Course 16 - Red Team Ethical Hacking Beginner Course | Episode 2: Essential Command Line Administration: Linux, Windows, Account Management

In this lesson, you’ll learn about:Essential Linux command-line administration basicsCore Windows command-line networking and system commandsHow to navigate, inspect, and manage files on both platformsPractical Windows domain user and group managementWhy command-line proficiency is critical for security professionalsOverview This lesson provides a foundational overview of essential command-line administration techniques used in both Linux and Windows environments. These skills are fundamental for cybersecurity professionals, system administrators, and red team members, as many security operations rely on native command-line utilities rather than graphical interfaces. The lesson concludes with Windows domain account management, an important topic for understanding enterprise environments. Linux Administration Commands The first segment introduces commonly used Linux commands within Kali Linux, focusing on basic system interaction and networking awareness. File System and Directory ManagementNavigating directories using cdListing directory contents using lsCreating directories using mkdirCreating files and writing content using echoViewing file contents using catRemoving files using rmRecursively listing directory contents using ls -rNetworking and Interface ManagementViewing network interface information using:ifconfigip a (modern replacement)Viewing routing information using:ip rnetstat -rnRestarting networking services using:service networking restartManually disabling and enabling interfaces using:ifconfig eth0 downifconfig eth0 upHelp and DocumentationUsing the --help flag to view command optionsUsing the man command to read full manual pages and understand command parametersThis section emphasizes learning how to explore command capabilities independently, a critical skill in real-world environments. Windows Administration Commands The second segment focuses on Windows command-line administration, helping students become comfortable working with Windows systems without relying on graphical tools. System and Network Informationhostname – displays the computer nameping – checks network connectivity using ICMP packetsDemonstrated with the loopback addressUsing -n to limit the number of packetsipconfig /all – displays detailed network configurationnslookup – resolves domain names to IP addressesnetstat -nao – shows active connections, listening ports, and process IDsroute print – displays the routing tablearp -a – shows IP-to-MAC address mappingsFile and Directory ManagementListing directory contents using dirNavigating directories using cdCreating files using echoViewing file contents using typeCommand Help and Error HandlingUsing /? to display command usage and parametersUsing net help message to translate Windows error codes into readable messagesThis section highlights how attackers and defenders alike rely heavily on native Windows tools. Windows Domain Account Management The final segment introduces command-line management of users and groups in a Windows domain, a crucial concept in enterprise security environments. User and Group Enumerationnet user /domainChecks user statusIdentifies whether the account is activeConfirms group memberships (e.g., domain admin)net users /domainLists all domain usersnet group /domainLists all domain groupsnet group /domainDisplays users belonging to a specific groupManaging Domain PrivilegesAdding a user to domain administrators:net group domain admins /add /domainRemoving a user from domain administrators:Using the /delete parameterActivating a disabled domain account:net user /active:yes /domainThese commands demonstrate how domain permissions are controlled and why privileged access must be carefully protected. WMIC as an Alternativewmic group list briefwmic user account list briefWMIC provides a concise way to list users and groups and is often used for quick reconnaissance and administration. Key Educational TakeawaysCommand-line tools exist on every system and are powerful by designMany security operations depend on native utilities rather than exploitsUnderstanding system administration improves both offensive and defensive skillsDomain environments require careful privilege managementStrong visibility and auditing are essential to prevent misuseYou can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms:https://linktr.ee/cybercode_academy