Goal

Detect when ntdsutil is used in a suspicious manner, typically to access the ntds.dit file

Strategy

Threat actors are known to utilize tools found natively in a victim’s environment to accomplish their objectives. Ntdsutil, a legitimate Windows binary, has been abused by malicious actors in the past to gain access to the ntds.dit file.

Triage and response

1. Identify if the usage of ntdsutil is authorized, and confirm if the ntds.dit file was downloaded.
2. If it’s not authorized, isolate the host from the network.
3. Follow your organization’s internal processes for investigating and remediating compromised systems.

Requires Agent version 7.50.0 or greater.

This rule is a part of the beta for detections on Windows! If you would like to try the new Windows agent, create a support ticket and indicate that you wish to join the Cloud Security Management - Windows beta.