Vulnerabilities Exploited in LLMNR/NBT-NS Poisoning Attacks
LLMNR (Link-Local Multicast Name Resolution) and NBT-NS (NetBIOS Name
Service) poisoning attacks exploit design flaws and
misconfigurations in Windows networks. Here’s what makes these
protocols vulnerable:
1. Lack of Authentication (Spoofing Vulnerability)
What’s Exploited:
o LLMNR/NBT-NS do not verify responses, so any device on
the network can claim to be the requested server.
o Example: When a user mistypes \\filesrvr, their PC
broadcasts "Who is filesrvr?"—an attacker
replies "I’m filesrvr!" and the victim trusts it.
Why It’s Risky:
o No cryptographic checks (unlike DNSsec or Kerberos).
o Allows attackers to impersonate servers (e.g., file shares,
printers).
2. Fallback to Insecure Protocols
What’s Exploited:
o Windows uses LLMNR/NBT-NS when DNS fails (e.g., due to
typos or misconfigurations).
o Example: If \\payroll doesn’t resolve via DNS, the system falls
back to LLMNR/NBT-NS.
Why It’s Risky:
o Attackers trigger fallback intentionally by forcing DNS
failures (e.g., flooding DNS with junk requests).
3. NTLM Authentication Trigger
What’s Exploited:
o After tricking a victim into connecting, the attacker requests
NTLM authentication.
o The victim’s PC automatically sends an NTLMv2 hash (even if
the user doesn’t type a password).
Why It’s Risky:
o NTLM hashes can be:
Cracked offline to reveal plaintext passwords.
Relayed to other systems (NTLM relay attacks).
4. Broadcast/Multicast Traffic
What’s Exploited:
o LLMNR/NBT-NS use network broadcasts (UDP 5355/137) to
resolve names.
o Any device on the same subnet can see and respond to
these requests.
Why It’s Risky:
o No isolation between trusted/untrusted devices (e.g., guest Wi-
Fi users can poison corporate traffic).
5. Enabled by Default in Windows
What’s Exploited:
o LLMNR/NBT-NS are enabled by default in Windows (for
backward compatibility).
o Most organizations never disable them.
Why It’s Risky:
o Attackers assume these protocols are active
and automatically exploit them.
How Attackers Exploit These Flaws
1. Poison Responses:
o Use tools like Responder to spoof replies to LLMNR/NBT-NS
queries.
bash
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responder -I eth0 -dwv
2. Capture Hashes:
o Trick victims into sending NTLM hashes (e.g., via fake SMB or
HTTP servers).
3. Relay or Crack Hashes:
o Relay to Domain Controllers (if SMB signing is off) or crack
them offline.
Real-World Impact
Credential Theft: Steal hashes for lateral movement.
Domain Compromise: Relay hashes to create backdoor admin
accounts.
Data Breaches: Access sensitive fileshares or databases.
How to Mitigate
✅ Disable LLMNR/NBT-NS (Group Policy):
plaintext
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Computer Config > Admin Templates > Network > DNS Client > "Turn off
LLMNR"
✅ Enforce SMB Signing (blocks relay attacks).
✅ Use IPv6 and DNS Securely (prevent fallback to LLMNR).
✅ Segment Networks (limit broadcast traffic).
Key Takeaways
LLMNR/NBT-NS poisoning exploits:
1. No authentication (anyone can spoof responses).
2. Unencrypted NTLM hashes (sent automatically).
3. Default-enabled protocols (rarely disabled).
Fix it by disabling LLMNR/NBT-NS and enforcing SMB signing! 🔐
Need a step-by-step attack demo? Ask! 🚨
