huntrule

Windows Kerberos Key Distribution Center: CVE-2021-42278 Exploitation Attempt Indicators (Event 35–38)

Alerts on Windows Kerberos KDC ticket anomalies (EventIDs 35–38) associated with CVE-2021-42278 exploitation attempts.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v5
Product
windows
Service
system
Author
frack113 (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2021-12-15
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule flags Windows system events from the Microsoft-Windows-Kerberos-Key-Distribution-Center service that match PAC/Ticket integrity anomalies associated with CVE-2021-42278 exploitation attempts. Attackers may attempt to obtain unauthorized access by manipulating Kerberos-related artifacts, which can surface as missing or inconsistent PAC/requestor information. The detection relies on telemetry from the Kerberos Key Distribution Center with Event IDs 35, 36, 37, or 38.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1558.003 — drag to rearrange
Malicious Kerberos Ticket File Creation Indicating Credential Theft (via file_event)
Suspicious Kerberoasting via setspn Service Principal Query
Masquerading Kerberos Ticket Abuse via Rubeus (via process_creation)
Possible Targeted Kerberoasting via servicePrincipalName Modification
Suspicious SQL Service Principal Name Enumeration via Setspn
Windows: Suspicious Kerberos Ticket Requests from PowerShell Using KerberosRequestorSecurityToken
Windows Process Creation: RemoteKrbRelay Kerberos Relay Tool Execution
Windows Kerberos KDC Key Distribution Failure: No Suitable Encryption Key or Unsupported EType
Rubeus HackTool Execution via PowerShell ScriptBlock Flags (Windows)
Windows Kerberos Key Distribution Center: CVE-2021-42278 Exploitation Attempt Indicators (Event 35–38)
Pivot detection · T1558.003 · 9 related

Changelog

v5
  1. v5
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. v4
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  3. v3
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  4. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  5. v1
    No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

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