When you are evaluating systems in your environment, there may be a time where you need to scan files for specific content. The Window server scanning script enables you to search directories for files with specific strings. Common strings may include error messages, clear text passwords, or even specific server information such as hostnames and IP addresses. The ability to scan systems for specific content is an immensely powerful tool that can reveal a plethora of information about your systems.
It is common, when scanning a system, to have a lot of results that are not what you are looking for, also known as false positives. This chapter will explore how to reduce the number of false positives by narrowing the search to specific file types. It will also explain how to exclude files from your search to help you get the data you need.
In this chapter, you will:
Understand how to obtain subdirectories and their contents
Limit the file discovery process to specific file...