A notification package has been loaded by the Security Account Manager
A password filter DLL (`Notification Package`) was loaded by the SAM.
Event ID 4614 records when a DLL registered under `HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\Notification Packages` loads into `lsass.exe`. Threat actors install malicious password filter DLLs to intercept plaintext passwords during domain controller or local user password changes.
Failure Reason / Root Cause:
Password filter notification DLL loaded by LSA/SAM during service startup.
Raw Event XML snippet
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing" Guid="{54849625-5478-4994-A5BA-3E3B0328C30D}" />
<EventID>4614</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>0</Level>
<Task>12544</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8020000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2026-07-17T09:54:44.858Z" />
<EventRecordID>1048576</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="612" ThreadID="1024" />
<Channel>Security</Channel>
<Computer>DC01.enterprise.internal</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="SubjectUserSid">S-1-5-18</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectUserName">SYSTEM</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectDomainName">NT AUTHORITY</Data>
<Data Name="SubjectLogonId">0x3e7</Data>
<!-- Event telemetry fields specific to A notification package has been loaded by the Security Account Manager -->
</EventData>
</Event>MITRE ATT&CK mapping
| ID | Technique | Tactic |
|---|---|---|
T1556.002 | Password Filter DLL | Credential Access |
T1556.002 | Password Filter DLL | Persistence |
Recommended actions
- Inspect `Notification Packages` in the registry and inspect all non-Microsoft DLLs across Domain Controllers.
- Verify the integrity and digital signatures of all password filter binaries.