Mimikatz is a Windows security tool that extracts credentials and authentication material from memory and performs advanced authentication attacks.
The tool addresses the need to understand and test Windows security mechanisms by extracting plaintext passwords, hashes, PIN codes, and Kerberos tickets directly from memory. It can also perform pass-the-hash and pass-the-ticket attacks, and construct Golden tickets for Kerberos authentication. Beyond credential extraction, it provides capabilities for cryptography operations, Terminal Server inspection, and Windows event analysis.
Mimikatz is suited for security researchers, penetration testers, and system administrators conducting authorized security assessments on Windows environments. It requires Visual Studio for compilation and optionally the Windows Driver Kit for driver functionality. The tool is available as prebuilt binaries, removing the build requirement for users who do not need to modify the source. The README does not compare it to alternative tools.
The project maintains a substantial user base, with nearly all open issues originating from external users rather than the core team. Responses to issues and pull requests typically arrive within one to two weeks.
