Credential protection involves implementing technical controls to prevent attackers from stealing or using authentication data, such as passwords and tokens. In Windows environments, this includes using features like Credential Guard and disabling outdated protocols like NTLM to prevent “pass-the-hash” attacks. Protecting credentials is vital because once an attacker has administrative access, they can often bypass other security layers to take full control of critical infrastructure. Our best practices guide explains these protection mechanisms.

For more information, see Industrial Cyber Security Best Practices.