Windows Event ID 4816 – Security-Auditing: NTLM Authentication Package Loaded

Start by examining the specific details of Event ID 4816 to understand the context and source of the authentication package loading.

1. Open Event Viewer by pressing Win + R, typing eventvwr.msc, and pressing Enter
2. Navigate to Windows Logs → Security
3. Filter for Event ID 4816 by right-clicking the Security log and selecting Filter Current Log
4. Enter 4816 in the Event IDs field and click OK
5. Double-click on Event ID 4816 entries to view detailed information including:
   • Process Name and ID that loaded the package
   • Authentication Package Name (typically NTLM)
   • Logon ID associated with the loading process
   • Security ID of the account context
6. Note the timestamp and frequency of these events to identify patterns

Use PowerShell to programmatically query and analyze Event ID 4816 occurrences for detailed investigation and reporting.

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator
2. Query recent Event ID 4816 entries:

   Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; Id=4816} -MaxEvents 50 | Format-Table TimeCreated, Id, LevelDisplayName, Message -Wrap

3. Get detailed event properties for analysis:

   Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; Id=4816} -MaxEvents 10 | ForEach-Object { $_.Properties }

4. Filter events by specific time range:

   $StartTime = (Get-Date).AddDays(-7)
   $EndTime = Get-Date
   Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; Id=4816; StartTime=$StartTime; EndTime=$EndTime}

5. Export events to CSV for further analysis:

   Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; Id=4816} -MaxEvents 100 | Select-Object TimeCreated, Id, LevelDisplayName, Message | Export-Csv -Path "C:\Temp\Event4816.csv" -NoTypeInformation

Ensure proper audit policy configuration to capture Event ID 4816 and related authentication package loading events.

1. Open Local Group Policy Editor by running gpedit.msc
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration → Windows Settings → Security Settings → Advanced Audit Policy Configuration → Audit Policies
3. Expand Object Access and locate Audit Authentication Policy Change
4. Double-click the policy and configure:
   • Enable Configure the following audit events
   • Check both Success and Failure if you want comprehensive logging
5. Apply the policy using gpupdate /force
6. Verify audit settings using PowerShell:

   auditpol /get /subcategory:"Authentication Policy Change"

7. For domain environments, configure the policy at the domain level through Group Policy Management Console

Investigate the security implications of NTLM package loading and assess opportunities for authentication modernization.

1. Check current NTLM audit settings in registry:

   Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0" -Name "AuditReceivingNTLMTraffic" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

2. Enable NTLM auditing to track usage patterns:
   • Open Local Security Policy (secpol.msc)
   • Navigate to Local Policies → Security Options
   • Configure Network security: Restrict NTLM: Audit NTLM authentication in this domain
   • Set to Enable auditing for domain accounts or Enable auditing for all accounts
3. Monitor NTLM usage events (Event IDs 8004, 8005, 8006) alongside 4816:

   Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; Id=8004,8005,8006} -MaxEvents 20

4. Review applications and services requiring NTLM:
   • Check IIS authentication settings in %windir%\system32\inetsrv\config\applicationHost.config
   • Review SQL Server authentication configuration
   • Identify legacy applications in application event logs
5. Document NTLM dependencies for security assessment and modernization planning

Set up comprehensive monitoring and alerting for Event ID 4816 and related authentication package events for security operations.

1. Create a PowerShell monitoring script:

   # Monitor Event ID 4816 and send alerts
   $Events = Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; Id=4816; StartTime=(Get-Date).AddMinutes(-15)} -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
   if ($Events) {
       $EventCount = $Events.Count
       $LatestEvent = $Events[0]
       Write-Host "Found $EventCount NTLM package loading events in last 15 minutes"
       # Add your alerting logic here (email, SIEM integration, etc.)
   }

2. Configure Windows Event Forwarding for centralized collection:
   • Run wecutil qc to configure the collector
   • Create subscription for security events including 4816
   • Configure source computers using winrm quickconfig
3. Set up custom views in Event Viewer:
   • Right-click Custom Views and select Create Custom View
   • Filter for Event ID 4816 and related authentication events
   • Save the view for quick access
4. Integrate with SIEM solutions using Windows Event Log forwarding:

   # Configure event log forwarding to SIEM
   wevtutil sl Security /rt:false
   wevtutil sl Security /ab:true

5. Create scheduled tasks for regular monitoring:
   • Use Task Scheduler to run monitoring scripts
   • Configure triggers based on event occurrence or time intervals
   • Set up email notifications for critical authentication events