libesedb vs NotRuler: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)
Features, pricing, ratings, and pros & cons — compared head-to-head.
libesedb is a free digital forensics and incident response tool. NotRuler 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.
Exchange administrators defending against Ruler-based attacks need NotRuler because it's the only free tool that directly detects the client-side Outlook rules and VBScript forms that Ruler exploits, catching what most EDR and email gateway logs miss. The 94 GitHub stars and active development indicate it's trusted by practitioners who've actually hunted this attack chain. Skip this if your organization has already replaced Outlook client rules with Conditional Access policies or if you lack Exchange on-premises infrastructure; NotRuler solves a specific post-compromise detection problem, not general email security.
