Malicious NTDS Credential Dump via Ntdsutil IFM Snapshot (via process_creation)
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- HuntRule
- Published
- 2026-10-21
- Updated
- 2026-10-21
ATT&CK techniques
Cred AccessRecon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact
What it detects
This rule detects use of ntdsutil to create an Install From Media snapshot of the Active Directory database, a credential access technique used by actors following BeyondTrust CVE-2026-1731 exploitation. The IFM snapshot exports the NTDS.dit hive containing domain password hashes, enabling full domain compromise, so this activity should be treated as active credential theft.
Reporting behind it
- unit42.paloaltonetworks.comhttps://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/beyondtrust-cve-2026-1731/
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1003/
- securelist.comhttps://securelist.com/twelve-group-unified-kill-chain/113877/
- attack.mitre.orghttps://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1003/003/
- sophos.comhttps://www.sophos.com/en-us/blog/akira-again-the-ransomware-that-keeps-on-taking
Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.
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