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Analyzing Lnk File And Jump List Artifacts

  • 275 installs
  • 27.3k repo stars
  • Updated August 2, 2026
  • mukul975/anthropic-cybersecurity-skills

Analyzing LNK File and Jump List Artifacts is an agent skill that structures Windows LNK and Jump List forensic evidence into tabular case reports.

About

Analyzing LNK File and Jump List Artifacts is an agent skill that guides digital forensic examiners through documenting Windows shortcut and Recent Items evidence in a standardized report. Solo builders rarely need it unless they run security consulting or internal IR on Windows endpoints; for them it matters when proving what files and removable drives a user touched during a suspected compromise. The skill centers on filling structured tables—LNK file summary, Jump List summary by application, removable media references, and a findings narrative—so Claude or similar agents output court-ready structure instead of ad-hoc bullet lists. Use it when you have collected LNK/Jump List exports from an image or live response kit and need consistent case metadata (case number, examiner, evidence source) plus cross-referenced activity. It does not run parsers itself; it enforces the reporting workflow and field completeness that investigators expect in DFIR deliverables.

  • Report tables for LNK targets, volume serials, and machine identifiers
  • Jump List summary keyed by application AppID and access date ranges
  • Removable-media correlation via drive letter, volume serial, and label
  • Findings section for narrative conclusions from LNK/Jump List analysis
  • Apache 2.0 licensed template aligned with Anthropic cybersecurity skills

Analyzing Lnk File And Jump List Artifacts by the numbers

  • 275 all-time installs (skills.sh)
  • +21 installs in the week ending Aug 4, 2026 (Skillselion tracking)
  • Ranked #646 of 2,203 Security skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
  • Security screen: MEDIUM risk (skills.sh audit)
  • Data as of Aug 5, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
npx skills add https://github.com/mukul975/anthropic-cybersecurity-skills --skill analyzing-lnk-file-and-jump-list-artifacts

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Listed on Skillselion
Installs275
repo stars27.3k
Security audit3 / 3 scanners passed
Last updatedAugust 2, 2026
Repositorymukul975/anthropic-cybersecurity-skills

What it does

Structure Windows LNK and Jump List forensic findings into a consistent case report during incident response or endpoint investigations.

Who is it for?

Security analysts and consultants documenting Windows user-activity timelines from LNK and Jump List data in a formal case file.

Skip if: Skip if you're shipping SaaS and only need routine dependency scanning or OWASP checklists without endpoint forensics.

When should I use this skill?

You need to produce or complete a LNK File and Jump List Analysis Report with case metadata and evidence tables.

What you get

You get a completed LNK/Jump List analysis report with populated summary tables and a findings section ready for case notes or peer review.

  • LNK File and Jump List Analysis Report with summary tables and findings narrative

By the numbers

  • Four primary report sections: LNK summary, Jump List summary, removable media, and findings

Files

SKILL.mdMarkdownGitHub ↗

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

LocationDescription
%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

Shell Link Header (76 bytes)

OffsetSizeField
0x004HeaderSize (always 0x0000004C)
0x0416LinkCLSID (always 00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046)
0x144LinkFlags
0x184FileAttributes
0x1C8CreationTime (FILETIME)
0x248AccessTime (FILETIME)
0x2C8WriteTime (FILETIME)
0x344FileSize of target
0x384IconIndex
0x3C4ShowCommand
0x402HotKey

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

Analysis with EZ Tools

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 HashApplication
5f7b5f1e01b83767Windows Explorer Pinned/Frequent
1b4dd67f29cb1962Windows Explorer Recent
9b9cdc69c1c24e2bNotepad
a7bd71699cd38d1cNotepad++
12dc1ea8e34b5a6Microsoft Paint
7e4dca80246863e3Control Panel
1cf97c38a5881255Microsoft Edge
f01b4d95cf55d32aWindows Explorer
9d1f905ce5044aeeMicrosoft Excel
a4a5324453625195Microsoft Word
d00655d2aa12ff6dMicrosoft PowerPoint
bc03160ee1a59fc1Outlook

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

1. Parse LNK files from Recent folder to identify accessed documents 2. Cross-reference with MFT timestamps and USN Journal entries 3. Note that LNK files persist even after target files are deleted

Removable Media Access

1. LNK files referencing drive letters E:, F:, G: indicate removable media usage 2. Volume serial number in LNK identifies the specific device 3. MAC address in TrackerDataBlock identifies the source machine

Network Share Activity

1. LNK files with UNC paths (\\server\share) indicate network file access 2. NetBIOS name identifies the remote server 3. 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

  • Shell Link Binary File Format: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/openspecs/windows_protocols/ms-shllink/
  • Magnet Forensics LNK Analysis: https://www.magnetforensics.com/blog/forensic-analysis-of-lnk-files/
  • Jump Lists Forensics 2025: https://www.cybertriage.com/blog/jump-list-forensics-2025/
  • Eric Zimmerman's LECmd/JLECmd: https://ericzimmerman.github.io/

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/

Related skills

How it compares

Use as a structured DFIR report template instead of asking the agent for free-form incident narrative without evidence tables.

FAQ

Who is analyzing-lnk-file-and-jump-list-artifacts for?

It is for forensic examiners, IR consultants, and security-focused developers who investigate Windows endpoints and must document LNK and Jump List evidence in a repeatable format.

When should I use analyzing-lnk-file-and-jump-list-artifacts?

Use it during Ship-phase security work when you are writing up Windows artifact analysis after collection—for example after imaging a laptop in an insider-threat review or validating removable-media usage in an IR engagement.

Is analyzing-lnk-file-and-jump-list-artifacts safe to install?

It is a reporting template skill without embedded exploit code; review the Security Audits panel on this Prism page and only point agents at evidence you are authorized to handle.

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