NTLM is deprecated—and Windows is on a phased path toward NTLM being disabled by default—but most environments are nowhere near ready. This discussion walks through what current telemetry actually reveals about where NTLM is still hiding, why that matters, and why so many organizations incorrectly assume they’re safe.

We’ll unpack the common trap patterns we see in the field—unknown targets, SPN issues, IP-based access, and compatibility “knobs” that quietly re-enable risk—and show why visibility, not blanket denial, is the key to making progress. From there, we’ll outline a practical playbook: audit → measure → prioritize → remediate → validate NTLM off, with lessons learned from real deployments. We’ll close with a look at upcoming Kerberos features that make NTLM truly unnecessary so you can plan a clean exit rather than a rushed one.