How to export non-exportable private key from store

Question

I need to export private key from Windows store. What should I do if the key is marked as non-exportable? I know that it is possible, program jailbreak can export this key.

To export key I use Org.BouncyCastle.Security.DotNetUtilities.GetKeyPair() that exports key from (RSACryptoServiceProvider)cryptoProv.ExportParameters(true). Exported key I use in Org.BouncyCastle.Cms.CmsSignedDataGenerator for CMS signature.

I need solution for .Net, but any solution will be useful. Thank you.

Answer 1

You're right, no API at all that I'm aware to export PrivateKey marked as non-exportable. But if you patch (in memory) normal APIs, you can use the normal way to export :)

There is a new version of mimikatz that also support CNG Export (Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 ...)

1. download (and launch with administrative privileges) : http://blog.gentilkiwi.com/mimikatz (trunk version or last version)

Run it and enter the following commands in its prompt:

2. privilege::debug (unless you already have it or target only CryptoApi)
3. crypto::patchcng (nt 6) and/or crypto::patchcapi (nt 5 & 6)
4. crypto::exportCertificates and/or crypto::exportCertificates CERT_SYSTEM_STORE_LOCAL_MACHINE

.pfx files are passwords protected "mimikatz"

Answer 2

Gentil Kiwi's answer is correct. He developed this mimikatz tool that is able to retrieve non-exportable private keys.

However, his instructions are outdated. You need:

1. Download the lastest release from https://github.com/gentilkiwi/mimikatz/releases

2. Run the cmd with admin rights in the same machine where the certificate was requested

3. Change to the mimikatz bin directory (Win32 or x64 version)

4. Run mimikatz

5. Follow the wiki instructions and the .pfx file (protected with password mimikatz) will be placed in the same folder of the mimikatz bin

mimikatz # crypto::capi
Local CryptoAPI patched

mimikatz # privilege::debug
Privilege '20' OK

mimikatz # crypto::cng
"KeyIso" service patched

mimikatz # crypto::certificates /systemstore:local_machine /store:my /export
* System Store : 'local_machine' (0x00020000)
* Store : 'my'

1. example.domain.local
        Key Container : example.domain.local
        Provider : Microsoft Software Key Storage Provider
        Type : CNG Key (0xffffffff)
        Exportable key : NO
        Key size : 2048
        Public export : OK - 'local_machine_my_0_example.domain.local.der'
        Private export : OK - 'local_machine_my_0_example.domain.local.pfx'

Answer 3

i wanted to mention Jailbreak specifically (GitHub):

Jailbreak

Jailbreak is a tool for exporting certificates marked as non-exportable from the Windows certificate store. This can help when you need to extract certificates for backup or testing. You must have full access to the private key on the filesystem in order for jailbreak to work.

Prerequisites: Win32

Answer 4

There is code and binaries available here for a console app that can export private keys marked as non-exportable, and it won't trigger antivirus apps like mimikatz will.

The code is based on a paper by the NCC Group. will need to run the tool with the local system account, as it works by writing directly to memory used by Windows' lsass process, in order to temporarily mark keys as exportable. This can be done using PsExec from SysInternals' PsTools:

1. Spawn a new command prompt running as the local system user:

   PsExec64.exe -s -i cmd

2. In the new command prompt, run the tool:

   exportrsa.exe

3. The tool will prompt you for a password for each key it finds - this is the password you want to secure the exported PFX file with, so can be whatever you want

Answer 5

Unfortunately, the tool mentioned above is blocked by several antivirus vendors. If this is the case for you then take a look at the following.

Open the non-exportable cert in the cert store and locate the Thumbprint value.

Next, open regedit to the path below and locate the registry key matching the thumbprint value.

An export of the registry key will contain the complete certificate including the private key. Once exported, copy the export to the other server and import it into the registry.

The cert will appear in the certificate manager with the private key included.

Machine Store: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\MY\Certificates User Store: HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\MY\Certificates

In a pinch, you could save the export as a backup of the certificate.

Answer 6

This worked for me on Windows Server 2012 - I needed to export a non-exportable certificate to setup another ADFS server and this did the trick. Remember to use the jailbreak instructions above i.e.:

crypto::certificates /export /systemstore:CERT_SYSTEM_STORE_LOCAL_MACHINE

Answer 7

You might need to uninstall antivirus (in my case I had to get rid of Avast).

This makes sure that crypto::cng command will work. Otherwise it was giving me errors:

mimikatz $ crypto::cng
ERROR kull_m_patch_genericProcessOrServiceFromBuild ; OpenProcess (0x00000005)

After removing Avast:

mimikatz $ crypto::cng
"KeyIso" service patched

Magic. (:

BTW

Windows Defender is another program blocking the program to work, so you will need also to disable it for the time of using program at least.