Suspicious LDAP Security Descriptor Enumeration via SD_FLAGS Control

ATT&CK techniques

Discovery

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
- T1069.002Domain Groups
- T1087.002Domain Account
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects Directory Service event 1644 queries that combine the LDAP_SERVER_SD_FLAGS_OID control 1.2.840.113556.1.4.801 with retrieval of the nTSecurityDescriptor attribute, the mass access-control enumeration performed by BloodHound style tooling. Reading security descriptors across many objects maps attack paths and delegation abuse opportunities in Active Directory. Broad SD_FLAGS-driven descriptor collection is characteristic of reconnaissance rather than routine administration.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1069.002 — drag to rearrange

Suspicious SOAPHound Style LDAP Query with SDflags and all_with_list via security

Suspicious SOAPHound Null Filter LDAP Query via security

Suspicious Delegation Discovery LDAP Search Filter via Bitwise OID

Suspicious Service Principal Name Discovery via setspn Query

Malicious Active Directory Enumeration via SharpHound or BloodHound (via process_creation)

Suspicious Group Discovery - Command (via process_creation)

SharpHound Host Enumeration Over Kerberos (via security)

Suspicious Active Directory Enumeration via ADWS PowerShell Cmdlets via ps_script

Windows File Events: ADExplorer .dat Snapshot Written by ADExp.exe or ADExplorer.exe

Suspicious LDAP Security Descriptor Enumeration via SD_FLAGS Control

Pivot detection · T1069.002 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.

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