analyzing-prefetch-files-for-execution-history

Installation
SKILL.md

Analyzing Prefetch Files for Execution History

When to Use

  • When determining which programs were executed on a Windows system and when
  • During malware investigations to confirm execution of suspicious binaries
  • For establishing a timeline of application usage during an incident
  • When correlating program execution with other forensic artifacts
  • To identify anti-forensic tools or unauthorized software that was run

Prerequisites

  • Access to Windows Prefetch directory (C:\Windows\Prefetch) from forensic image
  • PECmd (Eric Zimmerman), WinPrefetchView, or python-prefetch parser
  • Understanding of Prefetch file format (versions 17, 23, 26, 30)
  • Windows system with Prefetch enabled (default on client OS, disabled on servers)
  • Knowledge of Prefetch naming conventions (APPNAME-HASH.pf)

Workflow

Step 1: Extract Prefetch Files from Forensic Image

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First Seen
Mar 15, 2026