Techniques › T1555 › T1555.004
T1555.004 Windows Credential Manager
credential access — Windows · attack.mitre.org · JSON
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MITRE detection strategy
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analytics
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Sigma rules tagged attack.t1555.004
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KEV CVEs mapped here
<p>Adversaries may acquire credentials from the Windows Credential Manager. The Credential Manager stores credentials for signing into websites, applications, and/or devices that request authentication through NTLM or Kerberos in Credential Lockers (previously known as Windows Vaults).</p><p>The Windows Credential Manager separates website credentials from application or network credentials in two lockers. As part of Credentials from Web Browsers, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge website credentials are managed by the Credential Manager and are stored in the Web Credentials locker. Application and network credentials are stored in the Windows Credentials locker.</p><p>Credential Lockers store credentials in encrypted
.vcrd files, located under %Systemdrive%\Users\\[Username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\\[Vault/Credentials]\. The encryption key can be found in a file named <code>Policy.vpol</code>, typically located in the same folder as the credentials.</p><p>Adversaries may list credentials managed by the Windows Credential Manager through several mechanisms. <code>vaultcmd.exe</code> is a native Windows executable that can be used to enumerate credentials stored in the Credential Locker through a command-line interface. Adversaries may also gather credentials by directly reading files located inside of the Credential Lockers. Windows APIs, such as <code>CredEnumerateA</code>, may also be absued to list credentials managed by the Credential Manager.</p><p>Adversaries may also obtain credentials from credential backups. Credential backups and restorations may be performed by running <code>rundll32.exe keymgr.dll KRShowKeyMgr</code> then selecting the “Back up...” button on the “Stored User Names and Passwords” GUI.</p><p>Password recovery tools may also obtain plain text passwords from the Credential Manager.</p>KEV CVEs mapped to this technique · CTID Mappings Explorer
None. No KEV entry in the public mapping names this technique. Given that 74.7% of KEV has no mapping at all, this says more about the mapping than about the technique.
Detection strategy · ATT&CK Enterprise v19.2
- DET0134 Detect Suspicious Access to Windows Credential Manager v1.0
AN0378 WindowsDetects unauthorized access to Windows Credential Manager through anomalous process execution (vaultcmd.exe, rundll32.exe keymgr.dll), suspicious API calls (CredEnumerateA), or direct file access to Credential Locker files. Correlates process creation with subsequent file reads of .vcrd/.vpol files under user Credential Locker directories.Tunable:
MonitoredPathsTimeWindowPrivilegedUsers
Sigma rules · SigmaHQ da9bb07d64, tag attack.t1555.004
Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
· 2022-10-17 (modified 2026-07-28) · logsource: product=windows category=file_access · 46612ae6-86be-4802-bc07-39b59feb1309
Detects file access requests to the the Windows Data Protection API Master keys by an uncommon application.
This can be a sign of credential stealing. Example case would be usage of mimikatz "dpapi::masterkey" function
Author: frack113
· 2022-04-08 (modified 2022-05-13) · logsource: product=windows category=process_creation · 58f50261-c53b-4c88-bd12-1d71f12eda4c
List credentials currently stored in Windows Credential Manager via the native Windows utility vaultcmd.exe
Author: Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
· 2022-10-17 (modified 2024-07-29) · logsource: product=windows category=file_access · 7a2a22ea-a203-4cd3-9abf-20eb1c5c6cd2
Detects file access requests to the Windows Credential History File by an uncommon application.
This can be a sign of credential stealing. Example case would be usage of mimikatz "dpapi::credhist" function
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
· 2022-04-21 (modified 2023-02-09) · logsource: product=windows category=process_creation · a4694263-59a8-4608-a3a0-6f8d3a51664c
Detects the invocation of the Stored User Names and Passwords dialogue (Key Manager)
Rules tagged at the parent level (attack.t1555) 8
These target the parent technique, not this sub-technique specifically. Listed for completeness, not counted as coverage.
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
· 2021-07-14 (modified 2022-07-14) · logsource: product=windows category=process_creation · 58f4ea09-0fc2-4520-ba18-b85c540b0eaf
Detects a suspicious process pattern which could be a sign of an exploited Serv-U service
Author: frack113
· 2021-12-20 (modified 2022-12-25) · logsource: product=windows category=ps_script · 603c6630-5225-49c1-8047-26c964553e0e
Adversaries may search for common password storage locations to obtain user credentials.
Passwords are stored in several places on a system, depending on the operating system or application holding the credentials.
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
· 2018-12-19 (modified 2023-02-04) · logsource: product=windows category=process_creation · 7679d464-4f74-45e2-9e01-ac66c5eb041a
Detects the execution of SecurityXploded Tools
Author: Nounou Mbeiri, Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems)
· 2024-06-26 · logsource: product=windows category=file_event · 7892ec59-c5bb-496d-8968-e5d210ca3ac4
Detects file names with specific patterns seen generated and used by tools such as Mimikatz and DSInternals related to exported or stolen DPAPI backup keys and certificates.
Author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel
· 2023-12-04 · logsource: product=windows category=ps_script · 851fd622-b675-4d26-b803-14bc7baa517a
Detects scriptblock text keywords indicative of potential usge of the tool WinPwn. A tool for Windows and Active Directory reconnaissance and exploitation.
Author: frack113
· 2021-12-20 (modified 2022-12-25) · logsource: product=windows category=ps_script · 99c49d9c-34ea-45f7-84a7-4751ae6b2cbc
Adversaries may search for common password storage locations to obtain user credentials.
Passwords are stored in several places on a system, depending on the operating system or application holding the credentials.
Author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
· 2025-10-21 · logsource: product=aws service=cloudtrail · a840e606-7c8c-4684-9bc1-eb6b6155127f
Detects the execution of TruffleHog, a popular open-source tool used for scanning repositories for secrets and sensitive information, within an AWS environment.
It has been reported to be used by threat actors for credential harvesting. All detections should be investigated to determine if the usage is authorized by security teams or potentially malicious.
Author: Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel
· 2023-12-04 · logsource: product=windows category=process_creation · d557dc06-62e8-4468-a8e8-7984124908ce
Detects commandline keywords indicative of potential usge of the tool WinPwn. A tool for Windows and Active Directory reconnaissance and exploitation.