.lnk Files

Shortcut (.lnk) files are automatically generated by Windows to facilitate quick access to frequently used files and folders. These artifacts are invaluable for forensic investigations as they provide detailed information about user activity, including the files and folders opened by a user.

Key Insights:

• Primary Locations:

  • Windows XP: %USERPROFILE%\Recent

  • Windows 7 and later: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\

  • Office Recent: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Office\Recent\

• Timestamps: Shortcut files store crucial timestamps, including the creation date of the shortcut itself and the last modification date, reflecting the first and last times the target was accessed.

• LNK Target File Data: Contains detailed information about the target file, including its modified, access, and creation times, volume information, network share details, and the original location.

Deeper Dive

• Functionality of .lnk Files: Beyond providing shortcuts, these files serve as a forensic trail of user activity, indicating not only the accessed files and folders but also their original paths and usage context.

• Volume and Network Share Information: Analyzing the volume and network share information within a shortcut file can reveal the origin of accessed files, potentially indicating data transfers or external device usage.

Analyzing The Artifact

• Extracting .lnk File Information: Forensic tools can parse the data within shortcut files to extract and analyze the embedded metadata, offering insights into user behavior and file access patterns. This can be done easily with PowerShell.

• Correlating Timestamps: By comparing the timestamps of shortcut files with other system logs, investigators can construct a comprehensive timeline of user actions.

Tools for Analysis

• LNK Parsing Tools: Specific tools designed to extract and analyze data from .lnk files, such as LECmd, Windows LNK File Parser or this PowerShell script.

• Forensic Suites: Comprehensive forensic platforms like EnCase or Autopsy include modules for parsing and analyzing shortcut file data.