Hackers Steal Active Directory Password Hashes Without Attacking Domain Controllers Directly

**Executive Summary:** The report explains DCSync, a stealthy Active Directory replication abuse where attackers with directory replication permissions invoke DRS/RPC operations to extract credential material (NTLM hashes and Kerberos keys), enabling actions such as Golden Ticket creation and persistent, high-privilege domain access; it advises monitoring for replication requests from non-DC systems, auditing delegated replication rights, and leveraging AD auditing, Windows Event ID 4662, and network telemetry for detection.