Mimikatz

What Does Mimikatz Mean?

Mimikatz is an open-source application that allows users to manipulate authentication credentials in Windows systems. Created to work as a proof of concept tool for Windows security, Mimikatz has been used by hackers to compromise many different types of systems.

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Techopedia Explains Mimikatz

As an application with the ability to store credentials, Mimikatz can be used to steal authentication credentials and create illegitimate privileges. Common types of Mimikatz attacks include pass-the-hash attacks, where hackers get control of hash strings to crack passwords; pass-the-ticket attacks where Mimikatz users abuse Kerberos tickets; and golden or silver ticket attacks, in which the hacker, again through the abuse of Kerberos credentials, gets wide-ranging access to many parts of a system.

Mimikatz is a tool that views and saves Kerberos credentials, so it can be used fraudulently as an access tool. Essentially, the hacker is obtaining authentication credentials and data that will be used to infiltrate systems through the use of this open-source storage application.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…