Kerberos Ticket Hash Validation for Forged Authentication Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems, such as those using Kerberos for authentication in enterprise domains, are vulnerable to attacks like 'golden ticket' and 'silver ticket' attacks, which can grant hostile attackers elevated access to domain assets, especially when federated with cloud resources, necessitating a real-time mitigation solution.

Innovation Solution

A system that includes an authentication object inspector to generate cryptographic hashes for legitimate authentication objects, compare incoming objects against a database of hashes, and apply rules or machine learning to detect and mitigate forged or manipulated tickets, with optional blocking measures like user disablement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If Kerberos authentication is used to provide secure access across the domain, then authentication security is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to replay and forged ticket attacks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidvulnerability to replay and forged ticket attacks

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary validation of Kerberos tickets by computing cryptographic hashes of authentication objects and comparing them against a database of valid hashes before granting access. This preliminary check prevents replay and forged ticket attacks by verifying ticket authenticity in advance, resolving the contradiction between maintaining Kerberos security and preventing attack vectors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary validation service that sits between the Kerberos authentication system and the target resources. This intermediary computes hashes of authentication objects and compares them against a database of valid hashes, acting as a mediator that enhances security without disrupting the existing Kerberos flow, thus preventing forged ticket attacks while maintaining authentication security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If validation services are implemented to detect forged authentication objects, then detection capability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection capability of forged authentication objectsVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The validation service creates cryptographic hash copies of authentication objects for comparison against a database of valid hashes. Instead of directly analyzing complex authentication tickets, the system works with simplified hash representations, enhancing detection capability while managing complexity through this abstraction layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex manual or rule-based authentication validation with cryptographic hash-based verification. This substitution uses mathematical properties of hash functions to provide automated, reliable detection of forged authentication objects, improving detection capability while reducing the complexity of validation logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Speed

If real-time validation of authentication objects is performed, then attack detection speed is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattack detection speedVSAvoidauthentication processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary hash computation and validation checks before authentication is fully granted. By computing cryptographic hashes and comparing them against the database in advance, the system enables near-real-time attack detection without significantly impacting overall authentication processing time, as the hash comparison operation is computationally efficient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The validation service changes the parameter being validated from the entire authentication object to a cryptographic hash of the object. This parameter transformation enables faster comparison and validation operations, improving attack detection speed while minimizing the time added to the authentication process, since hash comparison is much faster than full ticket validation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12621311B2Authentication attack detection and mitigation with embedded authentication and delegation

Publication Date: 2026.05.05 QOMPLX INC

AI summary

A system and methods for authentication attack detection with embedded authentication and delegation is provided, comprising an authentication object inspector configured to observe a new authentication object generated by an identity provider, and retrieve the new authentication object, wherein subsequent access requests accompanied by authentication objects are validated by comparing identifiers for each authentication object to previous identifiers.