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Amcache 2026.5.3

AmcacheParser

Command Line Interface

AmcacheParser version 1.4.0.0

Author: Eric Zimmerman (saericzimmerman@gmail.com)
https://github.com/EricZimmerman/AmcacheParser

 b Path to file containing SHA-1 hashes to *include* from the results. Blacklisting overrides whitelisting
 f Amcache.hve file to parse. Required
 i Include file entries for Programs entries
 w Path to file containing SHA-1 hashes to *exclude* from the results. Blacklisting overrides whitelisting

 csv Directory where CSV results will be saved to. Required
 csvf File name to save CSV formatted results to. When present, overrides default name

 dt The custom date/time format to use when displaying timestamps. See https://goo.gl/CNVq0k for options. Default is: yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss
 mp When true, display higher precision for timestamps. Default is FALSE
 nl When true, ignore transaction log files for dirty hives. Default is FALSE

 debug Show debug information during processing
 trace Show trace information during processing


Examples: AmcacheParser.exe -f "C:\Temp\amcache\AmcacheWin10.hve" --csv C:\temp
 AmcacheParser.exe -f "C:\Temp\amcache\AmcacheWin10.hve" -i on --csv C:\temp --csvf foo.csv
 AmcacheParser.exe -f "C:\Temp\amcache\AmcacheWin10.hve" -w "c:\temp\whitelist.txt" --csv C:\temp

 Short options (single letter) are prefixed with a single dash. Long commands are prefixed with two dashes
 

Documentation

This program is different from other Amcache parsers in that it does not dump everything available. Rather, it looks at both File entries and Program entries.

Program entries are found under Root\Programs and File entries are found under Root\File.

AmcacheParser gathers information about all the Program entries, then looks at all the File entries. In each file entry is a pointer to a Program ID (value 100). If this Program ID exists in Program entries, the File entry is associated with the Program entry.

At the end of this process you are left with things that didn't come from some kind of installed application.

Using the minimum options, AmcacheParser will only export Unassociated file entries.

If you use the -i option, AmcacheParser will export a Programs entry list and its associated File entry list.

With whitelisting and blacklisting you can further reduce the output by excluding certain File entries (whitelisting) or including only File entries whose SHA-1 is found in a blacklist file.

Note that AmcacheParser strips the extra 0s from the front of the SHA-1 value, so you can use the SHA-1s as shown in the output files for generating whitelists or blacklists.

Registry Explorer and RECmd 1.2.0.0 released!

(Am)cache still rules everything around me (part 2 of 1)

Updates to the left of me, updates to the right of me, version 1 releases are here (for the most part)

AmcacheParser: Reducing the noise, finding the signal

Everything gets an update, Sept 2018 edition

Locked file support added to AmcacheParser, AppCompatCacheParser, MFTECmd, ShellBags Explorer (and SBECmd), and Registry Explorer (and RECmd)

Download Eric Zimmerman's Tools

All of Eric Zimmerman's tools can be downloaded here.

Special Thanks

Open Source Development funding and support provided by the following contributors: SANS Institute and SANS DFIR.