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PS1 – Should you learn PowerShell? - Tech Thoughts

Notes

• PowerShell is a command-line shell interface made by Microsoft that enables system administrators and power users to manage computers from the command line.

• PowerShell is also a scripting language, built on .NET which can be used for automating administrative tasks and configuration management.

• Some of the more popular programming languages right now: JavaScript, Java, Python, C#, Ruby - The commonality between these typically compiled languages is that they create something. -PowerShell is an interpreted language for doing things, typically in the context of managing a technology environment

• PowerShell is typically leveraged with jobs titles such as:

1. Systems Administrator
2. Network Administrator
3. Systems Engineer
4. Site Reliability Engineer
5. Systems Development Engineer
6. Cloud Architect
7. Systems Architect

• Systems and Network Admins/Engineers will often gravitate towards a particular operating system, Linux or Windows
• Linux → Bash → Python
• Windows → PowerShell → C#

Bash

• Unix shell and command language used for task automation and management
• Works with strings
• Bash, the "veteran IT soldier" passes output and input as plain text. This makes it easy to move information to the next program
• Bash requires lots of string manipulation and parsing to get the information you’re after. While this can be cumbersome, all the tools at Bash’s disposal deal with a simple string, which is easy to pass around everywhere.

PowerShell

• Microsoft command-line shell and associated scripting language used for task automation and configuration management.
• Works with objects
• PowerShell is not just a shell; it is a complete scripting environment. PowerShell scripts share complex data, passing entire data objects structures between commands.
• PowerShell can very easily pass objects between cmdlets, allowing you to move complex data with very little effort. These objects are not always universal though, and are not as readily made accessible outside of PowerShell.

Author's top 5 reasons for learning PowerShell

• Automation – you’ll be faster
• Accuracy – reduce mistakes
• Versatility – learning once enhances you everywhere
• Community – PowerShell has one of the most connected and welcoming communities in tech. Plugging into it will only help you become a better admin/engineer
• Relevant – PowerShell continues to grow and be adopted. If you’re not learning it, you won’t remain competitive in the job market

Who needs malware? IBM says most hackers just PowerShell through boxes now, leaving little in the way of footprints - The Register

• Direct-to-memory attacks now account for 57 per cent of hacks, apparently
• A company's internal network, once compromised, is now more likely to be ransacked by automated scripts than a piece of malware
• This according to researchers with IBM's X-Force, who found that in 2018 just 43 percent of the attacks it analyzed utilized any sort of locally installed files
• This finding is important because it is another reminder that admins can no longer solely rely on detecting malicious executables and similar data on hard drives and other storage, to identify cyber-intrusions.
• It is possible to wrap protections around PowerShell to stop it being abused, such as requiring scripts to be digitally signed
• It seems that, despite the various methods for sophisticated attacks, a bogus "CEO" email demanding a wire transfer is still a foolproof way to con a company out of cash - Very interesting note. It reminds me of how we've been prepped in admissions to be cautious with this kinds of emails and how to spot a suspicious one. Especially because we get SO many emails come into admissions@ every day. Mitch, our boss-boss, the senior VP is always looking out for suspicious email as well within this channel and as soon as he sees something suspicious he lets us know right away not to open any links attached to it.