Malicious NTDS Database Extraction via Ntdsutil (via process_creation)
- Product
- windows
- Category
- process_creation
- Author
- HuntRule
- Published
- 2026-05-25
- Updated
- 2026-08-28
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 ntdsutil creating a full copy of the Active Directory database, the credential theft step Volt Typhoon performs to obtain the domain NTDS.dit file and all account hashes. Dumping the directory database enables offline cracking and domain wide impersonation, so this operation on a domain controller is a high confidence indicator of hands on keyboard credential access.
Reporting behind it
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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