique
T1606.002 SAML Tokens
- Domain
- enterprise
- Tactics
- Credential Access
- Platforms
- SaaS, Windows, IaaS, Office Suite, Identity Provider
- Version
- 1.4
- Created
- 2020-12-17
Description
An adversary may forge SAML tokens with any permissions claims and lifetimes if they possess a valid SAML token-signing certificate. The default lifetime of a SAML token is one hour, but the validity period can be specified in the NotOnOrAfter value of the conditions ... element in a token. This value can be changed using the AccessTokenLifetime in a LifetimeTokenPolicy. Forged SAML tokens enable adversaries to authenticate across services that use SAML 2.0 as an SSO (single sign-on) mechanism.
An adversary may utilize Private Keys to compromise an organization's token-signing certificate to create forged SAML tokens. If the adversary has sufficient permissions to establish a new federation trust with their own Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) server, they may instead generate their own trusted token-signing certificate. This differs from Steal Application Access Token and other similar behaviors in that the tokens are new and forged by the adversary, rather than stolen or intercepted from legitimate users.
An adversary may gain administrative Entra ID privileges if a SAML token is forged which claims to represent a highly privileged account. This may lead to Use Alternate Authentication Material, which may bypass multi-factor and other authentication protection mechanisms.
Related
Subtechnique of · MITRE ATT&CK (1)
- T1606 Forge Web Credentials technique
Tactic · MITRE ATT&CK (1)
- TA0006 Credential Access tactic
Referenced by MITRE ATT&CK · mitigates (4)
Referenced by MITRE ATT&CK · uses (2)
Referenced by Compliance · mitigates (5)
- CIS-6.8 Define and Maintain Role-Based Access Control CIS Safeguard v8.1
- NIST-AC-2 Account Management NIST 800-53 control
- NIST-AC-3 Access Enforcement NIST 800-53 control
- NIST-AC-6 Least Privilege NIST 800-53 control
- NIST-IA-13 Identity Providers and Authorization Servers NIST 800-53 control
References
- https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2020/12/13/customers-protect-nation-state-cyberattacks/ Microsoft SolarWinds Steps
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/active-directory-configurable-token-lifetimes Microsoft SAML Token Lifetimes
- https://msrc-blog.microsoft.com/2020/12/13/customer-guidance-on-recent-nation-state-cyber-attacks/ Microsoft SolarWinds Customer Guidance
- https://www.cyberark.com/resources/threat-research-blog/golden-saml-newly-discovered-attack-technique-forges-authentication-to-cloud-apps Cyberark Golden SAML
- https://www.sygnia.co/threat-reports-and-advisories/golden-saml-attack/ Sygnia Golden SAML