Malicious NTDS Database Dump via Ntdsutil IFM (via process_creation)

PremiumReviewedSigma · High · v1
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
HuntRule
Published
2026-09-24
Updated
2026-09-24

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access
  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule detects ntdsutil.exe invoked with the Install-From-Media create full option to dump the Active Directory NTDS database, a credential-theft step performed during Operation Jacana. Exporting NTDS.dit yields all domain password hashes and enables full domain compromise.

Related detections9 linkedT1003.003 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious Active Directory Database Theft via ntds.dit Access
Active Directory Database Dump via Ntdsutil IFM
Malicious NTDS.dit Extraction via Ntdsutil (via process_creation)
Malicious NTDS Extraction via ntdsutil IFM (via process_creation)
Malicious NTDS Database Staging to Audit Directory (via file_event)
IFM Creation Detected from Commandline - Installation from Media (via process_creation)
Malicious Credential Hive Copy from Volume Shadow Copy
Malicious File Copy via Esentutl Volume Shadow Access (via process_creation)
Malicious NTDS Extraction via NetExec (via process_creation)
Malicious NTDS Database Dump via Ntdsutil IFM (via process_creation)
Pivot detection · T1003.003 · 9 related

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.