NTLM Hash Cracking

Exploiting weaknesses in NTLM authentication to retrieve hashed passwords.

Understanding:

NTLM (NT LAN Manager) hash cracking is the process of decrypting or brute-forcing Windows authentication hashes to gain unauthorized access to user credentials. NTLM is vulnerable to pass-the-hash and relay attacks.

Common Applications and Use Cases:

Used by penetration testers to assess password security.
Exploited by attackers to gain lateral movement within a network.
Employed in password recovery and security auditing.

Best Practices and Security Considerations:

Disable NTLM authentication in favor of Kerberos where possible.
Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the impact of compromised credentials.
Use strong, unique passwords and enforce regular credential rotation.