huntrule

Windows: File Creation of NTDS.DIT (Active Directory Database)

Flags creation of an ntds.dit file on Windows, an Active Directory database artifact often associated with credential access.

FreeReviewedSigma · Low · v2
Product
windows
Category
file_event
Author
Nasreddine Bencherchali (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2023-05-05
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

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 flags file creation events where the target filename ends with "ntds.dit", indicating creation of the Active Directory database file. Attackers may create or manipulate NTDS.DIT to support credential access and directory database extraction. It relies on Windows file event telemetry capturing the target filename associated with the creation action.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1003.003 — drag to rearrange
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 Active Directory Database Dump via ntdsutil IFM (via process_creation)
Malicious NTDS Extraction via Ntdsutil IFM Media Creation
Windows: File Creation of NTDS.DIT (Active Directory Database)
Pivot detection · T1003.003 · 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.