Episode 26 — Windows Fundamentals: Filesystems and ACLs

Understanding the Windows filesystem is a cornerstone of both system administration and security analysis. This episode explains how file structures, permissions, and ownership determine who can read, write, or execute critical data. You’ll learn how the NTFS and ReFS filesystems differ, why NTFS remains dominant in enterprise environments, and how features like compression, encryption, and journaling affect both performance and protection. The conversation also introduces Access Control Lists (ACLs) as the backbone of Windows security—detailing how permissions propagate, how inheritance works, and what happens when conflicting rules collide.Listeners will then explore real-world examples that translate these abstract ideas into daily practice. We discuss how administrators evaluate effective permissions, use built-in tools to audit ACLs, and identify misconfigurations that expose sensitive data. The episode also covers auditing options through System Access Control Lists (SACLs) and how they integrate with security event logs for traceability. By the end, you’ll see why filesystem comprehension is more than exam content—it’s the starting point for every privilege investigation and data protection effort in a Windows domain. Produced by BareMetalCyber.com, where you’ll find more cyber audio courses, books, and information to strengthen your educational path. Also, if you want to stay up to date with the latest news, visit DailyCyber.News for a newsletter you can use, and a daily podcast you can commute with.

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