Suspicious NTDS Database Dump File Creation

ATT&CK techniques

Cred Access

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
Priv Esc
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
- T1003.003NTDS
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects creation of files with an NTDS dump naming pattern which ransomware operators produce when extracting the Active Directory database for offline credential theft. Observed in NCC Group research into active ransomware families dumping NTDS content to text files. Capturing NTDS extraction artifacts helps detect domain-wide credential theft.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1003.003 — drag to rearrange

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 Active Directory Database Dump via ntdsutil IFM (via process_creation)

Malicious NTDS Extraction via Ntdsutil IFM Media Creation

Malicious NTDS.dit Extraction via ntdsutil IFM Snapshot (via process_creation)

Suspicious NTDS Database Dump File 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.

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