Menu

Individual skill

parsing-artifacts-with-eric-zimmerman-tools

0upvotes

Parse Windows forensic artifacts—$MFT/$J (MFTECmd), Prefetch (PECmd), registry hives (RECmd), shellbags, and Amcache—into normalized CSV/JSON with Eric Zimmerman's EZ Tools, then load results into Timeline Explorer for analysis. Use during DFIR/incident-response investigations, after triage collection (e.g. with KAPE), to establish program execution, file/folder access, and persistence evidence from acquired forensic images.

skills/parsing-artifacts-with-eric-zimmerman-tools/SKILL.md

Read pinned source

Source commit 54a798831d2266a3ca61ce68a7acb80b81160d57

What was checked

Matches the observed repository HEAD
Yes
Scanner rules are current
Yes
Repository scan complete
No
Skill scan complete
No
Observed behavior
Network or broad shell
Last checked
Nov 9, 2026

These are observations at the recorded commit, not a guarantee of safety. Review the source before running it.

Install this skill

Choose an agent in your Stack or copy a command below. Commands fetch the pinned commit and copy only this skill directory. Existing destinations are refused. Copying a command does not install anything.

An install command is unavailable: current rules, complete repository and skill scans, an eligible behavior level and a permitted license are required.

Repository context

Repository stars (not skill ratings)
35,841
Repository last updated
Aug 31, 2026
License
Apache-2.0

Observed agent integration: No specific integration evidence. Standard SKILL.md installation does not imply verified compatibility.

Files and excerpt

File metadata and permitted, redacted excerpts come from the recorded scan. Source links are pinned to that commit.

Browse files
Read excerpt
# Parsing Artifacts with Eric Zimmerman Tools

> **Authorized Use Only:** These tools parse evidence acquired from systems. Only analyze data you are authorized to handle, maintain chain of custody, and work from forensic copies rather than originals.

## Overview

Eric Zimmerman's Tools (EZ Tools) are a free, open-source suite of high-fidelity Windows forensic parsers, each focused on a specific artifact class and each producing analyst-ready CSV/JSON output. They are the de facto standard for Windows artifact analysis and are what KAPE's `!EZParser` module invokes under the hood. Key tools include:

- **MFTECmd** — parses `$MFT`, `$J` ($UsnJrnl), `$Boot`, `$SDS`, and `$LogFile` from NTFS volumes.
- **PECmd** — parses Windows Prefetch (`.pf`) for evidence of program execution.
- **RECmd** — registry hive parser/searcher driven by batch plugins (RECmd Batch files).
- **SBECmd** — parses ShellBags (folder access history) from `UsrClass.dat`/`NTUSER.DAT`.
- **AmcacheParser** — parses `Amcache.hve` for application execution and metadata.
- **AppCompatCacheParser** — parses ShimCache (AppCompatCache) from `SYSTEM` hive.
- **LECmd** — parses LNK shortcut files. **JLECmd** — parses Jump Lists. **EvtxECmd** — parses EVTX event logs to a normalized schema.
Back to top