Logon Types

Interactive Logon

Local Accounts

The computer checks the NT hash of the password entered by the user to that in the SAM database. NT hash derived from the user is now stored in the lsass process.

Domain Accounts

The computer asks for the TGT from the Domain Controllers, and the TGT gets cached in the system to provide SSO functionality. If the Domain Controller is not available, the computer checks the user credentials in the Domain Cached Credentails. To perform interactive logon, the user requires the SeInteractiveLogonRight, on the Domain Controllers.

Network Logon

When user connects to non-interactive services like SMB, RPC, SQL, etc.
Requires password, NT Hash, or kerberos keys for authentication. Prone to PTT and PTH.
Credentials are NOT cached in the target machine. Credentials/tickets are only cached in the case of Kerberos Delegations.

# Accessing Share
dir \\ws-01\Temp
# Executing Command
psexec.exe \\dc01 cmd.exe

The client negotiate the authentication mechanism using .

Batch Logon

Used in context of a scheduled task running as a user.

schtasks.exe /create /tn notepaddaily /tr notepad.exe /sc daily /ru CONTOSO\TaskUser /rp task1234!

The password of the task user is stored in the LSA secret.
The password is cached in the lsass process when the task is executed.

Service Logon

Used in context of a service running as a user.

sc.exe create MySvc2 binpath= c:\windows\system32\notepad.exe obj=CONTOSO.local\svcUser password=svc1234!

The plain password is stored in the LSA secrets when the task is created. The cached credentials are stored in the lsass process when the service is executed.

NetworkClearText Logon

Used by Powershell remoting when CredSSP is specified. The credentials are sent over an encrypted channel.
The credential is cached in the lsass process in the target machine.

New-PSSession -Credential $cred -Authentication Credssp

NewCredential Logon

Is used when the the user runs runas with /netonly option.
The credential are cached in the lsass process.
The credentials are not checked until it is used.

Remote Interactive Logon

Used when a user logins to the computer using RDP.
Credentials are cached in the lsass process.
It uses CredSSP to send credentials.
User needs to be part of "Remote Desktop Users" group or "SeRemoteInteractiveLogonRight" to be able to RDP.

Last updated 6 months ago

Interactive Logon

Local Accounts

The computer checks the NT hash of the password entered by the user to that in the SAM database. NT hash derived from the user is now stored in the lsass process.

Domain Accounts

Network Logon

When user connects to non-interactive services like SMB, RPC, SQL, etc.

Requires password, NT Hash, or kerberos keys for authentication. Prone to PTT and PTH.

Credentials are NOT cached in the target machine. Credentials/tickets are only cached in the case of Kerberos Delegations.

# Accessing Share
dir \\ws-01\Temp
# Executing Command
psexec.exe \\dc01 cmd.exe

The client negotiate the authentication mechanism using .

Service Logon

Used in context of a service running as a user.

sc.exe create MySvc2 binpath= c:\windows\system32\notepad.exe obj=CONTOSO.local\svcUser password=svc1234!

The plain password is stored in the LSA secrets when the task is created. The cached credentials are stored in the lsass process when the service is executed.