During a recent incident response case, we observed the following file access: \\localhost\C$\@ GMT-2025.06.21-10.53.43\Windows\NTDS\ntds.dit
This is a clever method of accessing a Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) snapshot. Many EDR and detection systems typically monitor for commands such as 'vssadmin list shadows', and may trigger alerts based on their use.
However, by leveraging the "Previous Versions" feature in Windows (see screenshot), attackers can select a snapshot, view its properties, and enter the '@ GMT' path directly in Explorer. This allows them to browse the snapshot's contents without needing to use the command line.
Because this technique doesn't rely on typical shadow copy commands, it may evade detection by your EDR or SIEM solution. You might want to test it in your environment to identify and close this potential detection gap 🦸♂️🦸♀️