Master Active Directory

Learn the fundamentals and advanced techniques of Active Directory management, from user and group management to domain security and attacks.

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Active Directory Master Learning Path

Coming Soon: A comprehensive learning path for mastering Active Directory, covering best practices for management, security, and attack mitigation. Stay tuned!

Skills You Will Gain

User and Group Management
Domain and Forest Design
Group Policy Objects (GPOs)
Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS)
Active Directory Certificate Services (ADCS)
Domain Controller Configuration
Active Directory Replication
Active Directory Security
Kerberos Authentication
Active Directory Backup and Recovery
LDAP Queries
Active Directory Attacks
Active Directory Command Terminal
$ dsquery user -name "John Doe"

Common Active Directory Challenges

1. User and Group Management

Efficiently managing users and groups is crucial for organizing access to resources, ensuring compliance, and enforcing security policies in Active Directory.

2. Group Policy Objects (GPOs)

GPOs control user and computer environments, including security settings, software deployment, and system configurations within Active Directory domains.

3. Active Directory Security

Understanding how to secure Active Directory is vital to protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access to resources.

4. Active Directory Replication

Replication ensures that changes to Active Directory objects are consistently synchronized across domain controllers within the forest.

5. Kerberos Authentication

Kerberos authentication is a critical component in ensuring secure and trusted communication within an Active Directory domain.

Tools for Active Directory Administration

1. PowerShell

PowerShell is a powerful scripting language and command-line interface for automating tasks and managing Active Directory objects efficiently.

2. Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC)

ADUC is the primary graphical tool used to manage users, groups, and organizational units (OUs) in Active Directory environments.

3. Active Directory Sites and Services

Active Directory Sites and Services help manage replication, sites, subnets, and the physical structure of an Active Directory domain.

Techniques for Active Directory Attacks

1. Pass-the-Hash

Pass-the-Hash attacks exploit weak password storage mechanisms by using hashed credentials to authenticate without needing the plaintext password.

2. Kerberos Ticket Granting Ticket (TGT) Abuse

Abusing Kerberos TGTs can allow attackers to impersonate users or escalate privileges within a domain.

3. DCOM/RPC Attacks

Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) and Remote Procedure Call (RPC) attacks allow attackers to manipulate system services and escalate privileges remotely.

4. SID Hijacking

SID hijacking is an attack where an attacker can assign a compromised Security Identifier (SID) to gain access to resources they otherwise cannot access.

5. Domain Admin Escalation

Domain Admin escalation allows attackers to gain full control of the domain, often by exploiting misconfigurations or privilege escalation vulnerabilities.