The net command in Windows is a legacy tool for managing users, groups, and network resources. The subcommand net localgroup displays information about a specified local group on the machine where it’s run. Specifically:
net localgroup administrators lists all members (users and groups) of the local Administrators group on the current computer.
The local Administrators group grants elevated privileges (e.g., installing software, modifying system files) on that machine only, not domain-wide.
Output Example:
Alias name administrators
Comment Administrators have complete and unrestricted access to the computer
Members
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrator
Domain Admins
The command completed successfully.
Technical Details:
Local groups are stored in the Security Accounts Manager (SAM) database (e.g., C:\Windows\System32\config\SAM).
This differs from domain groups (e.g., Domain Admins), managed via Active Directory.
Security Implications:Enumerating local admins is a reconnaissance step in penetration testing (e.g., to escalate privileges). CNSP likely covers this command for auditing and securing Windows systems.
Why other options are incorrect:
A. List domain admin users for the current domain:This requires net group "Domain Admins" /domain, which queries the domain controller, not the local SAM. net localgroup is strictly local.
Real-World Context:Attackers use this command post-compromise (e.g., via PsExec) to identify privilege escalation targets.References:CNSP Official Documentation (Windows Security Commands); Microsoft Windows Command-Line Reference.
