MediumSigmaHQ Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)

Access To Windows DPAPI Master Keys By Uncommon Applications

Detects file access requests to the the Windows Data Protection API Master keys by an uncommon application. This can be a sign of credential stealing. Example case would be usage of mimikatz "dpapi::masterkey" function

Detection logic

Detection requirements

Platform: Windows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
Log source product: windows
Log source category: file_access

Known benign triggers

Unknown

References

Links the source published beside this detection. Reference is the link the source wrote, unmodified. Class is decided by this catalogue from the host and path, not stated by the source. Cited by counts published detections citing the same resource, including this one, and the sources beneath it count the repositories this catalogue ingests, which is not the same as independent research.
Reference	Class	Cited by
blog.harmj0y.net/redteaming/operational-guidance-for-offensive-user-dpapi-abuse/	Unclassified	Only this detection cites it
book.hacktricks.xyz/windows-hardening/windows-local-privilege-escalation/dpapi-extracting-passwords	Unclassified	Only this detection cites it

Detection rules

Access To Windows DPAPI Master Keys By Uncommon Applications

Detection logic

Detection requirements

Known benign triggers

MITRE ATT&CK mappings

References

From the source

Licence

Authorship

Detection rules