What it does. Analyze Windows LNK shortcut files and Jump List artifacts with LECmd, Part of mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills (817 security skills) (mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills).
Install
npx skills add mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills --skill analyzing-lnk-file-and-jump-list-artifacts, or copy the skill folder into ~/.claude/skills/analyzing-lnk-file-and-jump-list-artifacts/.- Raw file:
curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills/HEAD/skills/analyzing-lnk-file-and-jump-list-artifacts/SKILL.md
SKILL.md (verbatim)
name: analyzing-lnk-file-and-jump-list-artifacts
description: Analyze Windows LNK shortcut files and Jump List artifacts with LECmd,
JLECmd, and manual Shell Link Binary Format parsing to establish evidence of file
access, program execution, and user activity that persists even after the target
file is deleted. Use when investigating Windows user activity, reconstructing file-access
or program-execution timelines, or examining recent/frequently-used file evidence
in a forensic exam.
domain: cybersecurity
subdomain: digital-forensics
tags:
- lnk-files
- jump-lists
- lecmd
- jlecmd
- windows-forensics
- shell-link
- user-activity
- file-access
- program-execution
- recent-files
version: '1.0'
author: mahipal
license: Apache-2.0
nist_csf:
- RS.AN-03
- DE.AE-02
- RS.MA-01
mitre_attack:
- T1547.009
- T1204.002
- T1059.001
Analyzing LNK File and Jump List Artifacts
Overview
Windows LNK (shortcut) files and Jump Lists are critical forensic artifacts that provide evidence of file access, program execution, and user behavior. LNK files are created automatically when a user opens a file through Windows Explorer or the Open/Save dialog, storing metadata about the target file including its original path, timestamps, volume serial number, NetBIOS name, and MAC address of the host system. Jump Lists, introduced in Windows 7, extend this by maintaining per-application lists of recently and frequently accessed files. These artifacts persist even after the target files are deleted, making them invaluable for establishing that a user accessed specific files at specific times.
When to Use
- When investigating security incidents that require analyzing lnk file and jump list artifacts
- When building detection rules or threat hunting queries for this domain
- When SOC analysts need structured procedures for this analysis type
- When validating security monitoring coverage for related attack techniques
Prerequisites
- LECmd (Eric Zimmerman) for LNK file parsing
- JLECmd (Eric Zimmerman) for Jump List parsing
- Python 3.8+ with pylnk3 or LnkParse3 libraries
- Forensic image or triage collection from Windows system
- Timeline Explorer for CSV analysis
LNK File Locations
| Location |
Description |
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\ |
Recent files accessed |
%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\ |
User-created shortcuts |
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\ |
Start Menu shortcuts |
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Office\Recent\ |
Office recent documents |
LNK File Structure
| Offset |
Size |
Field |
| 0x00 |
4 |
HeaderSize (always 0x0000004C) |
| 0x04 |
16 |
LinkCLSID (always 00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046) |
| 0x14 |
4 |
LinkFlags |
| 0x18 |
4 |
FileAttributes |
| 0x1C |
8 |
CreationTime (FILETIME) |
| 0x24 |
8 |
AccessTime (FILETIME) |
| 0x2C |
8 |
WriteTime (FILETIME) |
| 0x34 |
4 |
FileSize of target |
| 0x38 |
4 |
IconIndex |
| 0x3C |
4 |
ShowCommand |
| 0x40 |
2 |
HotKey |
Key Forensic Fields in LNK Files
- Target file timestamps: Creation, access, modification times of the referenced file
- Volume information: Serial number, drive type, volume label
- Network share information: UNC path, share name
- Machine identifiers: NetBIOS name, MAC address (from TrackerDataBlock)
- Distributed Link Tracking: Machine ID and object GUID
LECmd - LNK File Parser
# Parse all LNK files in Recent folder
LECmd.exe -d "C:\Evidence\Users\suspect\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent" --csv C:\Output --csvf lnk_analysis.csv
# Parse a single LNK file with full details
LECmd.exe -f "C:\Evidence\Users\suspect\Desktop\Confidential.docx.lnk" --json C:\Output
# Parse LNK files with additional detail levels
LECmd.exe -d "C:\Evidence\Users\suspect\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent" --csv C:\Output --csvf lnk_all.csv --all
JLECmd - Jump List Parser
# Parse Automatic Jump Lists
JLECmd.exe -d "C:\Evidence\Users\suspect\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations" --csv C:\Output --csvf jumplists_auto.csv
# Parse Custom Jump Lists
JLECmd.exe -d "C:\Evidence\Users\suspect\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations" --csv C:\Output --csvf jumplists_custom.csv
# Parse all jump lists with detailed output
JLECmd.exe -d "C:\Evidence\Users\suspect\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations" --csv C:\Output --csvf jumplists_auto.csv --ld
Jump List Structure
Automatic Destinations (automaticDestinations-ms)
These are OLE Compound files (Structured Storage) identified by AppID hash in the filename:
| AppID Hash |
Application |
| 5f7b5f1e01b83767 |
Windows Explorer Pinned/Frequent |
| 1b4dd67f29cb1962 |
Windows Explorer Recent |
| 9b9cdc69c1c24e2b |
Notepad |
| a7bd71699cd38d1c |
Notepad++ |
| 12dc1ea8e34b5a6 |
Microsoft Paint |
| 7e4dca80246863e3 |
Control Panel |
| 1cf97c38a5881255 |
Microsoft Edge |
| f01b4d95cf55d32a |
Windows Explorer |
| 9d1f905ce5044aee |
Microsoft Excel |
| a4a5324453625195 |
Microsoft Word |
| d00655d2aa12ff6d |
Microsoft PowerPoint |
| bc03160ee1a59fc1 |
Outlook |
Custom Destinations (customDestinations-ms)
Created when users pin items to application jump lists. These files contain sequential LNK entries.
Python Analysis Script
import struct
import os
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
FILETIME_EPOCH = datetime(1601, 1, 1)
def filetime_to_datetime(filetime_bytes: bytes) -> datetime:
"""Convert Windows FILETIME (100-ns intervals since 1601) to datetime."""
ft = struct.unpack("<Q", filetime_bytes)[0]
if ft == 0:
return None
return FILETIME_EPOCH + timedelta(microseconds=ft // 10)
def parse_lnk_header(lnk_path: str) -> dict:
"""Parse the Shell Link header from an LNK file."""
with open(lnk_path, "rb") as f:
header = f.read(76)
header_size = struct.unpack("<I", header[0:4])[0]
if header_size != 0x4C:
return {"error": "Invalid LNK header"}
link_flags = struct.unpack("<I", header[0x14:0x18])[0]
file_attrs = struct.unpack("<I", header[0x18:0x1C])[0]
result = {
"header_size": header_size,
"link_flags": hex(link_flags),
"file_attributes": hex(file_attrs),
"creation_time": filetime_to_datetime(header[0x1C:0x24]),
"access_time": filetime_to_datetime(header[0x24:0x2C]),
"write_time": filetime_to_datetime(header[0x2C:0x34]),
"file_size": struct.unpack("<I", header[0x34:0x38])[0],
"has_target_id_list": bool(link_flags & 0x01),
"has_link_info": bool(link_flags & 0x02),
"has_name": bool(link_flags & 0x04),
"has_relative_path": bool(link_flags & 0x08),
"has_working_dir": bool(link_flags & 0x10),
"has_arguments": bool(link_flags & 0x20),
"has_icon_location": bool(link_flags & 0x40),
}
return result
Investigation Use Cases
Evidence of File Access
- Parse LNK files from Recent folder to identify accessed documents
- Cross-reference with MFT timestamps and USN Journal entries
- Note that LNK files persist even after target files are deleted
- LNK files referencing drive letters E:, F:, G: indicate removable media usage
- Volume serial number in LNK identifies the specific device
- MAC address in TrackerDataBlock identifies the source machine
Network Share Activity
- LNK files with UNC paths (\server\share) indicate network file access
- NetBIOS name identifies the remote server
- Timestamps establish when access occurred
Differences Between Windows 10 and Windows 11
Recent research (IEEE 2025) shows that Windows 11 produces different LNK and Jump List artifacts:
- Fewer automatic LNK files generated for certain file types
- Modified Jump List behavior for modern applications
- UWP/MSIX applications may not generate traditional Jump Lists
- Windows 11 Quick Access replaces some Recent functionality
References
Example Output
$ LECmd.exe -d "C:\Evidence\Users\jsmith\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent" --csv /analysis/lnk_output
LECmd v1.11.0 - LNK File Parser
================================
Processing 47 LNK files...
--- LNK File: Q4_Report.xlsx.lnk ---
Source: C:\Evidence\Users\jsmith\Recent\Q4_Report.xlsx.lnk
Target Path: C:\Users\jsmith\Downloads\Q4_Report.xlsm
Target Created: 2024-01-15 14:33:45 UTC
Target Modified: 2024-01-15 14:33:45 UTC
Target Accessed: 2024-01-15 14:35:12 UTC
File Size: 251,904 bytes
Drive Type: Fixed (C:)
Volume Serial: A4E7-3F21
Machine ID: DESKTOP-J5M1TH
MAC Address: 48:2A:E3:5C:9B:01
--- LNK File: update_client.exe.lnk ---
Source: C:\Evidence\Users\jsmith\Recent\update_client.exe.lnk
Target Path: C:\ProgramData\Updates\update_client.exe
Target Created: 2024-01-15 14:34:02 UTC
Target Modified: 2024-01-15 14:34:02 UTC
Target Accessed: 2024-01-15 14:36:30 UTC
File Size: 1,258,496 bytes
Drive Type: Fixed (C:)
Volume Serial: A4E7-3F21
Machine ID: DESKTOP-J5M1TH
Working Dir: C:\ProgramData\Updates
Arguments: --silent --no-update-check
Run Window: Hidden
======================================================================
$ JLECmd.exe -d "C:\Evidence\Users\jsmith\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations" --csv /analysis/jumplist_output
JLECmd v1.5.0 - Jump List Parser
==================================
Processing 23 AutomaticDestinations files...
--- Application: Microsoft Excel (AppID: 12dc1ea8e34b5a6) ---
Entries: 15
Most Recent:
Entry 0: C:\Users\jsmith\Downloads\Q4_Report.xlsm (2024-01-15 14:35:12 UTC)
Entry 1: \\FILESERV01\Finance\Budget_2024.xlsx (2024-01-14 09:22:30 UTC)
Entry 2: C:\Users\jsmith\Documents\Expenses\Dec2023.xlsx (2024-01-10 16:45:00 UTC)
--- Application: Windows Explorer (AppID: f01b4d95cf55d32a) ---
Entries: 28
Most Recent:
Entry 0: C:\ProgramData\Updates\ (2024-01-15 14:36:25 UTC)
Entry 1: E:\Backup\ (2024-01-15 15:30:00 UTC)
Entry 2: \\FILESERV01\HR\Employees\ (2024-01-15 16:12:45 UTC)
--- Application: cmd.exe (AppID: 9b9cdc69c1c24e2b) ---
Entries: 5
Most Recent:
Entry 0: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe (2024-01-15 14:36:00 UTC)
Summary:
Total LNK files processed: 47
Total Jump List entries: 156
Suspicious artifacts: 3 (hidden window execution, USB drive access, network shares)
CSV exported to: /analysis/lnk_output/ and /analysis/jumplist_output/
Other files in this skill
assets/template.md (verbatim)
LNK File and Jump List Analysis Report
| Field |
Value |
| Case Number |
|
| Examiner |
|
| Evidence Source |
|
LNK File Summary
| LNK File |
Target Path |
Target Created |
Target Modified |
Volume Serial |
Machine ID |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jump List Summary
| Application |
AppID |
Files Accessed |
Date Range |
|
|
|
|
| Drive Letter |
Volume Serial |
Volume Label |
Files Accessed |
|
|
|
|
Findings
(Summary of user activity established through LNK/Jump List analysis)
references/api-reference.md (verbatim)
API Reference: LNK File and Jump List Forensics
LECmd (Eric Zimmerman) - LNK Parser
Syntax
LECmd.exe -f <file.lnk> # Single file
LECmd.exe -d <directory> --all # All files in directory
LECmd.exe -d <dir> --csv <output_dir> # CSV export
LECmd.exe -d <dir> --json <output_dir> # JSON export
LECmd.exe -f <file.lnk> -q # Quiet mode
LECmd.exe -d <dir> -r # Only removable drives
Output Fields
| Field |
Description |
| SourceFile |
Path to the .lnk file |
| TargetCreated |
Target file creation timestamp |
| TargetModified |
Target file modification timestamp |
| TargetAccessed |
Target file access timestamp |
| FileSize |
Target file size |
| RelativePath |
Relative path to target |
| WorkingDirectory |
Working directory for target |
| Arguments |
Command-line arguments |
| LocalPath |
Full local path to target |
| VolumeSerialNumber |
Volume serial of target drive |
| DriveType |
Fixed, Removable, Network |
| MachineID |
NetBIOS name from tracker block |
| MacAddress |
MAC from distributed tracker |
JLECmd (Eric Zimmerman) - Jump List Parser
Syntax
JLECmd.exe -f <jumplist_file> # Single file
JLECmd.exe -d <directory> # All jump lists
JLECmd.exe -d <dir> --csv <output> # CSV export
JLECmd.exe -d <dir> --fd # Full LNK details
JLECmd.exe -d <dir> --dumpTo <dir> # Extract embedded LNK files
Jump List Locations
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations\
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations\
LnkParse3 (Python)
Installation
pip install LnkParse3
Usage
import LnkParse3
with open("shortcut.lnk", "rb") as f:
lnk = LnkParse3.lnk_file(f)
info = lnk.get_json()
print(info["data"]["relative_path"])
print(info["header"]["creation_time"])
print(info["link_info"]["local_base_path"])
# Extra data blocks
extra = info.get("extra", {})
tracker = extra.get("DISTRIBUTED_LINK_TRACKER_BLOCK", {})
print(tracker.get("machine_id"))
print(tracker.get("mac_address"))
| Offset |
Size |
Field |
| 0 |
4 |
HeaderSize (0x0000004C) |
| 4 |
16 |
LinkCLSID |
| 20 |
4 |
LinkFlags |
| 24 |
4 |
FileAttributes |
| 28 |
8 |
CreationTime (FILETIME) |
| 36 |
8 |
AccessTime (FILETIME) |
| 44 |
8 |
WriteTime (FILETIME) |
| 52 |
4 |
FileSize |
| 56 |
4 |
IconIndex |
| 60 |
4 |
ShowCommand |
Common App IDs (Jump Lists)
| App ID |
Application |
| 1b4dd67f29cb1962 |
Windows Explorer |
| 5d696d521de238c3 |
Google Chrome |
| ecd21b58c2f65a4f |
Firefox |
| 1bc392b8e104a00e |
Remote Desktop (mstsc) |
| b8ab77100df80ab2 |
Microsoft Word |
| cfb56c56fa0f0478 |
PuTTY |
| b74736c2bd8cc8a5 |
WinSCP |
Suspicious LNK Indicators
| Pattern |
Concern |
| PowerShell in arguments |
Script execution via shortcut |
| cmd.exe /c in target |
Command execution chain |
| UNC path to IP |
Network-based payload delivery |
| Base64 encoded arguments |
Obfuscated commands |
| mshta/wscript target |
Living-off-the-land execution |
references/standards.md (verbatim)
Standards - LNK File and Jump List Forensics
Standards
- MS-SHLLINK: Shell Link Binary File Format (Microsoft Open Specifications)
- NIST SP 800-86: Guide to Integrating Forensic Techniques
- SWGDE Best Practices for Computer Forensics
- LECmd (Eric Zimmerman): LNK file parser
- JLECmd (Eric Zimmerman): Jump List parser
- LnkParse3 (Python): Cross-platform LNK parser
- Magnet AXIOM: Commercial forensic tool with LNK/Jump List support
Key Artifact Locations
- Recent files: %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\
- AutomaticDestinations: %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations\
- CustomDestinations: %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations\
- Office Recent: %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Office\Recent\
MITRE ATT&CK Mappings
- T1547.009 - Shortcut Modification
- T1204.002 - User Execution: Malicious File
references/workflows.md (verbatim)
Workflows - LNK and Jump List Analysis
Workflow 1: User File Access Investigation
Collect LNK files from Recent directory
|
Parse with LECmd to CSV
|
Filter by target path for specific files/locations
|
Extract timestamps, volume serial, NetBIOS name
|
Correlate with MFT and Event Log timestamps
|
Document file access timeline
Workflow 2: Jump List Application Activity
Collect AutomaticDestinations and CustomDestinations
|
Parse with JLECmd to CSV
|
Map AppID hashes to applications
|
Extract embedded LNK entries per application
|
Build per-application file access timeline
|
Identify removable media and network paths
Filter LNK files for drive letters (E:, F:, G:)
|
Extract volume serial numbers
|
Match with SYSTEM registry USBSTOR entries
|
Identify specific USB devices accessed
|
Build user-device-file timeline
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