Windows File Creation Indicators for Local SAM Database Exports
Alerts on Windows file creations with filenames indicative of a local SAM export or backup artifact.
- Product
- windows
- Category
- file_event
- Author
- Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
- Published
- 2022-02-11
- Updated
- 2026-07-31
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 flags Windows file creation events where the target filename matches common patterns of local SAM (Security Account Manager) export artifacts (e.g., .sav, .hive, backup/export filenames and specific SAM-related paths). Attackers often dump credentials by exporting SAM database content to accessible files for offline processing or theft. The detection relies on Windows file event telemetry that includes the created/target filename so the rule can match suspicious SAM export naming and locations.
Reporting behind it
- github.comhttps://github.com/search?q=CVE-2021-36934
- web.archive.orghttps://web.archive.org/web/20210725081645/https://github.com/cube0x0/CVE-2021-36934
- google.comhttps://www.google.com/search?q=%22reg.exe+save%22+sam
- github.comhttps://github.com/HuskyHacks/ShadowSteal
- github.comhttps://github.com/FireFart/hivenightmare
- github.comhttps://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_sam_dump.yml
Changelog
v2- v2Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
- v1No 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.
title: Windows File Creation Indicators for Local SAM Database Exports
id: e37434f5-2371-4449-ba45-f38018955113
status: test
description: This rule flags Windows file creation events where the target filename matches common patterns of local SAM (Security Account Manager) export artifacts (e.g., .sav, .hive, backup/export filenames and specific SAM-related paths). Attackers often dump credentials by exporting SAM database content to accessible files for offline processing or theft. The detection relies on Windows file event telemetry that includes the created/target filename so the rule can match suspicious SAM export naming and locations.
references:
- https://github.com/search?q=CVE-2021-36934
- https://web.archive.org/web/20210725081645/https://github.com/cube0x0/CVE-2021-36934
- https://www.google.com/search?q=%22reg.exe+save%22+sam
- https://github.com/HuskyHacks/ShadowSteal
- https://github.com/FireFart/hivenightmare
- https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/master/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_sam_dump.yml
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Huntrule Team
date: 2022-02-11
modified: 2023-01-05
tags:
- attack.credential-access
- attack.t1003.002
logsource:
product: windows
category: file_event
detection:
selection:
- TargetFilename|endswith:
- \Temp\sam
- \sam.sav
- \Intel\sam
- \sam.hive
- \Perflogs\sam
- \ProgramData\sam
- \Users\Public\sam
- \AppData\Local\sam
- \AppData\Roaming\sam
- _ShadowSteal.zip
- \Documents\SAM.export
- :\sam
- TargetFilename|contains:
- \hive_sam_
- \sam.save
- \sam.export
- \~reg_sam.save
- \sam_backup
- \sam.bck
- \sam.backup
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Rare cases of administrative activity
level: high
license: DRL-1.1
related:
- id: 4e87b8e2-2ee9-4b2a-a715-4727d297ece0
type: derived