cybersec+ section 5

Why do security professionals prefer the Command-Line Interface (CLI) over a Graphical User Interface (GUI)?

The CLI provides deeper, scriptable, and automated control. GUIs only expose a limited set of options determined by the developer.

What is the difference between a shell and a terminal?

A terminal is the program that provides the window and interface. The shell is the command interpreter that runs within the terminal and executes commands (e.g., PowerShell, bash).

What are the two primary command-line shells on modern Windows systems?

cmd.exe (legacy Command Prompt) and PowerShell (modern, object-oriented).

What is the most common shell found on Linux and macOS systems?

bash (Bourne-Again Shell). It is a POSIX-compliant shell.

What is the industry standard for secure, authenticated, and encrypted remote CLI access?

Secure Shell (SSH). It is a critical secure protocol to know versus insecure methods like Telnet.

What is the primary purpose of the ping command?

To test Layer 3 (IP) network connectivity and verify that the remote host's firewall allows ICMP traffic.

How does the default behavior of ping differ between Windows and Linux/macOS?

Windows: Sends 4 ICMP echo requests and stops. Linux/macOS: Pings continuously until stopped (Ctrl-C).

How can you use ping to test DNS resolution?

Ping a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) like ping www.google.com. The first line of the output will show the name being resolved to an IP address, which confirms DNS is working.

What Windows command displays the IPv4/IPv6 address, subnet mask, and default gateway for all network adapters?

ipconfig.

Which Windows command reveals the physical (MAC) address and DHCP lease information?

ipconfig /all.

A Windows machine has an outdated DNS record and cannot browse a site that recently changed its IP. Which command would clear the local DNS resolver cache?

ipconfig /flushdns.

You suspect a duplicate IP address on the network. Which two ipconfig commands can you run in sequence to get a fresh IP lease from the DHCP server?

ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew.

What is the legacy command on Linux for viewing network configuration, and what modern command is replacing it?

Legacy: ifconfig; Modern: ip (e.g., ip addr).

An exam question shows a screenshot of ping -t 8.8.8.8 running endlessly. Which operating system is depicted?

Windows. The -t switch creates a continuous ping on Windows.

You can resolve a hostname, but your pings result in 'Request timed out.' What is the most likely cause?

A firewall is blocking ICMP packets.

Which two pieces of information from ipconfig are essential to confirm that your host can route traffic to another subnet?

IPv4 Address (your address) and Default Gateway (the router's address).

Why do security professionals prefer the Command-Line Interface (CLI) over a Graphical User Interface (GUI)?

The CLI provides deeper, scriptable, and automated control. GUIs only expose a limited set of options determined by the developer.

What is the difference between a shell and a terminal?

A terminal is the program that provides the window and interface. The shell is the command interpreter that runs within the terminal and executes commands (e.g., PowerShell, bash).

What are the two primary command-line shells on modern Windows systems?

cmd.exe (legacy Command Prompt) and PowerShell (modern, object-oriented).

What is the most common shell found on Linux and macOS systems?

bash (Bourne-Again Shell). It is a POSIX-compliant shell.

What is the industry standard for secure, authenticated, and encrypted remote CLI access?

Secure Shell (SSH). It is a critical secure protocol to know versus insecure methods like Telnet.

What is the primary purpose of the ping command?

To test Layer 3 (IP) network connectivity and verify that the remote host's firewall allows ICMP traffic.

How does the default behavior of ping differ between Windows and Linux/macOS?

Windows: Sends 4 ICMP echo requests and stops. Linux/macOS: Pings continuously until stopped (Ctrl-C).

How can you use ping to test DNS resolution?

Ping a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) like ping www.google.com. The first line of the output will show the name being resolved to an IP address, which confirms DNS is working.

What Windows command displays the IPv4/IPv6 address, subnet mask, and default gateway for all network adapters?

ipconfig.

Which Windows command reveals the physical (MAC) address and DHCP lease information?

ipconfig /all.

A Windows machine has an outdated DNS record and cannot browse a site that recently changed its IP. Which command would clear the local DNS resolver cache?

ipconfig /flushdns.

You suspect a duplicate IP address on the network. Which two ipconfig commands can you run in sequence to get a fresh IP lease from the DHCP server?

ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew.

What is the legacy command on Linux for viewing network configuration, and what modern command is replacing it?

Legacy: ifconfig; Modern: ip (e.g., ip addr).

An exam question shows a screenshot of ping -t 8.8.8.8 running endlessly. Which

Windows. The -t switch creates a continuous ping on Windows.