An adversary guesses or obtains (i.e. steals or purchases) legitimate Windows administrator credentials (e.g. userID/password) to access Windows Admin Shares on a local machine or within a Windows domain.

Windows systems within the Windows NT family contain hidden network shares that are only accessible to system administrators. These shares allow administrators to remotely access all disk volumes on a network-connected system and further allow for files to be copied, written, and executed, along with other administrative actions. Example network shares include: C$, ADMIN$ and IPC$. If an adversary is able to obtain legitimate Windows credentials, the hidden shares can be accessed remotely, via server message block (SMB) or the Net utility, to transfer files and execute code. It is also possible for adversaries to utilize NTLM hashes to access administrator shares on systems with certain configuration and patch levels.

1
Explore
[Acquire known Windows administrator credentials] The adversary must obtain known Windows administrator credentials in order to access the administrative network shares.
An adversary purchases breached Windows administrator credentials from the dark web.
An adversary leverages a key logger or phishing attack to steal administrator credentials as they are provided.
An adversary conducts a sniffing attack to steal Windows administrator credentials as they are transmitted.
An adversary gains access to a Windows domain system/files and exfiltrates Windows administrator password hashes.
An adversary examines outward-facing configuration and properties files to discover hardcoded Windows administrator credentials.

2
Experiment
[Attempt domain authentication] Try each Windows administrator credential against the hidden network shares until the target grants access.
Manually or automatically enter each administrator credential through the target's interface.

3
Exploit
[Malware Execution] An adversary can remotely execute malware within the administrative network shares to infect other systems within the domain.

4
Exploit
[Data Exfiltration] The adversary can remotely obtain sensitive data contained within the administrative network shares.

The system/application is connected to the Windows domain.
The target administrative share allows remote use of local admin credentials to log into domain systems.
The adversary possesses a list of known Windows administrator credentials that exist on the target domain.

Once an adversary obtains a known Windows credential, leveraging it is trivial.

A list of known Windows administrator credentials for the targeted domain.

Data is being transferred and/or removed from administrative network shares.
Suspicious or Malicious software is executed within administrative network shares.
Suspicious or Malicious software is downloaded/installed on systems within the domain.

Confidentiality
Access Control
Authentication
Gain Privileges

Confidentiality
Authorization
Read Data

Integrity
Modify Data

Do not reuse local administrator account credentials across systems.
Deny remote use of local admin credentials to log into domain systems.
Do not allow accounts to be a local administrator on more than one system.

APT32 has leveraged Windows' built-in Net utility to use Windows Administrative Shares to copy and execute remote malware. [REF-579]
In May 2017, APT15 laterally moved within a Windows domain via Windows Administrative Shares to copy files to and from compromised host systems. This further allowed for the remote execution of malware. [REF-578]

1021.002
Remote Services:SMB/Windows Admin Shares

CAPEC Content Team
The MITRE Corporation
2015-11-09

CAPEC Content Team
The MITRE Corporation
2019-04-04
Updated Related_Weaknesses

CAPEC Content Team
The MITRE Corporation
2020-07-30
Updated Consequences, Description, Example_Instances, Execution_Flow, Indicators, Mitigations, Prerequisites, References, Related_Attack_Patterns, Related_Weaknesses, Resources_Required, Skills_Required, Taxonomy_Mappings

CAPEC Content Team
The MITRE Corporation
2020-12-17
Updated Related_Attack_Patterns

CAPEC Content Team
The MITRE Corporation
2022-09-29
Updated Description, Extended_Description