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Overview

The DCSync attack simulates the behavior of a Domain Controller and requests other Domain Controllers to replicate information using the Directory Replication Service Remote Protocol (MS-DRSR).
This is a legitimate and necessary function of Active Directory, which means it cannot be disabled.

• Operational Mechanism:
  The DCSync attack works by impersonating a Domain Controller. It requests replication data from other Domain Controllers through MS-DRSR.
  Since MS-DRSR is a core function of Active Directory, it cannot be turned off or restricted.

• Required Privileges:
  Only certain high-privilege groups have the permissions required to perform a DCSync attack. These include:

• Domain Admins
• Enterprise Admins
• Administrators

• Domain Controllers

• Retrieving Cleartext Passwords:
  If account passwords are stored using reversible encryption, Mimikatz can be used to extract these passwords in plaintext.