Level 1

About this course

Introduced in 2006, Windows PowerShell is a scripting language, a command-line shell, and a scripting platform built on Microsoft .NET Framework. Despite the scripting designation, Windows PowerShell features a range of characteristics common for programming languages, including its object-oriented nature, extensibility, C#-like syntax, and the ability to interact directly with .NET classes, their properties, and methods.

The primary objective of Windows PowerShell was to help IT professionals and power users control and automate the administration of the Windows operating system and applications that run on Windows.

To take advantage of the benefits that Windows PowerShell has to offer, while at the same time, minimize security-related risks, it is essential to understand the primary aspects of Windows PowerShell operational security. Another aspect that is critical to consider in the context of this course is the role of Windows PowerShell in security exploits.

This 1-day Instructor-led security workshop provides discussion and practical hands-on training for PowerShell. you will learn about PowerShell fundamentals, including its architectural design, its editions and versions, and basics of interacting with PowerShell

You will then explore the most common Windows PowerShell-based techniques employed by hackers in order to leverage existing access to a Windows operating system to facilitate installation of malicious software, carry out reconnaissance tasks, establish its persistency on the target computer, and promote lateral movement. You will also review some of Windows PowerShell-based security tools that facilitate penetration testing, forensics, and reverse engineering of Windows PowerShell exploits. To conclude the course, you will provide a summary of technologies recommended by the Blue Team that are geared towards implementing comprehensive, defense-in-depth security against Windows PowerShell-based attacks.

This workshop is part of a larger series of Workshops offered by Microsoft on the practice of Security. While it is not required that you have completed any of the other courses in the Security Workshop series before taking this workshop, it is highly recommended that you start with the first course in the series, Microsoft Security Workshop: Enterprise Security Fundamentals.

• 40551A: Microsoft Security Workshop: Enterprise Security Fundamentals
• 40552A: Microsoft Security Workshop: Managing Identity
• 40553A: Microsoft Security Workshop: Planning for a Secure Enterprise – Improving Detection
• 40554A: Microsoft Security Workshop: Implementing Windows 10 Security Features
• 40555A: Microsoft Security Workshop: Implementing PowerShell Security Best Practices.

Course Outline