84 percent of attacks now use legitimate tools


New research from Bitdefender shows that 84 percent of high severity attacks are using Living off the Land (LOTL) techniques, exploiting legitimate tools used by administrators.
One of the findings is that the netsh.exe tool -- used for network configuration -- management is the most frequently abused tool, appearing in a third of major attacks. While checking firewall configurations is a logical initial step for attackers, this clearly demonstrates how data analysis can spotlight trends that human operators might instinctively disregard.
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You will learn about the latest features of PowerShell 7.3, including working with parameters, objects, and .NET classes.
Get Windows working the way YOU want with Super God Mode


You are probably familiar with God Mode in Windows. This feature displays all of the admin tools and control options on a single screen, but it’s tucked away, so you need to create a folder and give it a special name to activate it.
There are actually multiple God Modes, and we’ve covered them all, along with how to activate each one, here. However, if you're looking for something even more powerful, you should definitely try Super God Mode.
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Discover the capabilities of PowerShell 7 for your everyday tasks with this carefully paced tutorial that will help you master this versatile programming language.
The first set of chapters of PowerShell 7 Workshop will show you where to find and how to install the latest version of PowerShell, providing insights into the distinctive features that set PowerShell apart from other languages. You’ll then learn essential programming concepts such as variables and control flow, progressing to their applications.
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Whether you need to start from scratch and install a new server or want to jump right into a more advanced topic like managing security or working in Windows PowerShell, you'll find what you need right here.
Transform Windows 10 or 11 into Windows 7 or Vista with a single command


If you’re currently using Windows 10 or Windows 11, but hanker after the days of Windows 7, then there is a very clever, but simple way to transform your newer OS into the older one. This method can be used to turn Windows 8 or above into Windows 7, or Vista.
This process takes a while to complete, but all you have to do is type a command into the Run box and most things will be handled automatically for you, although you can add extra features (such as Windows Media Player 11) if you wish.
Microsoft's latest addition to the Windows 11 scrapheap is the WMI command line utility


It may be the longest, slowest death of any deprecated piece of software, but Microsoft is inching closer to the complete killing off of the WMI command line utility.
It is now eight years since Microsoft deprecated the Windows Management Instrumentation Command line (WMIC), but the utility was converted into a Feature on Demand in Windows 11 22H2. However, starting now in Insider builds -- and later in the year for release builds -- WMIC will be disabled by default.
PowerToys 2024: Microsoft adds new power user module to its utility collection


Microsoft has released its first update to PowerToys for 2024. With the release of PowerToys v0.77.0 the team behind the software has started a new development cycle that focuses not only on stability and improvements but also the new features users so crave.
And, sure enough, this release includes a brand-new Command Not Found module -- and it's an absolute must for PowerShell users. Elsewhere there are loads of fixes, updates and a handful of new features.
Microsoft is deprecating VBScript in Windows


Microsoft has quietly announced plans to deprecate VBScript in "future releases of Windows". The company has not been more specific about the timeline than this, but there are some details about the deprecation process.
As part of a phased withdrawal, VBScript (Visual Basic Scripting Edition) was initially removed from Internet Explorer, and before being killed off in Windows completely, it will become an optional component. While a useful scripting language in its day, VBScript became something of an abused security nightmare, and has since been replaced by PowerShell.
Microsoft unleashes a torrent of changes and new features with Windows Terminal Preview v1.19


Having recently reaffirmed its commitment to PowerShell and Windows Terminal, Microsoft has shown that it is good to its word. The company has released new versions of Windows Terminal, and for those who like to play it safe, there is Windows Terminal v1.18.2681.0 which includes various new features such as the ability to pull tabs out of Terminal windows.
But for those who prefer to live on the edge, Windows Terminal Preview v1.19.2682.0 is a much more exciting release. The development team warns users to buckle up as this "might be a little more Preview than you've come to expect". And there is indeed an awful lot to explore in this preview channel version, including the fact that Windows Terminal is now able to browse the internet!
Microsoft confirms that Command Prompt is here to stay, but Windows Terminal and PowerShell offer more to power users


The existence of the Command Prompt as well as Windows Terminal has resulted in many people asking just when the latter will replace the former. In response to such queries, Microsoft has cleared things up -- Windows Terminal is not a replacement for Command Prompt... nor, for that matter, is PowerShell.
Command Prompt may be getting a little long in the tooth, but that's far from being a reason to kill it off. Indeed, Microsoft points to the fact that the aging tool has proved useful to AI developers in recent years.
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The Windows Server Automation with PowerShell Cookbook is back with a new edition, featuring over 100 PowerShell recipes that will make your day-to-day work easier.
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Microsoft releases a script to restore a 'subset' of shortcuts deleted by rogue Defender ASR rule


Towards the end of last week, Microsoft confirmed an issue that stemmed from a flawed Microsoft Defender for Endpoint ASR rule that results in the deletion of app shortcuts from the Start menu, desktop and taskbar.
The company issued an update to prevent the problem from arising again, but said that there was no alternative but to manually recreate any shortcuts that had been lost. Now though Microsoft has released a PowerShell script that will automatically recreate some -- but not all -- deleted shortcuts. The company has also released a trio of advanced hunting queries (AHQs) to help with the issue.
Play multiplayer Tron in a Windows or Linux terminal window


If you copy large files from one location to another in Windows you can now play Lunar Lander in the copy dialog box.
If you prefer to play multiplayer Tron (or single-player Snake) you can do so through a Windows or Linux terminal. Microsoft gives users a choice of command-line shells, but this game runs just fine in anything including Command Prompt, PowerShell or Terminal, although you’ll need to make sure you’re running it in Administrator mode.
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