LDAP search to query an ActiveDirectory server

ldapsearch -LLL -H ldap://activedirectory.example.com:389 -b 'dc=example,dc=com' -D 'DOMAIN\Joe.Bloggs' -w 'p@ssw0rd' '(sAMAccountName=joe.bloggs)'

These are the parameters to ldapsearch (from ldap-utils in Ubuntu), for searching for the record for Joe Blogg's user. sAMAccountName is the LDAP field that ActiveDirectory uses to store the user name. 'DOMAIN\Joe.Bloggs' where "DOMAIN" is the the active directory domain. Othewise you could use "CN=Joe.Bloggs,DC=example,DC=com" instead of "DOMAIN\Joe.Bloggs"

Sample Output

dn: CN=Joe.Bloggs,DC=example,DC=com
...

By: greppo

2009-06-11 13:07:11

ldap

Submit An Alternative

What Others Think

I actually find that the following works better. I also like to run this command using ldaps instead of ldap. ldaps requires that you have a copy of your certificate authority's certificate in pem format wherever your OpenLDAP is configured to look for it.

ldapsearch -LLL -H -x ldaps://activedirectory.example.com:389 -b 'dc=example,dc=com' -D 'DOMAIN\Joe.Bloggs' -w 'p@ssw0rd' '(sAMAccountName=joe.bloggs)'

The -x specifies to use a simple bind, rather than SASL (which I can't get to work).

smm · 652 weeks and 1 day ago

sorry -- eliminate the port number or specify 636 as follows:

ldapsearch -LLL -H -x ldaps://activedirectory.example.com -b 'dc=example,dc=com' -D 'DOMAIN\Joe.Bloggs' -w 'p@ssw0rd' '(sAMAccountName=joe.bloggs)'

smm · 652 weeks and 1 day ago

Proposed solution is insecure in several ways. Declaring password on the commandline with option -w is insecure, because any other user on the same linux machine can see the plaintext password in the list of running processes. Use interactive entering of the password where possible (for simple bind that would be -W option). For automation use kerberos ticket or password file (-y passwdfile). Using the simple bind "-x" is sending the plaintext password all the way to the server = potentionaly it can be captured on the way. Use preferably the kerberos (-Y GSSAPI) or at least the MD5 digest (-Y DIGEST-MD5). In order to make the SASL working you need to downgrade some security features which are not available in MS AD with option -Omaxssf=0 . Using LDAP protocol makes it possible for attackers to snoop on the traffic and get your password. Active Directory default policies would soon (if not already) force you(/ldap client) to STARTTLS even on the LDAP protocol ... so you probably need the SSL CA certificate anyway, so probably better to use LDAPS protocol straight away.

rebus · 111 weeks and 1 day ago

rahimhh21 · 38 weeks and 2 days ago

Perfecthomepugs · 30 weeks and 1 day ago

What do you think?

Any thoughts on this command? Does it work on your machine? Can you do the same thing with only 14 characters?

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