How Attackers Use Token Hijacking to Maintain Persistence

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Token hijacking is a highly sophisticated attack technique that allows cyber adversaries to gain unauthorized access to systems, applications, and cloud services by stealing or manipulating authentication tokens. These tokens, commonly used in Single Sign-On (SSO), OAuth, and Kerberos-based authentication mechanisms, serve as session identifiers, granting access without requiring repeated password authentication. When attackers gain control over these tokens, they can bypass authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), evade detection mechanisms, and persist within an environment for extended periods.

This article provides an in-depth analysis of how token hijacking works, the various techniques attackers use to maintain persistence, real-world examples of token hijacking attacks, and best practices for mitigating such threats.


Understanding Token Hijacking

What is Token Hijacking?

Token hijacking, also known as session hijacking or token theft, is an attack technique where adversaries compromise authentication tokens to impersonate legitimate users. Tokens are cryptographic artifacts used in modern authentication schemes to verify identity without repeatedly requiring credentials. These include JSON Web Tokens (JWTs), OAuth access tokens, Kerberos tickets, and cloud session cookies.

Once attackers acquire valid tokens, they can exploit them to gain access to systems, applications, and cloud environments, often without triggering traditional security alerts. Token hijacking is particularly dangerous because:

  • It circumvents password-based authentication measures.
  • It allows attackers to bypass MFA once a session has been established.
  • It enables lateral movement within enterprise environments.
  • It often leaves minimal forensic artifacts, making detection difficult.

Types of Tokens Commonly Targeted

  1. OAuth Access Tokens – Used in API authentication for cloud services (e.g., Google, Microsoft 365, AWS IAM roles).
  2. Refresh Tokens – Longer-lived tokens used to obtain new access tokens without requiring reauthentication.
  3. Session Cookies – Web authentication tokens stored in browsers, often targeted via cross-site scripting (XSS) or malware.
  4. Kerberos Tickets – Authentication tickets used in Active Directory environments (e.g., Ticket Granting Ticket [TGT], Service Ticket [TGS]).
  5. JWTs (JSON Web Tokens) – Widely used in web applications for stateless authentication.
  6. SAML Tokens – Used in federated authentication for enterprise Single Sign-On (SSO).

How Attackers Use Token Hijacking for Persistence

Credential Dumping & Token Extraction

One of the most common methods attackers use to steal tokens is credential dumping. Attackers extract authentication tokens from system memory, disk storage, or network traffic using specialized tools. Some commonly used techniques include:

  • LSASS Dumping – Attackers extract credentials and Kerberos tickets from the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) process using tools like Mimikatz or ProcDump.
  • Windows Credential Manager Dumping – Retrieving stored authentication credentials using tools like cmdkey or vaultcmd.
  • Memory Injection – Injecting malware to directly extract active session tokens from running processes.

These stolen tokens allow attackers to impersonate users without triggering password authentication mechanisms.

Pass-the-Token (PTT) Attacks

Pass-the-Token (PTT) attacks allow attackers to reuse stolen authentication tokens without needing access to plaintext passwords. This technique is frequently used in Windows environments, where attackers extract valid Kerberos or NTLM tokens from memory and inject them into their own sessions.

By leveraging stolen tokens, attackers can escalate privileges, access sensitive resources, and move laterally within a compromised network.

Refresh Token Hijacking

Refresh tokens are long-lived authentication tokens that allow users to generate new access tokens without re-authenticating. Attackers who steal refresh tokens can continuously request new access tokens, effectively maintaining persistent access to a victim’s cloud services.

Common attack vectors include:

  • OAuth Token Theft – Exploiting stolen OAuth refresh tokens to maintain access to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or AWS IAM roles.
  • Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks – Intercepting refresh token requests over insecure channels.
  • Malware-based Credential Theft – Injecting malicious code into applications to steal refresh tokens.

Golden Ticket & Silver Ticket Attacks

Kerberos authentication is a common target for token hijacking attacks, particularly in Windows Active Directory environments.

  • Golden Ticket Attack – Attackers forge a Kerberos Ticket Granting Ticket (TGT) using the NTLM hash of a compromised domain controller. This grants indefinite access to any service in the domain.
  • Silver Ticket Attack – A forged Kerberos Ticket Granting Service (TGS) allows attackers to impersonate users for specific services without requiring domain authentication.

Both attacks enable long-term persistence within an organization’s network and are difficult to detect.

Cloud Token Hijacking

Cloud environments heavily rely on access tokens for authentication. Attackers who steal authentication tokens can maintain persistence by:

  • Abusing OAuth tokens to continuously access cloud services.
  • Leveraging compromised API keys to interact with cloud infrastructure.
  • Exploiting misconfigured IAM roles to escalate privileges.

Browser Session Hijacking

Attackers often target web authentication tokens stored in browsers. Techniques include:

  • Session Cookie Theft – Extracting stored authentication cookies via malware, keyloggers, or XSS attacks.
  • Session Replay Attacks – Reusing stolen tokens to impersonate a victim’s session.
  • Token Injection – Injecting stolen tokens into browser storage to gain access without re-authentication.

Defensive Measures Against Token Hijacking

Token Expiry & Rotation

  • Implement short-lived access tokens with automatic expiration.
  • Regularly rotate refresh tokens to limit the impact of token theft.
  • Use cryptographic signing to prevent token tampering.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Enforcement

  • Require hardware-based MFA such as FIDO2 security keys.
  • Implement Conditional Access policies to restrict token-based authentication from unknown locations.

Token Storage Security

  • Avoid storing tokens in plaintext on disk.
  • Encrypt authentication tokens using secure storage mechanisms such as TPM or Secure Enclaves.

Detection & Monitoring

  • Monitor unusual token usage patterns (e.g., access from new geolocations or unusual devices).
  • Set alerts for token replay attacks and unauthorized API access attempts.

Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) Solutions

  • Deploy EDR solutions to monitor LSASS memory for credential dumping attempts.
  • Track registry modifications that may indicate token persistence mechanisms.

Cloud Security Best Practices

  • Implement Just-In-Time (JIT) access controls to limit token lifetime.
  • Restrict OAuth token scopes to only necessary permissions.

Prevent Token Replay Attacks

  • Use token binding to link tokens to specific devices.
  • Enforce SameSite=strict cookie policies to mitigate session hijacking.

Token hijacking is a highly effective persistence mechanism used by attackers to maintain long-term access to systems and cloud services. By stealing, replaying, or forging authentication tokens, adversaries can bypass security controls and remain undetected for extended periods.

To defend against token hijacking, organizations must enforce robust security controls, implement strong authentication mechanisms, continuously monitor for suspicious token activity, and ensure that security policies address both on-premise and cloud-based authentication risks.

Would you like an even deeper dive into detection techniques, forensic analysis, or specific mitigation strategies for cloud environments?


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