Sigma rule: ADExplorer Writing Complete AD Snapshot Into .dat File

Rule

Title

ADExplorer Writing Complete AD Snapshot Into .dat File

Status

experimental

Level

medium

Author

Arnim Rupp (Nextron Systems), Thomas Patzke

Date

2025-07-09

File

rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_sysinternals_adexplorer_dump_written.yml

Commit

ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects the dual use tool ADExplorer writing a complete AD snapshot into a .dat file. This can be used by attackers to extract data for Bloodhound, usernames for password spraying or use the meta data for social engineering. The snapshot doesn't contain password hashes but there have been cases, where administrators put passwords in the comment field.

Log source

product

windows

category

file_event

Detection

selection:
    Image|endswith:
        - '\ADExp.exe'
        - '\ADExplorer.exe'
        - '\ADExplorer64.exe'
        - '\ADExplorer64a.exe'
    TargetFilename|endswith: '.dat'
condition: selection

False positives (as the rule lists them)

• Legitimate use of ADExplorer by administrators creating .dat snapshots

Tags

• attack.discovery
• attack.t1087.002
• attack.t1069.002
• attack.t1482

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

• T1069.002
• T1087.002
• T1482

Related rules

• 9212f354-7775-4e28-9c9f-8f0a4544e664 (similar)

References

• https://learn.microsoft.com/de-de/sysinternals/downloads/adexplorer
• https://github.com/c3c/ADExplorerSnapshot.py/tree/f700904defac330802bbfedd1d8ffd9248f4ee24
• https://www.packetlabs.net/posts/scattered-spider-is-a-young-ransomware-gang-exploiting-large-corporations/
• https://www.nccgroup.com/us/research-blog/lapsus-recent-techniques-tactics-and-procedures/
• https://trustedsec.com/blog/adexplorer-on-engagements

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/file/file_event/file_event_win_sysinternals_adexplorer_dump_written.yml