Certificate Services loaded a template
AD CS loaded an updated or newly created certificate template into the CA.
Event ID 4898 logs when the Certificate Authority reloads or imports a certificate template (`Template Name`). Threat actors with rights to create or edit AD certificate templates (`ESC4`) modify template properties (enabling `enrollee supplies subject` or removing manager approval) and cause the CA to load the vulnerable template (`4898`) before requesting a domain admin certificate.
Failure Reason / Root Cause:
Certificate template loaded into AD CS memory/configuration during CA operation.
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>4898</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>0</Level>
<Task>12544</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8020000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2026-07-17T09:54:44.920Z" />
<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 Certificate Services loaded a template -->
</EventData>
</Event>MITRE ATT&CK mapping
| ID | Technique | Tactic |
|---|---|---|
T1556 | Modify Authentication Process | Persistence |
T1649 | Steal or Forge Authentication Certificates | Privilege Escalation |
Recommended actions
- Correlate `4898` with directory service modifications (`5136` on `CN=Certificate Templates,CN=Public Key Services,...`) to verify if templates were maliciously altered.