What is Active Directory (AD)?
A centralized directory service for identity management, resource access, and policy enforcement (GPOs) in Windows environments.
How is the AD structure organized?
Into a hierarchy of Forests (security boundary), Domains (replication), and OUs (administrative delegation).
Difference between AuthN and AuthZ in AD?
Authentication (AuthN) proves identity (Kerberos/NTLM); Authorization (AuthZ) grants permissions (ACLs/SIDs).
What are the most critical AD attack techniques?
Pass-the-Hash (NTLM abuse), Kerberoasting (TGS cracking), and Golden Tickets (KRBTGT compromise).
Why is AD the primary target for adversaries?
It is a centralized repository of all credentials and access rights for the entire organization.