type: attack-pattern
spec_version: 2.1
id: attack-pattern--b4409cd8-0da9-46e1-a401-a241afd4d1cc
created: 2022-05-31T19:31:38.431Z
created_by_ref: identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5
revoked: no
external_references: source_name: mitre-attack
url: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1556/006
external_id: T1556.006
source_name: Russians Exploit Default MFA Protocol - CISA March 2022
description: Cyber Security Infrastructure Agency. (2022, March 15). Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Actors Gain Network Access by Exploiting Default Multifactor Authentication Protocols and “PrintNightmare” Vulnerability. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
url: https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa22-074a
source_name: Mandiant APT42
description: Mandiant. (n.d.). APT42: Crooked Charms, Cons and Compromise. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
url: https://www.mandiant.com/media/17826
source_name: Azure AD Conditional Access Exclusions
description: Microsoft. (2022, August 26). Use Azure AD access reviews to manage users excluded from Conditional Access policies. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
url: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/governance/conditional-access-exclusion
object_marking_refs: marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168
modified: 2025-04-15T19:58:59.338Z
name: Multi-Factor Authentication
description: Adversaries may disable or modify multi-factor authentication (MFA) mechanisms to enable persistent access to compromised accounts.

Once adversaries have gained access to a network by either compromising an account lacking MFA or by employing an MFA bypass method such as [Multi-Factor Authentication Request Generation](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1621), adversaries may leverage their access to modify or completely disable MFA defenses. This can be accomplished by abusing legitimate features, such as excluding users from Azure AD Conditional Access Policies, registering a new yet vulnerable/adversary-controlled MFA method, or by manually patching MFA programs and configuration files to bypass expected functionality.(Citation: Mandiant APT42)(Citation: Azure AD Conditional Access Exclusions)

For example, modifying the Windows hosts file (`C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts`) to redirect MFA calls to localhost instead of an MFA server may cause the MFA process to fail. If a "fail open" policy is in place, any otherwise successful authentication attempt may be granted access without enforcing MFA. (Citation: Russians Exploit Default MFA Protocol - CISA March 2022) 

Depending on the scope, goals, and privileges of the adversary, MFA defenses may be disabled for individual accounts or for all accounts tied to a larger group, such as all domain accounts in a victim's network environment.(Citation: Russians Exploit Default MFA Protocol - CISA March 2022) 
kill_chain_phases: kill_chain_name: mitre-attack
phase_name: credential-access
kill_chain_name: mitre-attack
phase_name: defense-evasion
kill_chain_name: mitre-attack
phase_name: persistence
x_mitre_attack_spec_version: 3.2.0
x_mitre_contributors: Liran Ravich, CardinalOps
Muhammad Moiz Arshad, @5T34L7H
Arun Seelagan, CISA
x_mitre_deprecated: no
x_mitre_domains: enterprise-attack
x_mitre_is_subtechnique: yes
x_mitre_modified_by_ref: identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5
x_mitre_platforms: Windows
SaaS
IaaS
Linux
macOS
Office Suite
Identity Provider
x_mitre_version: 1.4