Windows NTLM Zero-Day: A Comedy of Errors in Credential Security
Microsoft has issued new guidance on mitigating NTLM relay attacks just days after a zero-day NTLM hash disclosure was discovered in all Windows versions. Coincidence? Maybe. But until a fix arrives, Microsoft recommends enabling Extended Protection for Authentication. Stay safe, or else your credentials might just take an unexpected relay race.
Hot Take:
Microsoft’s latest security guidance on NTLM relay attacks might leave some organizations feeling like they’ve just received advice on how to avoid stepping into quicksand while already knee-deep in it. Meanwhile, the NTLM zero-day is like a cyber version of “Where’s Waldo,” where the prize for finding Waldo is your stolen credentials. Let’s just say, if NTLM were a contestant on a reality TV show, it would be voted off the island faster than you can say “zero-day vulnerability.”
Key Points:
- Microsoft issues fresh guidance on mitigating NTLM relay attacks, yet the connection to a newly discovered NTLM zero-day vulnerability remains unclear.
- The zero-day vulnerability affects all versions of Windows Workstation and Server, from Windows 7 to Windows 11.
- Exploiting the bug involves tricking users into viewing a malicious file via Windows Explorer.
- Microsoft plans to address the issue in April, but it’s currently classified as “Important” rather than “Critical.”
- NTLM remains a legacy authentication protocol with a history of vulnerabilities, prompting new security recommendations from Microsoft.