The PowerShell Podcast

Exploring Cybersecurity with PowerShell and John Hammond

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with renowned security researcher John Hammond. Recorded in person in Utah, we delve into John's unique insights on PowerShell and its role in cybersecurity. John shares his experiences with PowerShell attacks, discussing how it’s used in various malware and the importance of implementing security features like constrained language mode and script block logging. He highlights practical tips for making PowerShell environments more secure and emphasizes the need for continuous learning and experimenting within safe environments. We also explore how to transition into security-focused roles, with John providing valuable advice for those looking to combine their PowerShell skills with a career in cybersecurity.

Guest Bio and links:

John Hammond is a cybersecurity researcher, educator and content creator. As part of the Research & Development Threat Operations team at Huntress, John spends his days analyzing malware and making hackers earn their access. Previously, as a Department of Defense Cyber Training Academy instructor, he taught the Cyber Threat Emulation course, educating both civilian and military members on offensive Python, PowerShell, other scripting languages and the adversarial mindset. He has developed training material and information security challenges for events such as PicoCTF and competitions at DEFCON US. John speaks at security conferences such as BsidesNoVA, to students at colleges such as the US Naval Academy, and other online events including the SANS Holiday Hack Challenge/KringleCon. He is an online YouTube personality showcasing programming tutorials, CTF video walkthroughs and other cyber security content.

 

PowerShell Podcast Home page: https://www.pdq.com/resources/the-powershell-podcast/

PowerShell Pro Tips - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K95ovoMh170

https://underthewire.tech/

https://www.huntress.com/

https://devblogs.microsoft.com/powershell/powershell-constrained-language-mode/

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_logging_windows?view=powershell-7.4

https://www.amazon.com/PowerShell-Automation-Scripting-Cybersecurity-Hacking/dp/1800566379

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_language_modes?view=powershell-7.4

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_execution_policies?view=powershell-7.4

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/amsi/how-amsi-helps

Unveiling the Power of Generative AI with Chrissy LeMaire

In this episode, Chrissy LeMaire discusses AI, her experience at PSConfEU, and her return to in-person speaking after a 5-year break. She provides an update on her book, "Generative AI for the IT Professional," and shares insights into leveraging AI beyond just conversing with ChatGPT. Chrissy also showcases a couple of interesting use cases involving AI.

 

Guest Bio and links:

Vaguely French Developer in Europe, PS & SQL MVP, inaugural GitHub Star, got a master's degree in Systems Engineering. She’s also certified in SQL Server, Linux, SharePoint and network security.

PowerShell Podcast Home page: https://www.pdq.com/resources/the-powershell-podcast/

PowerShell Pro Tips - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K95ovoMh170

https://youtu.be/JgqbR-7O7TI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxE61LdyyD8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=859KWL6vcms&list=PLfeA8kIs7CoftSa3hQ9dQseIxdSMBZO_z&index=7

https://www.manning.com/books/generative-ai-for-the-it-pro

https://github.com/mkht/PSOpenAI

http://dbatools.ai

http://privacy.openai.com

https://gist.github.com/potatoqualitee/3a0554fbab9a73e3f747f733da1198fb

https://github.com/potatoqualitee/finetuna

https://blog.netnerds.net/2024/06/ai-presentation-lessons-learned/

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=chrissylemaire.vscode-theme-2024

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=chrissylemaire.assistants-chat-extension

Interactive Shell Sessions and Language Models: Steven Bucher on Project Mercury

In the latest episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Microsoft PM Steven Bucher to dive into Project Mercury, a cutting-edge CLI tool designed to provide an interactive shell session for chatting with language models. Steven walks us through the functionalities of Project Mercury and how users can leverage this innovative tool. He also shares his approach to product management, reflecting on his growth in the role over the past couple of years. We explore the importance of empowering others and how it serves as a pivotal goal in Steven’s professional journey. Join us for an enlightening conversation that blends technical knowledge with leadership wisdom.

Guest Bio and links:

Steven Bucher is a PM on the PowerShell team at Microsoft.

 

PowerShell Podcast Home page: https://www.pdq.com/resources/the-powershell-podcast/

PowerShell Pro Tips - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K95ovoMh170

https://powershellisfun.com/2024/06/21/using-debug-and-verbose-parameters-in-powershell/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVHFYqwT8Do

https://practical365.com/tec-powershell-script-off-24/

https://github.com/JustinGrote/ScriptFeedbackProvider

👀https://github.com/PowerShell/ProjectMercury

https://github.com/PowerShell/PSReadLine/blob/master/PSReadLine/SamplePSReadLineProfile.ps1

https://aka.ms/pscommunitycall

 

Emrys MacInally Explores PowerShell Error Handling and Module Versioning Strategies

In this episode, we welcome back Emrys MacInally, following another successful year speaking at PSConf.EU. Emrys shares his experiences and highlights from the conference, shedding light on key discussions and takeaways. We dive deep into the importance of mental health within the PowerShell community, exploring how the community can support each other. Emrys provides insights into best practices for versioning PowerShell modules and delves into the nuances of error handling, explaining why developers should avoid using the 'throw' statement in scripts. Additionally, Emrys introduces his ErrorRecord module, which simplifies the process of creating error records, offering a practical solution for more efficient error management. Tune in for an enlightening conversation packed with valuable tips and expert advice for PowerShell enthusiasts.

Guest Bio and links:

Emrys MacInally has worked in the IT industry for over 19 years, focusing primarily on the delivery of back-end services on Windows. Since the release of PowerShell 2, PowerShell has become his primary automation tool. His love for PowerShell has only grown since then.

PowerShell Podcast Home page: https://www.pdq.com/resources/the-powershell-podcast/

PowerShell Pro Tips - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K95ovoMh170

https://discord.gg/pdq

https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/Configuration/1.6.0

https://4sysops.com/archives/create-configure-and-delete-system-restore-points-with-powershell-vssadminexe-and-system-properties/

https://www.powershellgallery.com/Packages/PSLinux/1.0.6

https://psweekly.dowst.dev

https://telegra.ph/PowerShell-Beyond-the-Prompt-06-27

https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/Configuration/1.6.0

https://github.com/LindnerBrewery/ErrorRecord

https://lindnerbrewery.github.io/posts/GitVersion_Mainline/

Behind the Scenes at PSConf.EU: Harm Veenstra’s Experience and Insights

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, we sit down with Microsoft MVP Harm Veenstra to discuss his exciting experiences at PSConf.EU, where he attended for the first time and embarked on a new journey into public speaking. Harm shares his thoughts on receiving the prestigious Microsoft MVP award and delves into his recent projects, including creating a TCP/UDP listener for testing firewall ports and using a Pi-hole to block ads on his home network. We also explore his perspectives on automation in the MSP world, the power of Microsoft Graph, and why he hasn’t yet adopted AI tools. Tune in for an engaging conversation filled with insights, tips, and highlights from PSConf.EU!

Guest Bio and links: 

Harm Veenstra is a Microsoft MVP and seasoned Microsoft Consultant with an affinity for everything tech. Since beginning his career in 1996 at a Helpdesk, he's traversed through various specialties, including Citrix, VMware, Storage, and Networking, eventually finding his passion in PowerShell and Microsoft Intune. An ardent tech enthusiast, his hardware and software knowledge spectrum saw an expansion as he navigated from batch to cmd to being a proponent of PowerShell since its second version. Alongside his impressive professional journey, Veenstra is a proud father of two teenagers, a soccer fan, and a high BPM house music aficionado. His keenness for all things Microsoft led him to start a blog site last year, which became quickly popular among tech devotees.

PowerShell Podcast Home page: https://www.pdq.com/resources/the-powershell-podcast/

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHtD9CRtYRY

https://discord.gg/pdq

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-entra-blog/introducing-the-microsoft-entra-powershell-module/ba-p/4173546

https://powershellisfun.com/2022/08/10/create-tcp-udp-port-listener-using-powershell/

https://powershellisfun.com/2024/06/23/psconfeu-2024/

https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9n03gnkdjtt6?launch=true&mode=full&hl=en-us&gl=us&ocid=bingwebsearch

https://graphxray.merill.net/

https://graphxray.merill.net/

https://powershellisfun.com/2024/06/07/discovering-the-required-microsoft-graph-permissions-using-powershell-or-graph-explorer/

 

Write Code, Write Blogs: Lessons with Brock Bingham

In our latest Powershell Podcast episode, we chat with Brock Bingham. We explore his transition from sysadmin to writer and his viewpoint of coding as creative problem-solving. Brock also shares insightful blogging tips and advises against the pitfalls of comparison. A must-listen for aspiring PowerShellers. (plz create a blog and share your learnings for future you)

Guest Bio and links:

Born in the '80s and raised by his NES, Brock quickly fell in love with everything tech. With over 15 years of IT experience, Brock now enjoys the life of luxury as a renowned tech blogger and receiver of many Dundie Awards. In his free time, Brock enjoys adventuring with his wife, kids, and dogs while dreaming of retirement.

 

Watch The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb9aCawmcww

PowerShell Podcast Home page: https://www.pdq.com/resources/the-powershell-podcast/

PowerShell Pro Tips - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K95ovoMh170

https://discord.gg/pdq

https://leanpub.com/powershell-scripting-toolmaking

https://leanpub.com/psprimer

https://www.thelazyadministrator.com/2024/06/18/automate-azure-devops-work-item-updates-with-azure-functions-and-the-azure-devops-api/

https://woshub.com/add-remove-pinned-folders-quick-access-powershell-gpo/

https://ourcloudnetwork.com/how-to-disable-per-user-mfa-using-microsoft-graph-powershell/

https://www.thelazyadministrator.com/2024/06/18/automate-azure-devops-work-item-updates-with-azure-functions-and-the-azure-devops-api/

https://www.pdq.com/blog/top-powershell-commands-to-know/

https://www.pdq.com/blog/how-to-use-if-statements-in-powershell/

https://www.pdq.com/blog/guide-to-loops-in-powershell/

https://www.pdq.com/blog/customizing-visual-studio-code-for-powershell/

https://www.pdq.com/blog/a-beginners-guide-to-git-and-github-using-powershell/

From NoWayShell to PowerShell: A Coding Transformation

In this episode, host Andrew Pla converses with coding enthusiast Josh Hendricks (@joshooaj) about his transformative PowerShell journey - a pathway that led him from avoidance to adoration. The discussion delves into the intricacies of Joshua's PSPushover and MilestonePSTools projects, developing an understanding of their creation process. Additionally, Josh recounts his captivating experience of giving a talk on "Docs" at the prestigious PowerShell Summit. This riveting dialogue remarkably encapsulates a personal journey blending skepticism, discovery, and innovation at the heart of coding.

Guest Bio and links:

Josh is a senior principal engineer at Milestone Systems with 18 years of experience in "figuring it out" in technical support, IT, and software engineering roles. He developed a love for PowerShell in 2019 and discovered the PowerShell community shortly afterward.

https://leanpub.com/powershell-scripting-toolmaking/c/7xNqIw2lUJl8

https://leanpub.com/psprimer/c/e3eAtyEbab43SCT3nWZ2uH4iLPV84jKO

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewplatech/

https://mikefrobbins.com/2024/06/11/understanding-the-clean-block-in-powershell/

https://x.com/joshooaj

https://www.joshooaj.com/

https://discord.gg/pdq

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27KksfgzhuE

https://www.pdq.com/blog/what-are-event-logs/

https://pushover.net/

https://www.joshooaj.com/blog/2024/03/21/new-pspushover-powershell-module/

https://github.com/devblackops/Stucco

https://powershellexplained.com/

https://www.milestonepstools.com/#getting-started

https://poshac.me/docs/v4/

https://github.com/dfinke/ImportExcel

PowerShell Podcast Home page: https://www.pdq.com/resources/the-powershell-podcast/

PowerShell Pro Tips - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K95ovoMh170

The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Deuyy4iQqgk

 

Andrew Celebrates & Previews psconf.eu with Christian & Björn

In this episode of the PowerShell Podcast, Andrew starts things off by celebrating his new Microsoft MVP. Then, we hear about all things psconf.eu and what to expect from Christian Ritter and Björn Sundling at PSConf EU. We hear some of the juicy details and key takeaways from their sessions. Then we get an update on some of their projects like PSClippy, AzDM, PSSecretScanner, and much more!

Guest Bio and links: 
Christian Ritter - He/Him | Father of two | PowerShell aficionado | Blog author | Speaker

Björn is a PowerShell and DevOps nerd by day, Rockstar by night.

 

PowerShell Podcast Home page: https://www.pdq.com/resources/the-powershell-podcast/

PowerShell Pro Tips - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K95ovoMh170

The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOgkM2Ws-rs

https://bjompen.com

https://github.com/bjompen

https://youtu.be/Xk7h1FD-D0o

https://psconf.eu/introducing-poshakucha-a-fusion-of-powershell-and-pechakucha/

https://github.com/HCRitter/PSClippy.FBP.GeneralAdvice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwj6zlS0Yxs

https://sweden.se/culture/celebrations/the-national-day-of-sweden

https://github.com/bjompen/PSSecretScanner

https://github.com/JustinGrote/ScriptFeedbackProvider

https://github.com/HCRitter/PSClippy.FBP.GeneralAdvice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoUWHfh733Y&ab_channel=DualCore