libesedb vs Rifiuti2: 2026 Comparison
libesedb is a free digital forensics and incident response tool. Rifiuti2 is a free digital forensics and incident response tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best digital forensics and incident response fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of available product data, here is our conclusion:
Forensic investigators and incident responders who need to extract evidence from Windows systems will find libesedb invaluable; it's one of the few tools that can reliably parse ESE databases left behind by Search, Exchange, and Active Directory without requiring the original application or Windows installation. The library has 371 GitHub stars and is actively maintained by the open source community, making it a proven choice in thousands of real investigations. Skip this if your team lacks forensic expertise or needs a GUI; libesedb is a command-line parser for analysts who already know what they're looking for in a database dump.
Incident responders and digital forensics practitioners investigating Windows systems need Rifiuti2 to parse Recycle Bin metadata that native tools cannot reliably extract; it recovers deletion timestamps, original file paths, and file sizes from INFO2 files that often contain evidence other examiners miss. The tool is free, maintained on GitHub with 155 stars, and handles the specific binary format Microsoft stopped documenting years ago. Skip this if your team relies on commercial forensics suites that bundle Recycle Bin analysis; you're paying for breadth you don't need, but you'll get better UI integration and support.
