Managed Service Account Archives

Winsage

August 15, 2025

Microsoft patches more than 100 Windows security flaws – update your PC now

Microsoft's August Patch Tuesday update addresses 107 vulnerabilities in Windows, including 13 critical ones. It affects all current versions of Windows, including Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server. The update fixes security issues in components like File Explorer, Remote Desktop, and Hyper-V, as well as bugs in Microsoft Office, Edge, and Teams. Nine critical vulnerabilities involve remote code execution. One vulnerability, CVE-2025-53779, is a zero-day flaw in the Windows Kerberos authentication system that could grant domain administrator privileges if exploited. The update also introduces new features, including a revamped error screen called the Black Screen of Death and Quick Machine Recovery for troubleshooting boot failures. Users can check for the update in the Windows Update section of Settings.

Winsage

August 13, 2025

Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday gives sys admins a baker’s dozen

Microsoft's August Patch Tuesday addressed 111 vulnerabilities, including 12 classified as critical. A known elevation of privilege flaw in the Windows Kerberos protocol, CVE-2025-53779, has a CVSS score of 7.2 and requires authenticated access for exploitation. Two critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerabilities, CVE-2025-50165 and CVE-2025-53766, both rated 9.8, were identified in the Windows Graphics Device Interface. SharePoint has a critical RCE bug, CVE-2025-49712, with a severity score of 8.8. Other critical flaws include vulnerabilities in Microsoft Message Queuing, Office, Hyper-V, and Azure Stack Hub. Adobe released fixes for 68 CVEs, including eight critical RCE bugs in InCopy and critical issues in other products like Commerce, InDesign, and Substance 3D applications. SAP issued 15 security notes, including three critical vulnerabilities rated at 9.9 related to code injection in SAP S/4HANA. Intel released 34 advisories addressing 66 vulnerabilities, including high-severity issues in Xeon 6 processors and Intel Ethernet Drivers. Google updated Android to fix several flaws, including two actively exploited Qualcomm vulnerabilities.

Winsage

July 17, 2025

Windows Server 2025 Golden dMSA Attack Enables Authentication Bypass and Password Generation

A design flaw in Microsoft’s Windows Server 2025, known as “Golden dMSA,” allows attackers to bypass authentication and generate passwords for all managed service accounts across enterprise networks. This vulnerability exploits a weakness in delegated Managed Service Accounts (dMSAs), reducing cryptographic protections to a brute-force attack requiring only 1,024 attempts. Discovered by Semperis Security Researcher Adi Malyanker, the attack involves extracting cryptographic material from the Key Distribution Services (KDS) root key, enumerating dMSA accounts, guessing ManagedPasswordId attributes, and generating passwords. The KDS root keys do not expire, potentially granting indefinite access. The vulnerability is classified as moderate risk, requiring possession of a KDS root key, accessible only to privileged accounts. Detection of the attack is challenging, as no security events are logged by default when KDS root keys are compromised. Microsoft acknowledged the vulnerability on May 27, 2025, and stated that the features were not intended to protect against domain controller compromises.

Winsage

May 23, 2025

Unpatched Windows Server vulnerability allows full domain compromise

A newly discovered privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows Server 2025, known as the “BadSuccessor” attack, allows attackers to compromise any user within Active Directory (AD), including those with Domain Admin privileges. This vulnerability stems from the delegated Managed Service Account (dMSA) feature, which can be exploited by creating a new dMSA linked to any user or computer account without requiring direct access to the original account. Researchers found that 91% of examined environments had users outside the Domain Admin group with the necessary permissions to execute this attack. Microsoft has been notified and is working on a patch, while organizations are advised to restrict dMSA creation to trusted administrators and enhance their security measures.

Winsage

May 21, 2025

New Windows Server 2025 Attack Compromises Any Active Directory User

A significant security flaw, named BadSuccessor, has been discovered in Windows Server 2025, posing a serious risk to Active Directory users. This privilege escalation vulnerability allows attackers to compromise any user in Active Directory and is alarmingly easy to exploit, requiring only basic permissions on any organizational unit. Currently, no patch is available for this vulnerability. In 91% of environments examined, users outside the domain admins group had the necessary permissions to execute the attack. The exploit leverages the delegated Managed Service Account (dMSA) feature, enabling attackers to take control of any principal within the domain. Microsoft has rated the vulnerability as moderate severity and plans to address it in a future update, noting that elevated user permissions are required for successful exploitation. Organizations are advised to identify and eliminate unnecessary permissions to mitigate potential threats.

Winsage

May 21, 2025

Active Directory DMSA Attack Detailed By Researchers

The delegated Managed Service Account (dMSA) feature in Windows Server 2025 has a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows attackers to compromise any user in an Active Directory (AD) environment. Research by Yuval Gordon revealed that in 91% of examined environments, users outside the domain admins group had the necessary permissions to exploit this vulnerability. The attack can be executed with benign permissions on any organizational unit (OU) and does not require actual migration of accounts. Gordon's technique, called “BadSuccessor,” enables an attacker controlling a dMSA object to inherit the permissions and keys of any user, including those with high privileges. Microsoft has acknowledged the vulnerability but categorized it as a Moderate severity issue. Akamai recommends limiting the creation of dMSAs and tightening permissions until a patch is released.