Which technique involves obtaining access tokens of other users or generating spoofed tokens to escalate privileges and perform malicious activities by evading detection?

Which technique involves obtaining access tokens of other users or generating spoofed tokens to escalate privileges and perform malicious activities by evading detection?

• A. Access Token Manipulation
• B. Application Shimming
• C. Path Interception
• D. Pivoting

Answer: (A)

Access Token Manipulation focuses on stealing or forging tokens that carry a user’s identity and privileges. By obtaining another user’s access token or creating a spoofed one, an attacker can act with that user’s rights, often gaining higher privileges and access to resources while appearing legitimate. This helps evade detection because actions are performed under a valid, in-session identity, rather than as a clearly unauthorized actor. In Windows, this often involves dumping tokens, impersonating a token, or duplicating tokens to take on another user’s privileges during authorization. Other techniques address different paths to abuse. Application Shimming deals with altering how an application loads or behaves, not with tokens. Path Interception relates to manipulating file or DLL search paths to execute or load different binaries. Pivoting is about moving laterally across systems after initial access, not specifically about token-based privilege escalation.

Access Token Manipulation focuses on stealing or forging tokens that carry a user’s identity and privileges. By obtaining another user’s access token or creating a spoofed one, an attacker can act with that user’s rights, often gaining higher privileges and access to resources while appearing legitimate. This helps evade detection because actions are performed under a valid, in-session identity, rather than as a clearly unauthorized actor. In Windows, this often involves dumping tokens, impersonating a token, or duplicating tokens to take on another user’s privileges during authorization.

Other techniques address different paths to abuse. Application Shimming deals with altering how an application loads or behaves, not with tokens. Path Interception relates to manipulating file or DLL search paths to execute or load different binaries. Pivoting is about moving laterally across systems after initial access, not specifically about token-based privilege escalation.