Great — aligning your AD lab to **real-world security frameworks** like **MITRE ATT\&CK**, **NIST 800-53**, and **CIS Controls** transforms it from a sandbox into a **credible training and validation environment**.

Let’s develop a **solid, extensible lab guide** structured around **defensive hardening, offensive simulation, and detection/response**, explicitly mapped to real-world frameworks.

---

# 🧭 Active Directory Cybersecurity Lab: Framework-Aligned Guide

---

## ⚙️ 1. **Lab Design Philosophy**

**Purpose:**
To build a modular AD lab that supports:

* Simulating attacker TTPs from the **MITRE ATT\&CK Matrix**
* Testing controls mapped to **NIST 800-53** and **CIS Controls**
* Practicing defensive detection and incident response

**Target Users:**

* Red and Blue Teamers
* Security Engineers
* SOC Analysts
* Students preparing for certs (e.g., OSCP, GCED, AZ-500)

---

## 🗺️ 2. **Framework Alignment Overview**

| Framework         | Role in Lab                            | How It Maps                                     |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| **MITRE ATT\&CK** | Simulate real-world adversary behavior | TTPs via BloodHound, Mimikatz, Rubeus, Impacket |
| **NIST 800-53**   | Compliance/hardening baseline          | AC-2, AC-6, AU-6, CM-6, IA-5 mapped to GPOs     |
| **CIS Controls**  | Defensive controls and audit checks    | Controls 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16 via logging, alerts  |

---

## 🖥️ 3. **Lab Topology (Mermaid Diagram)**

```mermaid
graph TD;
    A[Win Server 2019 - DC01] -->|AD DS| B[Domain: cyberlab.local];
    B --> C[Win 10 Client - WKS01];
    B --> D[Sysmon/Log Forwarding];
    B --> E[SIEM - Ubuntu ELK or Splunk];
    F[Kali Linux - Attacker] --> C;
    F --> B;
    B --> G[OU: Workstations];
    B --> H[OU: Service Accounts];
    B --> I[OU: Admins];
```

---

## 🛠️ 4. **Lab Machines**

| Hostname | OS             | Role               | Tooling                             |
| -------- | -------------- | ------------------ | ----------------------------------- |
| `DC01`   | Windows Server | Domain Controller  | AD DS, GPO, AD CS, DNS, Sysmon      |
| `WKS01`  | Windows 10     | Domain-joined host | User simulation, endpoint logs      |
| `KALI01` | Kali Linux     | Red Team           | BloodHound, Mimikatz, CrackMapExec  |
| `LOG01`  | Ubuntu         | SIEM               | ELK or Splunk, Winlogbeat, Filebeat |

---

## 🧪 5. **Core Use Cases by Framework**

### ✅ MITRE ATT\&CK Mapping (Enterprise, Windows)

| Tactic            | Technique                      | Tool         | System |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------ | ------ |
| Discovery         | T1069.002 - AD Group Discovery | BloodHound   | Kali   |
| Credential Access | T1003.001 - LSASS Dumping      | Mimikatz     | Kali   |
| Lateral Movement  | T1021.002 - SMB/WinRM          | Impacket     | Kali   |
| Priv. Escalation  | T1055 - Process Injection      | Rubeus       | Kali   |
| Persistence       | T1053 - Scheduled Task         | cmd/Taskschd | WKS01  |

### ✅ NIST 800-53 Example Mappings

| Control ID | Control Name              | Lab Mapping                           |
| ---------- | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| AC-2       | Account Management        | Create users/groups with lifecycles   |
| AU-6       | Audit Review and Analysis | SIEM logs Sysmon + Event Logs         |
| IA-5       | Authenticator Management  | Enforce GPO password policies         |
| CM-6       | Configuration Settings    | Harden via GPOs (disable SMBv1, etc.) |
| AC-6       | Least Privilege           | RBAC via Security Groups              |

### ✅ CIS Controls (v8)

| CIS Control | Description              | Implementation Example                      |
| ----------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------- |
| 4           | Secure Configuration     | CIS Benchmarks applied to Windows Server    |
| 5           | Account Management       | Lifecycle: user creation, disablement tests |
| 7           | Email and Web Protection | Simulate phishing or malicious doc delivery |
| 8           | Malware Defenses         | Windows Defender + malicious binaries       |
| 16          | Application Monitoring   | SIEM alerting + process creation via Sysmon |

---

## 🧰 6. **Scenario Playbook Examples**

### 🔴 Attack Scenario 1: Kerberoasting

* Target: Service account with SPN
* Tools: `Rubeus`, `Impacket`, `Hashcat`
* Logs to expect: 4769 events in SIEM

### 🔵 Detection Scenario: Unusual Admin Logon

* Trigger: Admin logs in outside normal hours from a user PC
* Tooling: LogonTracer, SIEM alert rule

### ⚙️ Configuration Scenario: GPO Hardening

* Apply baselines via `LGPO.exe` or `Security Compliance Toolkit`
* Disable LM hashes, SMBv1, enable Defender ASR rules

---

## 📦 7. **Optional Enhancements**

| Feature                     | Purpose                             |
| --------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| ADCS (Certificate Services) | Golden ticket, relay attacks        |
| GPO Backdoor Simulation     | Persistence and detection scenarios |
| Azure AD Connect            | Hybrid attack simulation            |
| DCSync/Golden Ticket Labs   | Advanced credential theft tactics   |

---

## 📁 8. **Suggested Repo Structure (GitHub-Ready)**

```bash
ad-cyberlab/
├── docs/
│   ├── framework_mappings.md
│   ├── attack_scenarios.md
│   └── setup_guide.md
├── diagrams/
│   └── topology.mmd
├── configs/
│   ├── gpos/
│   └── sysmon-config.xml
├── scripts/
│   └── user-gen.ps1
├── detections/
│   └── elastic-rules.yml
└── README.md
```

---

## ✅ Next Steps

Would you like me to generate:

1. The **initial GitHub-ready lab repo structure and README**?
2. A few **MITRE-mapped attack walkthroughs** (step-by-step)?
3. The **GPO hardening starter pack** mapped to CIS/NIST?

Let me know what you want help building out first — I can generate clean code, scripts, detection rules, and markdown docs to get you production-ready.


---

# Active Directory Setup Framework for Cybersecurity Testing

## Overview

This guide provides a detailed starting point for setting up a simulated Active Directory environment tailored for cybersecurity exploration and testing. It covers essential steps from initial planning and installation to security configurations and testing groundwork.

## 1. Planning and Design

Before diving into the installation, it's crucial to lay out the design and planning of your AD environment. This includes determining the domain structure, planning the network infrastructure, and deciding on security group and OU designs.

### Domain Structure
- **Domain Name:** `cyberlab.local`
- **Forest Design:** Single forest, single domain

### Network Infrastructure
- Consider a simple network layout with a primary domain controller (PDC) and additional domain controllers (ADCs) as needed.

### Security Groups and OUs
- Create OUs for different departments or teams, e.g., `IT`, `HR`, `Sales`.
- Plan security groups for role-based access control (RBAC), e.g., `IT Admins`, `HR Managers`.

## 2. Installation and Core Setup

### Install Windows Server
- **Version:** Windows Server 2019 Standard
- **Machine:** VM or physical server for the PDC

### Promote to Domain Controller
- Install the Active Directory Domain Services role.
- Run the AD DS Configuration Wizard to promote the server to a domain controller.

## 3. Security Configuration

### Baseline Security Policies
- Implement GPOs for security policies affecting users and machines.

### Test Accounts
- Populate the AD with test user accounts and groups reflecting various roles.

## 4. Advanced Features and Testing Preparation

### Advanced AD Services
- Optionally, explore setting up ADFS, AD CS, and AD RMS for advanced testing scenarios.

## 5. Maintenance and Continuous Improvement

### Regular Updates
- Apply updates and patches regularly to keep the environment secure.

## Sample Mermaid Diagram

To visualize the setup, here's a Mermaid diagram illustrating a basic AD setup:

```mermaid
graph TD;
    A[Windows Server 2019] -->|Installs AD DS| B(PDC: Primary Domain Controller);
    B --> C{Domain: cyberlab.local};
    C --> D[OU: IT];
    C --> E[OU: HR];
    C --> F[OU: Sales];
    D --> G[Security Group: IT Admins];
    E --> H[Security Group: HR Managers];
    B --> I[ADCS Advanced Services];
    I --> J[ADFS];
    I --> K[AD CS];
    I --> L[AD RMS];
```

This diagram illustrates the foundational elements of the AD setup, including the primary domain controller (PDC) setup with Windows Server 2019, the creation of organizational units (OUs) for IT, HR, and Sales departments, and the setup of security groups within those OUs. It also highlights the incorporation of advanced AD services like ADFS, Certificate Services, and Rights Management Services for comprehensive security testing.

---

This framework and visual guide offer a solid starting point for setting up an AD environment optimized for cybersecurity testing and training. It's a flexible template; you can expand or adjust it based on specific testing requirements or to explore various cybersecurity scenarios.