Applied Cybernetics Group
T1556 Modify Authentication Process
- Technique
T1556- Tactics
- Defense Evasion, Persistence, Credential Access
- Research, 90 days
- 1
- KEV CVEs mapped
- 2
- SigmaHQ rules
- 12
- Elastic, Splunk
- 69
- thrunt rules
- 0
- Upstream
- https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1556
MITRE description
Adversaries may modify authentication mechanisms and processes to access user credentials or enable otherwise unwarranted access to accounts. The authentication process is handled by mechanisms, such as the Local Security Authentication Server (LSASS) process and the Security Accounts Manager (SAM) on Windows, pluggable authentication modules (PAM) on Unix-based systems, and authorization plugins on MacOS systems, responsible for gathering, storing, and validating credentials. By modifying an authentication process, an adversary may be able to authenticate to a service or system without using [Valid Accounts](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1078). Adversaries may maliciously modify a part of this process to either reveal credentials or bypass authentication mechanisms. Compromised credentials or access may be used to bypass access controls placed on various resources on systems within the network and may even be used for persistent access to remote systems and externally available services, such as VPNs, Outlook Web Access and remote desktop.
KEV CVEs mapped to this technique
MITRE CTID maps these KEV CVEs to this technique by hand. They are the actively exploited vulnerabilities behind this technique's KEV signal.
Research citing this technique
Reports and advisories from the last 90 days that cite this technique.
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2026-10-29Cisco Talos: IR trends Q3 2026: Actors impersonate IT help desks in vishing attacks as ransomware activity increases
Detection coverage
SigmaHQ community rules
- Github High Risk Configuration Disabled (core)
- AWS Identity Center Identity Provider Change (core)
- CA Policy Removed by Non Approved Actor (core)
- CA Policy Updated by Non Approved Actor (core)
- Certificate-Based Authentication Enabled (core)
- New Root Certificate Authority Added (core)
- Change to Authentication Method (core)
- User Added To Group With CA Policy Modification Access (core)
- User Removed From Group With CA Policy Modification Access (core)
- Disabled MFA to Bypass Authentication Mechanisms (core)
- Possible Shadow Credentials Added (core)
- Directory Service Restore Mode(DSRM) Registry Value Tampering (core)
Elastic and Splunk rules
- Unusual Process Modifying GenAI Configuration File (elastic)
- Anthropic Magic Link Second Factor Disabled (elastic)
- Anthropic SSO Disabled or Connection Removed (elastic)
- AWS IAM Account Password Policy Deleted (elastic)
- AWS IAM Deactivation of MFA Device (elastic)
- AWS IAM Virtual MFA Device Registration Attempt with Session Token (elastic)
- AWS IAM Roles Anywhere Trust Anchor Created with External CA (elastic)
- AWS RDS DB Instance Made Public (elastic)
- AWS STS AssumeRole with New MFA Device (elastic)
- Entra ID Conditional Access MFA Bypass with Unusual User, Client and Source ASN (elastic)
- Entra ID Protection - Risk Detection - Sign-in Risk (elastic)
- Entra ID Protection - Risk Detection - User Risk (elastic)
- Entra ID User Sign-in with Unusual Authentication Type (elastic)
- Entra ID Conditional Access Policy (CAP) Modified (elastic)
- Entra ID MFA Disabled for User (elastic)
- Entra ID OAuth Application Redirect URI Modified (elastic)
- Entra ID External Authentication Methods (EAM) Modified (elastic)
- Entra ID Domain Federation Configuration Change (elastic)
- Potential Persistence via File Modification (elastic)
- GitHub IP Allow List Modified (elastic)
- GitHub MFA Requirement Disabled (elastic)
- GitHub SAML SSO Disabled (elastic)
- GitHub SSH Certificate Authority or Requirement Modified (elastic)
- Google Workspace MFA Enforcement Disabled For Organization (elastic)
- Google Workspace 2SV Policy Disabled By User (elastic)
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