Alternate data streams (ads) are a feature of Microsoft’s Windows NTFS file system that can be used to add data to existing files, for instance text to a text file that does not become visible if the original file is opened in a text editor. The hidden nature of alternate data streams have made them [...]

Categories: Security, Software, Windows

Stream Explorer is a handy application for Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista that displays the amount of streams, or more precisely NTFS Alternate Data Streams, of every subfolder and file of a selected folder. It therefor provides access to a very straightforward and visual way of identifying multiple data streams in [...]

Categories: Software, Windows

You might have already ready about Windows Alternate Data Streams (also known as System Forks on other operating systems) which are supported by most Windows operating systems that use NTFS (New Technology File System). Alternate Data Streams can contain any kind of information including textual, visual and executable. Malicious users can take advantage of the [...]

Categories: Security, Windows

This article is going to explain NTFS Alternate Data Streams: what they are, where they are, how you can detect them, create them and how they are used by hackers. In short, NTFS Alternate Data Streams can be used by hackers to fork file data into existing files without altering the existing file’s function or size. You can guess where this is going, right ? They make it relatively easy to hide malicious code inside them which is much harder to detect.

Categories: Operating Systems, Security, Software, Windows