: Determine how many user-created accounts exist by checking the SAM hive.
: Essential system files located in C:\Windows\System32\Config (for system-wide settings) and the user's profile directory (for user-specific settings like NTUSER.DAT ). 📝 Common Investigation Steps
: Search for specific suspicious filenames (e.g., Changelog.txt ) or tools (e.g., mimikatz ) within the registry or common user folders. Folder: 1
: Use artifacts like Prefetch or ShimCache (AppCompatCache) to prove a file was not just present, but actually executed.
: Used to load hives like NTUSER.DAT and SOFTWARE to view human-readable data from otherwise complex registry files. : Determine how many user-created accounts exist by
: The registry key NTUSER.DAT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RecentDocs tracks files a user has recently opened.
To track a user's recent activity, forensics experts analyze specific registry keys that store "shortcuts" to recently opened items. : Use artifacts like Prefetch or ShimCache (AppCompatCache)
: These are found in the UsrClass.dat hive and track a user's browsing history within File Explorer. They store information about which folders were opened, their window size, and their view settings, even if the folder has since been deleted.