.. /Fsutil.exe
Star

File System Utility

Paths:

C:\Windows\System32\fsutil.exe
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\fsutil.exe

Resources:

https://twitter.com/0gtweet/status/1720724516324704404

Acknowledgements:

Elliot Killick (@elliotkillick)
Jimmy (@bohops)
Grzegorz Tworek (@0gtweet)

Detections:

IOC: fsutil.exe should not be run on a normal workstation
IOC: file setZeroData (not case-sensitive) in the process arguments
IOC: Sysmon Event ID 1
IOC: Execution of process fsutil.exe with trace decode could be suspicious
IOC: Non-Windows netsh.exe execution
Sigma: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ff5102832031425f6eed011dd3a2e62653008c94/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_susp_fsutil_usage.yml

Tamper

Zero out a file
```
fsutil.exe file setZeroData offset=0 length=9999999999 C:\Windows\Temp\payload.dll
```
Use case
Can be used to forensically erase a file

Privileges required
User

Operating systems
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10

ATT&CK® technique
T1485
Delete the USN journal volume to hide file creation activity
```
fsutil.exe usn deletejournal /d c:
```
Use case
Can be used to hide file creation activity

Privileges required
User

Operating systems
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10

ATT&CK® technique
T1485

Execute

Executes a pre-planted binary named netsh.exe from the current directory.
```
fsutil.exe trace decode
```
Use case
Spawn a pre-planted executable from fsutil.exe.

Privileges required
User

Operating systems
Windows 11

ATT&CK® technique
T1218