Posture check · Account security
Duplicate names hidden by invisible characters (T1036)
Two or more objects in the same forest have the same name once invisible characters are removed and case is ignored. One disguises itself as the other.
Why it matters
A disguised duplicate can force Kerberos to fall back to NTLM, or take over name lookups for the account it copies. This is the KerberLoss and ResetNightmare pattern.
How GraphnAI finds it
It runs after every sync, across all your connected domains at once. It applies to Active Directory.
It reads:
- The directory attributes
servicePrincipalName,sAMAccountNameanduserPrincipalName - The forest each domain belongs to
Tiered Fidelity™ level: Theoretical
Every finding from this check carries the Theoretical level.
- TheoreticalThis checkConfigured in the directory. Nothing else checked.
- ConstrainedA constraint on it has been checked.
- ValidatedTelemetry has seen it in use.
How Select Fire™ contains it
How to fix it
Compare the colliding objects, identify the illegitimate one, and remove or reset its naming attribute. Uniqueness is a forest-wide property, so check across every domain in the forest.
What Select Fire does
Select Fire opens from the finding and simulates each change on your live graph before anything changes in your directory. These steps contain a suspected compromise.
- Disable user For user accounts and service accounts.Semi-Auto, or Full-Auto when an Admin allows this action and every Full-Auto check passes. Never on a Tier 0 or Tier 1 account.
Disabling the account holds the disguised duplicate. Check you are acting on the object carrying the hidden characters and not on its legitimate twin.
To repair it: Rename the account that carries the invisible character so the two names no longer match.
Related checks
MITRE ATT&CK® technique names and MITRE D3FEND™ technique labels: © The MITRE Corporation. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of The MITRE Corporation. ATT&CK® is a registered trademark and D3FEND™ a trademark of The MITRE Corporation.
See it on your own directory.
The Public Preview is free for 30 days from your first sync, on your own server.