Trust With Caution - Trust Relationship Vulnerabilities + Solutions: A Guide

executive summary

Trust relationships are fundamental in establishing a secure connection between users and systems across domains. They streamline access to resources by allowing users to log in once, with the trusted domain authenticating the user initially, and the trusting domain relying on this authentication for later access without re-authentication.

Within network management, trust relationships form the backbone of seamless access to resources across interconnected domains. This guide will dive into the details of trust relationships, shedding light on their properties, potential dangers, and offering practical tips for organizations and customers to mitigate associated risks.

properties of trust + establishing trust

Establishing trust relationships is the choice of domain administrators. This involves adding trusted and trusting domains, configuring passwords, and confirming the trust relationship. The trusted domain typically initiates the process, adding the trusting domain. Let’s look at the three properties of trust:

1. Trusts are inherently one-way, meaning if domain A trusts domain B, the reciprocal trust may not be automatic.
2. Trusts lack transitivity; trust between domains A and B, and B and C, does not imply trust between A and C.
3. Setting up reciprocal trust is essential from both sides, although either side holds the capability to break the trust relationship.

Additionally, password management is important in trust relationships. The system automatically changes the initial password after establishing trust. Regular communication between Primary Domain Controllers (PDCs) ensures periodic password changes, occurring every 7 days. It's important to note that rebuilding a broken trust is a complex process, requiring the repetition of the entire setup.

POST-TRUST ESTABLISHMENT

After the establishment of trust between the two domains, administrators in both domains can log in seamlessly at either domain. This interconnected access facilitates a more fluid and integrated operational environment. However, it's important to note that although the login privileges extend across domains, permissions for accessing resources in the other domain are not automatically granted.

Administrators are required to undertake a manual process of assigning these permissions. In other words, the mere establishment of trust does not automatically translate to unrestricted access; administrators must actively manage and assign permissions to ensure that users within their domain can appropriately access resources in the interconnected domain. This deliberate assignment of permissions adds an additional layer of security and control, allowing administrators to tailor access rights based on specific user roles and responsibilities in the interconnected environment.

breaches

A common breach scenario unfolds when credentials are cached on a trusted client. In the event of a breach, this can lead to unauthorized access, potentially wreaking havoc within the interconnected domains.

In 2013, Target experienced a targeted attack characterized by a breach of trust. The threat actors exploited the network credentials of a heating and ventilation company, entrusted with servicing a Target store. Leveraging these credentials, the threat actors seamlessly infiltrated Target's network, capitalizing on the same level of access provided to the third-party partner.

Another notable example involves MenuPass, a threat group based in China. Between 2016 and 2017, MenuPass conducted a campaign targeting IT Managed Service Providers (MSPs), mining companies, manufacturing entities, and a university. Using credentials obtained from these organizations, the group gained unauthorized access to victim resources.

security

There are key security considerations that hold significance in the management of trust relationships between domains:

1. Impact of Domain Name Changes: Altering the name of a domain can lead to the disruption of trust relationships. This emphasizes the importance of stability in domain naming conventions, as changes in this aspect can potentially interfere with the established trust, affecting the overall reliability and functionality of the interconnected domains.
2. Open Connections and Trust Establishment: The process of establishing trust is hindered by open connections to another domain. This highlights the need for a secure and controlled environment during the establishment phase. Any open connections can introduce vulnerabilities and compromise the integrity of the trust relationship, underscoring the importance of a closed and secure communication channel between domains.
3. Careful Planning and Coordination: Effective trust management necessitates careful planning and coordination with administrators from other domains. This emphasizes the collaborative nature of trust establishment, where domain administrators must work in tandem to ensure that the trust relationship is established securely and aligns with the overall security policies of the interconnected domains. This coordination is essential to minimize potential security risks and enhance the overall integrity of the trust relationship.

ACTIVE DIRECTORY TRUSTS

Ensuring the security of Active Directory Trusts involves implementing critical measures to mitigate potential vulnerabilities and unauthorized access. Some key security tips for maintaining a secure trust environment include:

1. Strong Password Usage: The foundation of trust security lies in the use of strong passwords. Administering robust password policies helps protect against unauthorized access attempts. This involves enforcing complex password requirements, such as a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Regularly updating and rotating passwords further enhances the resilience of trust relationships.
2. Regular Updates: Keeping all systems and components up to date is key for security. This includes applying patches, updates, and security fixes promptly. Regularly updating the operating systems, Active Directory servers, and associated software ensures that potential vulnerabilities are addressed, reducing the risk of exploitation by malicious actors seeking to compromise trust relationships.
3. Implementation of Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Adding an extra layer of authentication through 2FA significantly enhances trust security. By requiring users to provide two forms of identification, typically a password and a secondary authentication method (such as a code sent to a mobile device), the risk of unauthorized access is significantly reduced. This additional verification step adds a safeguard against potential breaches.
4. Vigilant Monitoring and Auditing: Continuous monitoring and auditing practices are necessary for detecting and responding to any suspicious activities promptly. Monitoring user authentication, access attempts, and changes within the trust environment can provide early indications of potential security threats. Applying robust auditing policies ensures that any deviations from normal behavior are identified and addressed in a timely manner.

By adhering to these security tips, administrators can strengthen the resilience of Active Directory Trusts, fortifying the overall security posture and minimizing the risk of unauthorized access or compromise within the trust relationships.

MITRE ATT&CK

In the world of cybersecurity, it's vital to grasp threat actors exploit trusted relationships. MITRE ATT&CK™ is a helpful tool for navigating this space. Trusted Relationship Attacks involve threat actors taking advantage of established trust to compromise security. To protect against such threats, organizations need to look at real-world examples, understand how to detect these attacks, and have effective ways to stop them.

Real-World Examples: Think about instances where attackers used trust to breach security, like the Target attack. They got in by using credentials from a trusted partner. Learning from such cases helps us prepare for similar situations.

Detection Methods: To catch Trusted Relationship Attacks, we need to watch for strange behaviors. This includes things like unexpected movements between connected systems, unusual access patterns, or sudden changes in trust settings. Using smart tools and keeping a close eye on things helps us spot suspicious activities early.

Mitigation Strategies: Stopping Trusted Relationship Attacks involves being proactive and responsive. We can limit the damage by giving users only the access they really need. Regularly checking and updating trust settings, using strong authentication, and educating people about security all help defend against these attacks.

Understanding MITRE ATT&CK™ gives us a structured way to identify potential attacks and tactics. By aligning our strategies with this framework, we can be better prepared to defend against Trusted Relationship Attacks.

conclusion

While trust relationships are necessary for efficient network management, they come with inherent security risks. Organizations need to proactively manage and secure these relationships by adopting best practices. This includes regular assessments, implementing the least privilege principle, monitoring trust-related activities, and ensuring systems are updated and patched.

Staying vigilant against evolving threats, staying informed, and conducting employee training contribute to building a resilient network infrastructure that can withstand dynamic cybersecurity challenges.

How Avertium is Protecting Our Customers

• Avertium aligns your Cybersecurity Strategy with your business strategy, ensuring that your investment in security is also an investment in your business. Our Cybersecurity Strategy service includes:
  • Strategic Security Assessments - Strengthening your security posture begins with knowing where your current program stands (NIST CSF, Security Architecture, Business Impact Analysis, Sensitive Data Inventory, Network Virtualization and Cloud Assessment).
  • Threat Mapping – Leverage Avertium’s Cyber Threat Intelligence, getting a more informed view of your most likely attack scenarios (Threat Assessment and MITRE ATT&CK).
  • Cyber Maturity Roadmap - Embrace a comprehensive, quantifiable, and well-organized approach to establishing and continuously enhancing your cybersecurity resilience (Policy + Procedure Development, Virtual CISO (VCISO), Training + Enablement, Tabletop Exercises, and Business Continuity + Disaster Recovery Plan).
• Expanding endpoints, cloud computing environments, and accelerated digital transformation have decimated the perimeter in an ever-expanding attack surface. Avertium offers Attack Surface Management, so you’ll have no more blind spots, weak links, or fire drills. See every threat in your attack surface, every device, every entry point, and every vulnerability. Our Attack Surface Management services include:
  • Risk Assessments
  • Pen Testing and Social Engineering
  • Infrastructure Architecture and Integration
  • Zero Trust Network Architecture
  • Vulnerability Management
• Note: We highly value your feedback. Kindly spare a moment to complete our feedback form, allowing us to enhance our services for our valued customers.

Supporting Documentation

Trust Relationships (itprotoday.com)

Identity Protection – Risks of Domains & Trusts | Proofpoint US

Active Directory Trust Relationships: Security Considerations and Risk Mitigation (lepide.com)

MITRE ATT&CK vulnerability series: Trusted relationship | Infosec (infosecinstitute.com)

A Guide to Attacking Domain Trusts | by Will Schroeder | Medium

Domain Trust Discovery, Technique T1482 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK®

Penetration Testing for Active Directory Forests: Exploring Trust Relationships (kroll.com)

How trusts work for Microsoft Entra Domain Services - Microsoft Entra ID | Microsoft Learn

Different types of Trusts in an Active Directory | Zindagi Technologies

The 3 Cybersecurity Rules of Trust (darkreading.com)

APPENDIX II: Disclaimer

This document and its contents do not constitute, and are not a substitute for, legal advice. The outcome of a Security Risk Assessment should be utilized to ensure that diligent measures are taken to lower the risk of potential weaknesses be exploited to compromise data.

Although the Services and this report may provide data that Client can use in its compliance efforts, Client (not Avertium) is ultimately responsible for assessing and meeting Client's own compliance responsibilities. This report does not constitute a guarantee or assurance of Client's compliance with any law, regulation or standard.