Skip to content

T1134.003 Make and Impersonate Token

Adversaries may make new tokens and impersonate users to escalate privileges and bypass access controls. For example, if an adversary has a username and password but the user is not logged onto the system the adversary can then create a logon session for the user using the LogonUser function.2 The function will return a copy of the new session’s access token and the adversary can use SetThreadToken to assign the token to a thread.

This behavior is distinct from Token Impersonation/Theft in that this refers to creating a new user token instead of stealing or duplicating an existing one.

Item Value
ID T1134.003
Sub-techniques T1134.001, T1134.002, T1134.003, T1134.004, T1134.005
Tactics TA0005, TA0004
Platforms Windows
Version 1.2
Created 18 February 2020
Last Modified 24 October 2025

Procedure Examples

ID Name Description
G1043 BlackByte BlackByte constructed a valid authentication token following Microsoft Exchange exploitation to allow for follow-on privileged command execution.9
S0154 Cobalt Strike Cobalt Strike can make tokens from known credentials.8
G1016 FIN13 FIN13 has utilized tools such as Incognito V2 for token manipulation and impersonation.10
S1060 Mafalda Mafalda can create a token for a different user.7
S0692 SILENTTRINITY SILENTTRINITY can make tokens from known credentials.6

Mitigations

ID Mitigation Description
M1026 Privileged Account Management Limit permissions so that users and user groups cannot create tokens. This setting should be defined for the local system account only. GPO: Computer Configuration > [Policies] > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > User Rights Assignment: Create a token object. 3 Also define who can create a process level token to only the local and network service through GPO: Computer Configuration > [Policies] > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > User Rights Assignment: Replace a process level token.4
M1018 User Account Management An adversary must already have administrator level access on the local system to make full use of this technique; be sure to restrict users and accounts to the least privileges they require.

References

  1. Mathers, B. (2017, March 7). Command line process auditing. Retrieved April 21, 2017. ↩

  2. Microsoft. (2023, March 10). LogonUserW function (winbase.h). Retrieved January 8, 2024. ↩

  3. Brower, N., Lich, B. (2017, April 19). Create a token object. Retrieved December 19, 2017. ↩

  4. Brower, N., Lich, B. (2017, April 19). Replace a process level token. Retrieved December 19, 2017. ↩

  5. Microsoft TechNet. (n.d.). Runas. Retrieved April 21, 2017. ↩

  6. byt3bl33d3r. (n.d.). SILENTTRINITY. Retrieved September 12, 2024. ↩

  7. SentinelLabs. (2022, September 22). Metador Technical Appendix. Retrieved April 4, 2023. ↩

  8. Strategic Cyber LLC. (2017, March 14). Cobalt Strike Manual. Retrieved May 24, 2017. ↩

  9. Microsoft Incident Response. (2023, July 6). The five-day job: A BlackByte ransomware intrusion case study. Retrieved December 16, 2024. ↩

  10. Sygnia Incident Response Team. (2022, January 5). TG2003: ELEPHANT BEETLE UNCOVERING AN ORGANIZED FINANCIAL-THEFT OPERATION. Retrieved February 9, 2023. ↩