PowerShell Course - Asecurity Academy

About Course

This comprehensive PowerShell course takes you from writing your very first command to building enterprise-grade automation, managing cloud infrastructure, and integrating with modern DevOps pipelines. Designed for IT professionals, developers, sysadmins, and anyone who wants to master Windows and cross-platform automation.

Master PowerShell syntax, objects, and the pipeline
Write robust scripts with functions, modules, and error handling
Automate Windows: Active Directory, registry, services, scheduled tasks
Manage Azure, AWS, and on-prem infrastructure with PowerShell
Work with files, APIs, databases, and XML/JSON/CSV data
Build CI/CD pipelines and DevOps automation with PowerShell
Security: code signing, JEA, logging, and hardening

Course Content

MODULE 01: Introduction to PowerShell
Understand what makes PowerShell unique — an object-based shell built on .NET — and get your environment set up correctly before writing a single command.

1.1 What Is PowerShell?
History: Windows PowerShell 1.0 (2006) → PowerShell 7+ (cross-platform, open source)
PowerShell vs CMD vs Bash — why objects beat text
The .NET relationship: cmdlets, classes, and the CLR
PowerShell editions: Desktop vs Core vs Cloud Shell
1.2 Installation & Setup
# Install PowerShell 7 on Windows via winget
# Install on Ubuntu/Debian
# Install on macOS
1.3 PowerShell Hosts & IDEs
Windows PowerShell console (powershell.exe) vs pwsh.exe
Windows Terminal — setup, profiles, and themes
Visual Studio Code with PowerShell extension — the recommended IDE
PowerShell ISE (legacy — when it is still relevant)
Azure Cloud Shell for cloud scenarios
1.4 Getting Help — The Most Important Skill
# Update help files (run as admin) Update-Help -Force
Get help for a cmdlet
Get-Help Get-Process
Get-Help Get-Process -Examples
Get-Help Get-Process -Full
Get-Help Get-Process -Online
# Discover commands
Get-Command -Verb Get
Get-Command -Noun Process
Get-Command *network*
# Show object members Get-Process | Get-Member
1.5 Basic Navigation
Get-Location # pwd equivalent
Set-Location C:\Users # cd equivalent
Get-ChildItem # ls / dir equivalent
Get-ChildItem -Hidden
Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Filter *.ps1
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Name MyFolder
Remove-Item -Path OldFile.txt -Force
Copy-Item source.txt dest.txt
Move-Item old.txt new.txt

MODULE 02: The PowerShell Pipeline & Objects
This is the heart of PowerShell. Unlike Bash, which pipes text, PowerShell pipes rich .NET objects — enabling powerful, expressive one-liners that would take many lines of code in other languages.

2.1 The Pipeline
# Pass objects from one cmdlet to the next
Get-Process | Where-Object { $_.CPU -gt 10 }
Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 5
Get-Service | Where-Object Status -eq ‘Running’ | Measure-Object
# Chaining — everything stays as objects
Get-ChildItem C:\Windows\System32 -Filter *.dll |
Where-Object Length -gt 1MB |
Sort-Object Length -Descending |
Select-Object Name, @{N=’SizeMB’;E={[math]::Round($_.Length/1MB,2)}} |
Format-Table -AutoSize
2.2 Working With Objects
# Select specific properties
Get-Process | Select-Object Name, Id, CPU, WorkingSet
# Computed / calculated properties
Get-Process | Select-Object Name, @{ Name = ‘MemoryMB’ Expression = { [math]::Round($_.WorkingSet / 1MB, 2) } }
# Where-Object filtering Get-Process | Where-Object { $_.Name -like ‘chrome*’ -and $_.CPU -gt 5 }
# ForEach-Object — do something to each object Get-Process | ForEach-Object { “Process: $($_.Name) uses $([math]::Round($_.WorkingSet/1MB,1)) MB” }
2.3 Sorting, Grouping & Measuring
# Sort
Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending
Get-Process | Sort-Object Name, CPU
# Group
Get-Process | Group-Object Name | Sort-Object Count -Descending
# Measure
Get-Process | Measure-Object CPU -Sum -Average -Maximum
Get-ChildItem C:\ -Recurse -File | Measure-Object Length -Sum
2.4 Formatting Output
# Format-Table (default) Get-Process | Format-Table Name, CPU, WorkingSet -AutoSize
# Format-List (one property per line) Get-Process -Name explorer | Format-List *
# Format-Wide Get-Process | Format-Wide Name -Column 4
# Out-GridView — interactive GUI table (Windows) Get-Process | Out-GridView -Title ‘Running Processes’ -PassThru | Stop-Process
# Export
Get-Process | Export-Csv -Path processes.csv -NoTypeInformation
Get-Process | ConvertTo-Json | Out-File processes.json

MODULE 03: Variables, Data Types & Operators
PowerShell is a dynamically typed language backed by .NET. Understanding types and operators is essential for writing correct, efficient scripts.

3.1 Variables
# Assignment $name = ‘Alice’ $count = 42 $pi = 3.14159 $isAdmin = $true
# Type-constrained variables [int]$age = 30 [string]$city = ‘Delhi’ [datetime]$now = Get-Date
# Automatic variables
$PSVersionTable # PowerShell version info
$env:USERNAME # Environment variable
$null # Null value
$_ # Current pipeline object
$$ # Last token of last command
$? # Last exit status (True/False)
$LASTEXITCODE # Native exit code
3.2 Strings
3.3 Arrays & Collections
# Arrays
$fruits = @(‘apple’,’banana’,’cherry’)
$fruits[0] # apple
$fruits[-1] # cherry (last)
$fruits[1..2] # banana, cherry
$fruits += ‘date’ # append
$fruits.Count
# ArrayList (mutable, faster for large datasets)
$list = [System.Collections.ArrayList]@()
$list.Add(‘item1’) | Out-Null
$list.Remove(‘item1’)
# Hashtables (associative arrays / dictionaries)
# Ordered hashtable $ordered = [ordered]@{ a=1; b=2; c=3 }
3.4 Operators
# Comparison
-eq -ne -lt -le -gt -ge
-like ‘*wild*’ # Wildcard
-match ‘^\d+’ # Regex
-contains ‘value’ # Array contains
-in ‘x’,’y’,’z’ # Value in array
-is [int] # Type check
# Logical -and -or -not -xor
# Arithmetic + – * / % ++ — += -= *=
# String operators -replace -split -join -f -concat
# Ternary (PS 7+) $status = $isAdmin ? ‘Admin’ : ‘User’
# Null coalescing (PS 7+) $value = $input ?? ‘default’

MODULE 04: Control Flow — Conditions & Loops
Control flow lets your scripts make decisions and repeat actions. PowerShell provides a rich set of statements plus pipeline-based alternatives.

MODULE 05: Functions & Script Structure
Well-structured functions are the foundation of reusable, testable PowerShell code. This module covers everything from basic functions to advanced parameter binding.

MODULE 06: Error Handling & Debugging
Production scripts must handle failures gracefully. This module covers PowerShell's error handling model, debugging techniques, and logging best practices.

MODULE 07: Working with Files, Data & the Registry
PowerShell excels at data manipulation. Learn to read, write, transform, and query every common data format — and dive into the Windows Registry provider.

7.1 File System Operations
Read & write text
Encoding
File information
Copy, move, delete
Test before act
7.2 CSV, JSON & XML
CSV
Create CSV from objects
JSON
REST API
XML
7.3 Registry
Navigate Registry like filesystem
Read a value
Write a value
Delete
7.4 Databases with ADO.NET

MODULE 08: Modules, Remoting & Sessions
PowerShell Modules package reusable code for distribution. Remoting lets you manage hundreds of machines from a single console.

8.1 PowerShell Modules
Find modules
Install from PSGallery
Import and use
Create your own module
Module manifest — MyModule\MyModule.psd1
8.2 PowerShell Remoting (WinRM)
Enable remoting (run as admin)
One-to-one interactive session
One-to-many — Invoke-Command
Pass local variables with $Using:
Persistent sessions
8.3 SSH Remoting (Cross-Platform)
PowerShell 7+ SSH-based remoting
SSH session
8.4 Desired State Configuration (DSC) — Intro
DSC — declare the state you want, PowerShell makes it so

MODULE 09: Windows Administration Automation
PowerShell is the primary tool for Windows administration. This module covers Active Directory, scheduled tasks, services, event logs, and more.

9.1 Active Directory
Import-Module ActiveDirectory
Users
Groups
Computers
9.2 Scheduled Tasks
Create a scheduled task
Manage tasks
9.3 Event Logs
View event logs
Modern Get-WinEvent (faster, more powerful)
Create custom event log
Export for analysis
9.4 Services & Processes
Services
Processes

MODULE 10: Cloud & DevOps Automation
PowerShell is a first-class citizen in Azure, AWS, and modern DevOps toolchains. Learn to manage cloud resources and integrate with CI/CD pipelines.

10.1 Azure PowerShell
Install Az module
Connect
Resource Groups & VMs
Storage
ARM deployments
10.2 AWS Tools for PowerShell
Install
Configure
EC2
S3
10.3 CI/CD Integration
Azure DevOps pipeline (azure-pipelines.yml)
GitHub Actions (.github/workflows/deploy.yml)
Jenkins pipeline
PowerShell in CI — best practices
10.4 Docker & Containers
PowerShell in Docker
Managing Docker from PowerShell
Using official Docker module

MODULE 11: Security, Code Signing & JEA
Secure PowerShell usage is essential in enterprise environments. This module covers execution policies, code signing, Just Enough Administration, logging, and script hardening.

11.1 Execution Policy & Script Security
View current policy
Set policy
Bypass for one script
Unblock downloaded scripts
11.2 Code Signing
Create self-signed cert (dev/testing)
Sign a script
Verify signature
Enterprise PKI
11.3 Just Enough Administration (JEA)
JEA — give users only the commands they need
1. Role Capability File (.psrc)
2. Session Configuration File (.pssc)
3. Register endpoint
4. User connects
11.4 Logging & AMSI
Enable Script Block Logging via Group Policy or registry
Transcription logging
Enable system-wide transcription (Group Policy)
Check script block logs
Secrets — never hardcode!
Use Secret Management module

MODULE 12: Testing with Pester & Production Best Practices
Professional PowerShell development includes unit tests, code analysis, documentation, and consistent style. This final module covers the complete quality ecosystem.

12.1 Pester — PowerShell Testing Framework
Install Pester
Basic test structure
Run tests
12.2 Mocking in Pester
12.3 PSScriptAnalyzer — Code Quality
Install
Analyse a file
Analyse entire project
12.4 Comment-Based Help

About Course

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

MODULE 01: Introduction to PowerShell Understand what makes PowerShell unique — an object-based shell built on .NET — and get your environment set up correctly before writing a single command.

1.1 What Is PowerShell?

History: Windows PowerShell 1.0 (2006) → PowerShell 7+ (cross-platform, open source)

PowerShell vs CMD vs Bash — why objects beat text

The .NET relationship: cmdlets, classes, and the CLR

PowerShell editions: Desktop vs Core vs Cloud Shell

1.2 Installation & Setup

# Install PowerShell 7 on Windows via winget

# Install on Ubuntu/Debian

# Install on macOS

1.3 PowerShell Hosts & IDEs

Windows PowerShell console (powershell.exe) vs pwsh.exe

Windows Terminal — setup, profiles, and themes

Visual Studio Code with PowerShell extension — the recommended IDE

PowerShell ISE (legacy — when it is still relevant)

Azure Cloud Shell for cloud scenarios

1.4 Getting Help — The Most Important Skill

# Update help files (run as admin) Update-Help -Force

Get help for a cmdlet

Get-Help Get-Process

Get-Help Get-Process -Examples

Get-Help Get-Process -Full

Get-Help Get-Process -Online

# Discover commands

Get-Command -Verb Get

Get-Command -Noun Process

Get-Command *network*

# Show object members Get-Process | Get-Member

1.5 Basic Navigation

Get-Location # pwd equivalent

Set-Location C:\Users # cd equivalent

Get-ChildItem # ls / dir equivalent

Get-ChildItem -Hidden

Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Filter *.ps1

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Name MyFolder

Remove-Item -Path OldFile.txt -Force

Copy-Item source.txt dest.txt

Move-Item old.txt new.txt

MODULE 02: The PowerShell Pipeline & Objects This is the heart of PowerShell. Unlike Bash, which pipes text, PowerShell pipes rich .NET objects — enabling powerful, expressive one-liners that would take many lines of code in other languages.

2.1 The Pipeline

# Pass objects from one cmdlet to the next

Get-Process | Where-Object { $_.CPU -gt 10 }

Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 5

Get-Service | Where-Object Status -eq ‘Running’ | Measure-Object

# Chaining — everything stays as objects

Get-ChildItem C:\Windows\System32 -Filter *.dll |

Where-Object Length -gt 1MB |

Sort-Object Length -Descending |

Select-Object Name, @{N=’SizeMB’;E={[math]::Round($_.Length/1MB,2)}} |

Format-Table -AutoSize

2.2 Working With Objects

# Select specific properties

Get-Process | Select-Object Name, Id, CPU, WorkingSet

# Computed / calculated properties

Get-Process | Select-Object Name, @{ Name = ‘MemoryMB’ Expression = { [math]::Round($_.WorkingSet / 1MB, 2) } }

# Where-Object filtering Get-Process | Where-Object { $_.Name -like ‘chrome*’ -and $_.CPU -gt 5 }

# ForEach-Object — do something to each object Get-Process | ForEach-Object { “Process: $($_.Name) uses $([math]::Round($_.WorkingSet/1MB,1)) MB” }

2.3 Sorting, Grouping & Measuring

# Sort

Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending

Get-Process | Sort-Object Name, CPU

# Group

Get-Process | Group-Object Name | Sort-Object Count -Descending

# Measure

Get-Process | Measure-Object CPU -Sum -Average -Maximum

Get-ChildItem C:\ -Recurse -File | Measure-Object Length -Sum

2.4 Formatting Output

# Format-Table (default) Get-Process | Format-Table Name, CPU, WorkingSet -AutoSize

# Format-List (one property per line) Get-Process -Name explorer | Format-List *

# Format-Wide Get-Process | Format-Wide Name -Column 4

# Out-GridView — interactive GUI table (Windows) Get-Process | Out-GridView -Title ‘Running Processes’ -PassThru | Stop-Process

# Export

Get-Process | Export-Csv -Path processes.csv -NoTypeInformation

Get-Process | ConvertTo-Json | Out-File processes.json

MODULE 03: Variables, Data Types & Operators PowerShell is a dynamically typed language backed by .NET. Understanding types and operators is essential for writing correct, efficient scripts.

3.1 Variables

# Assignment $name = ‘Alice’ $count = 42 $pi = 3.14159 $isAdmin = $true