Cyberthreats are growing more sophisticated each day it seems. As an IT admin, you have the important responsibility of securing your organization‘s sensitive systems and data. This is where having advanced Windows command line skills can make a huge difference.
Command prompt gives you precision control and visibility over your Windows environment – allowing you to lock things down in ways the graphical interface can‘t. You can harden the configurations, monitor for threats, audit user behavior and automate security hygiene.
In fact, over 30% of daily Windows administration activities happen exclusively via the command line as per reports. So if you aren‘t already fluent with cmd.exe, now is the time to skill up!
In this guide, we‘ll explore the most useful Windows commands to transform you into a cybersecurity power user:
Part #1 – Network Recon and Visibility
When safeguarding infrastructure, we need complete visibility into all network connections. Command prompt provides awesome tools for reconnaissance:
netstat -a lists all active TCP and UDP connections and listening ports. This allows tracking down suspicious communication channels:
Proto Local Address Foreign Address State PID
TCP 192.168.0.102:445 10.20.30.1:65212 ESTABLISHED 784
TCP 192.168.0.102:445 10.20.30.1:65208 TIME_WAIT 0netsh firewall configures Windows firewall settings from command line. We can block IPs or harden rules further than GUI settings allow.
Wireshark is a powerful packet sniffing and analysis tool. Though having a GUI, it can be fully controlled via the CLI for advanced monitoring.
Part #2 – Systems Management and Automation
Manually administering security across all endpoints is difficult. Hence automation using cmd scripts to standardize controls is vital:
Tasklist /V retrieves detailed task and process information across remote systems in a scriptable way. This allows analyzing suspicious activities at scale.
Powercfg -h on enforces hibernation of all systems outside working hours through scheduled task. Reduces attack surface during inactive times.
Gpupdate /force applies revised group policies on all domain computers, instantly activating tightened permissions.
Cipher /w can securely wipe leftover data from hard drives with just a single command! Useful before decommissioning old hardware.
Part #3 – Access and Credentials Management
Controlling administrative access strictly is crucial for security. Command line provides both visibility and management capabilities for this:
cmdkey /list reveals all stored login credentials. Should be audited routinely for unknown entries.
runas /savecred /user:<admin> program.exe launches apps as another user without revealing password in plain text. Prevents exposure of privileged creds.
gpedit.msc edits local group policies directly instead of needing full AD privileges. Allows fine tuning user/device restrictions.
While the above highlights key tools, there‘s a lot more depth in each area. As we covered, command prompt unlocks next-level control to secure Windows environments. I hope this primer motivates you to start exploring more cmdlets! Reach out if any questions.
