Amcache.hve
Compatibility database introduced in Windows 8 that records every PE file executed on the system, including SHA-1 hash, full path, publisher, and first-seen timestamp.
Where to find it
Default filesystem paths and registry locations. Collect these with your preferred live-response or disk-image tooling.
- $C:\Windows\AppCompat\Programs\Amcache.hve
- $C:\Windows\AppCompat\Programs\Amcache.hve.LOG1
Forensic significance
Common scenarios in which this artifact becomes decisive evidence.
- Proving a specific malware executable ran, even after deletion
- Identifying unknown binaries via SHA-1 for threat intel lookup
- Detecting living-off-the-land binaries in unusual paths
- First-execution timeline for ransomware investigation
MITRE ATT&CK mapping
Techniques this artifact can help detect or substantiate. Click a technique to view the official MITRE entry.
Tools that parse it
unJaena AI and other DFIR tools commonly used to extract evidence from this artifact.
Related artifacts
Shimcache (AppCompatCache)
Application Compatibility Cache stores up to 1024 executed binary records with full path and last-modified timestamp. Persists even when a binary is deleted.
Prefetch Files
Windows Prefetch stores up to the last 8 execution times of a binary along with loaded DLLs and volume information — a foundational timeline artifact for Windows investigations.
UserAssist
Per-user registry key recording GUI-launched programs with ROT13-obfuscated paths, focus count, and last execution time — proving interactive user execution of a binary.
Shell Bags
Windows Explorer view preferences recorded per-folder in UsrClass.dat. Shell Bags prove a user navigated to a folder, even after the folder or attached volume is long gone.
References & further reading
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