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After countless penetration tests, one thing is clear: most organizations fall victim to basic security oversights rather than advanced exploits. Attackers often rely on misconfigurations, weak protocols, and poor password hygiene to compromise systems. Below are critical security measures every organization should implement.
You Should Know:
1. Enable SMB Signing
SMB (Server Message Block) signing prevents man-in-the-middle attacks by ensuring packet integrity.
Command to check SMB signing status:
Get-SmbServerConfiguration | Select-Object RequireSecuritySignature, EnableSecuritySignature
Enable SMB signing via GPO:
- Navigate to:
`Computer Configuration → Policies → Windows Settings → Security Settings → Local Policies → Security Options` - Set “Microsoft network server: Digitally sign communications (always)” to Enabled.
2. Disable WPAD, LLMNR, and NetBIOS
These protocols are often abused for spoofing and relay attacks.
Disable LLMNR via PowerShell:
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient" -Name EnableMulticast -Value 0
Disable NetBIOS:
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetBT\Parameters\Interfaces" -Name NetbiosOptions -Value 2
- Search for Exposed Passwords in Network Shares
Attackers frequently find credentials in unprotected files.
Find files containing “password”:
Get-ChildItem -Path "\server\share" -Recurse -File | Select-String -Pattern "password" -List | Select-Object Path
4. Implement AppLocker or Software Restriction Policies
Prevent unauthorized executables (e.g., `report.xls.zip.exe`).
Example AppLocker rule to block unsigned executables:
New-AppLockerPolicy -RuleType Publisher, Hash, Path -FileInformation $files -User Everyone -Optimize -XML > AppLockerPolicy.xml
5. Enforce LAPS for Local Admin Passwords
Microsoft’s Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) ensures unique passwords per machine.
Verify LAPS installation:
Get-AdmPwdPassword -ComputerName "TargetPC" | Format-List
6. Patch Management
Unpatched systems are low-hanging fruit for attackers.
Check missing patches on Windows:
Get-HotFix | Sort-Object InstalledOn -Descending | Select-Object HotFixID, InstalledOn
7. Disable Plaintext Protocols (LDAP, HTTP, FTP)
Upgrade to encrypted alternatives (LDAPS, HTTPS, SFTP).
Force LDAPS in Active Directory:
Set-ADObject -Identity "CN=Default Domain Policy,CN=System,DC=domain,DC=com" -Replace @{ldapserverintegrity=2}
- Monitor Firewall Rules & Close Unnecessary Ports
List open ports with PowerShell:
Get-NetTCPConnection | Where-Object { $_.State -eq "Listen" } | Select-Object LocalAddress, LocalPort
9. Enforce MFA & Strong Password Policies
Check password policy in AD:
Get-ADDefaultDomainPasswordPolicy
10. Reduce Domain Admin Privileges
List Domain Admins:
Get-ADGroupMember -Identity "Domain Admins" | Select-Object Name
What Undercode Say:
Most cyber breaches stem from preventable misconfigurations. Attackers don’t always need zero-days—basic security hygiene blocks most threats. Organizations must prioritize:
– Disabling legacy protocols (LLMNR, WPAD, NetBIOS).
– Enforcing SMB signing & LAPS.
– Regularly auditing shares for exposed credentials.
– Patching promptly.
Expected Output:
A hardened network where attackers struggle with low-hanging fruit, forcing them to resort to advanced (and detectable) techniques.
Further Reading:
References:
Reported By: Josegarduno Lets – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
