Windows cmd.exe — Quick Reference¶

Location: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe

Miscellaneous¶

Command	Action
`certutil -encode <file> <output>`	Base64‑encode a file to `<output>`
`findstr /I /C:"<pattern>"`	Filter output for a string

Command	Action
`hostname`	Show computer name
`shutdown /r /t 10 && exit`	Restart in 10 seconds and exit the shell
`wmic qfe get Caption,Description,HotFixID,InstalledOn`	List installed updates (hotfixes)
`systeminfo`	Show OS Information (Ex. name, version, and architecture)
`driverquery /v`	Enumerate installed drivers (verbose)
`net statistics workstation`	Workstation service statistics since last boot
`net statistics server`	Server service statistics since last boot

Command	Action
`tasklist`	List running processes
`tasklist /svc`	Map processes to hosted services

Command	Action
`whoami`	Show current user
`echo %username%`	Show current username (env var)
`net user`	List local user accounts
`net user <username>`	Details for a local user
`net user /domain`	List domain users (if joined)
`net localgroup Administrators`	List local administrators
`net group`	List local groups (on server editions)
`net group /domain`	List domain groups (if joined)
`net accounts`	Show password and lockout policy
`net user <username> <password> /add`	Create a local user
`net user <username> <password> /add /domain`	Create a domain user (if permitted)
`net user <username> <password>`	Change a user’s password
`net group "<Group Name>"`	Show members of a (domain) group
`net group "<Group Name>" <user> /add`	Add user to a local/domain group (context dependent)
`net group "<Group Name>" <user> /add /domain`	Add user to a domain group
`net localgroup administrators <username> /add`	Add user to local Administrators

Command	Action
`copy con C:\file.txt`	Create/edit a text file from console (end with Ctrl+Z, Enter)
`dir <pattern>`	List files matching pattern in current directory
`dir /s <pattern>`	Search recursively for files matching pattern
`dir /r <path>`	Display alternate data streams (ADS)
`where <file>`	Find file(s) in PATH
`where /R C:\ <file>`	Recursively search for a file from C:\
`net use <drive>: \\<server>\<share>`	Map an SMB share to a drive letter
`mountvol`	List mounted and available volumes
`cipher /c <file>`	Display EFS encryption info for a file
`icacls <file>`	Show file or directory ACLs (modern)
`icacls <file> /grant <user>:F`	Grant full control to a user (modern)
`icacls <file> /remove <user>`	Remove a user’s access (modern)
`cacls <file>`	Show ACLs (legacy, deprecated)
`cacls <file> /e /p <user>:F`	Grant full control (legacy, deprecated)
`cacls <file> /e /r <user>`	Remove access (legacy, deprecated)

Command	Action
`netstat -ano`	Show open connections/ports with PIDs
`ipconfig /all`	Detailed network configuration
`netsh advfirewall show currentprofile`	Show active firewall profile
`netsh advfirewall firewall show rule name=all`	List all firewall rules

Command	Action
`netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off`	Disable Windows Firewall (modern)
`netsh firewall set opmode disable`	Disable Windows Firewall (legacy)
`net stop mpssvc`	Stop Windows Firewall service