When the Directory Becomes the Weapon: Understanding NTDS.dit Theft
Trellix, Monday, September 21st, 2026
Trellix research shows attackers use consistent techniques across tools to steal NTDS.dit credential files.
This Trellix research post examines how attackers steal Active Directory credentials by targeting NTDS.dit files through a consistent, multi-phase attack chain regardless of the specific tool used.
It shows that Trellix NDR detects these attacks by identifying suspicious behaviors, such as credential dumping and exfiltration patterns, rather than relying on tool-specific signatures, generating alerts at multiple stages.
The post argues that tool-agnostic detection is critical for defending against modern identity-based threats. It offers defensive recommendations including NDR deployment, restricting Volume Shadow Copy Service access, and monitoring for suspicious domain controller traffic.