huntrule

Windows: Detect csvde.exe Active Directory export to CSV

Flags csvde.exe executions on Windows that include -f, consistent with exporting Active Directory data for discovery.

FreeReviewedSigma · Medium · v2
Product
windows
Category
process_creation
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2023-03-14
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Discovery

  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 identifies execution of csvde.exe used to export Active Directory information to a file, based on process creation telemetry and specific command-line arguments. Attackers can use this to enumerate directory structure and prepare data for further discovery or exfiltration. The detection relies on matching the process image or OriginalFileName for csvde.exe and requiring the presence of a CSV export parameter (-f) while excluding import-style usage (-i).

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1087.002 — drag to rearrange
Suspicious SharpHound Active Directory Collection
Malicious AdFind Domain Trust Enumeration via Trustdmp
Suspicious AdFind Person Object Enumeration via LDAP Filter
Suspicious Active Directory Reconnaissance via In-Memory Offensive PowerShell (via ps_script)
Suspicious Active Directory Export via Csvde via Process Creation (via process_creation)
Suspicious AdFind Domain User Reconnaissance Output
Suspicious Active Directory Reconnaissance Output via ADRecon CSV (via file_event)
Suspicious Domain Computer Enumeration via Net Group Command
Suspicious Active Directory Enumeration via AdsiSearcher
Windows: Detect csvde.exe Active Directory export to CSV
Pivot detection · T1087.002 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. v1
    No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

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