Esentutl.exe
Binary for working with Microsoft Joint Engine Technology (JET) database
Paths
C:\Windows\System32\esentutl.exeC:\Windows\SysWOW64\esentutl.exe
Commands
Copy
Copies the source VBS file to the destination VBS file.
Use case: Copies files from A to B
Privileges: User
esentutl.exe /y {PATH_ABSOLUTE:.source.vbs} /d {PATH_ABSOLUTE:.dest.vbs} /oADS
Copies the source EXE to an Alternate Data Stream (ADS) of the destination file.
Use case: Copy file and hide it in an alternate data stream as a defensive counter measure
Privileges: User
esentutl.exe /y {PATH_ABSOLUTE:.exe} /d {PATH_ABSOLUTE}:file.exe /oADS
Copies the source Alternate Data Stream (ADS) to the destination EXE.
Use case: Extract hidden file within alternate data streams
Privileges: User
esentutl.exe /y {PATH_ABSOLUTE}:file.exe /d {PATH_ABSOLUTE:.exe} /oADS
Copies the remote source EXE to the destination Alternate Data Stream (ADS) of the destination file.
Use case: Copy file and hide it in an alternate data stream as a defensive counter measure
Privileges: User
esentutl.exe /y {PATH_SMB:.exe} /d {PATH_ABSOLUTE}:file.exe /oDownload
Copies the source EXE to the destination EXE file
Use case: Use to copy files from one unc path to another
Privileges: User
esentutl.exe /y {PATH_SMB:.source.exe} /d {PATH_SMB:.dest.exe} /oCopy
Copies a (locked) file using Volume Shadow Copy
Use case: Copy/extract a locked file such as the AD Database
Privileges: Admin
esentutl.exe /y /vss c:\windows\ntds\ntds.dit /d {PATH_ABSOLUTE:.dit}Detection
- Sigma: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/6312dd1d44d309608552105c334948f793e89f48/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_esentutl_params.yml
- Sigma: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/6312dd1d44d309608552105c334948f793e89f48/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_esentutl_webcache.yml
- Sigma: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/6312dd1d44d309608552105c334948f793e89f48/rules/windows/registry/registry_event/registry_event_esentutl_volume_shadow_copy_service_keys.yml
- Sigma: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/6312dd1d44d309608552105c334948f793e89f48/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_esentutl_sensitive_file_copy.yml
- Splunk: https://github.com/splunk/security_content/blob/86a5b644a44240f01274c8b74d19a435c7dae66e/detections/endpoint/esentutl_sam_copy.yml
- Elastic: https://github.com/elastic/detection-rules/blob/f6421d8c534f295518a2c945f530e8afc4c8ad1b/rules/windows/credential_access_copy_ntds_sam_volshadowcp_cmdline.toml