How to export non-exportable private key from store

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

  • Download the executable binaries for your version of Windows (e.g. jailbreak64.exe).

  • Start an elevated command prompt.

  • Run the command jailbreak64.exe %WINDIR%\system32\mmc.exe %WINDIR%\system32\certlm.msc -64 (note - this is not quite the same as the guidance on github. certlm.msc is used on Windows 2016 and 2019 to bring up the local machine certificate store).


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However, his instructions are outdated.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'

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:

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

The exported .pfx files are password protected with the password "mimikatz"