NTDS.dit

The NT Directory Service Database Information Table (NTDS.dit) file is a binary database file that stores information about objects, attributes, and relationships within an Active Directory domain.

NTDS.dit includes user accounts, group memberships, computer accounts, security policies, and more. Most importantly, the NTLM hashes of all domain users' passwords are stored in NTDS.dit, making it a big target for attackers.

Since it stores sensitive information about the domain, elevated privileges are required in order to access the NTDS.dit file.