Which command can be used to show the current TCP/IP connections?

The netstat (network statistics) command is a standard command-line utility available on Windows, Linux, and macOS specifically designed to display network connections for TCP (both incoming and outgoing), routing tables, and a number of network interface and network protocol statistics. Its primary and most common function is to list all active TCP/IP connections and the ports on which the computer is listening, making it the most direct and appropriate tool for the task described in the question.

A. Netsh: Netsh (Network Shell) is a powerful utility for configuring and displaying the status of various network components, but it is primarily a configuration tool, not a direct monitoring tool like netstat.

C. Net use connection: This is not a valid command. The net use command does not have a connection parameter in this context.

D. Net use: The net use command is used to connect to, disconnect from, and display information about shared network resources, such as mapped drives and printers, not to show TCP/IP connections.

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1. Microsoft Corporation. (2023). netstat. Microsoft Learn.

Reference: The official documentation states

"Displays active TCP connections

ports on which the computer is listening

Ethernet statistics

the IP routing table

IPv4 statistics (for the IP

ICMP

TCP

and UDP protocols)

and IPv6 statistics (for the IPv6

ICMPv6

TCP over IPv6

and UDP over IPv6 protocols)." This directly confirms netstat as the correct tool.

Location: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/netstat

2. Microsoft Corporation. (2023). Netsh Command Syntax

Contexts

and Formatting. Microsoft Learn.

Reference: This document describes Netsh as a "command-line scripting utility that allows you to

either locally or remotely

display or modify the network configuration of a computer that is currently running." This highlights its role as a configuration tool

which is different from the primary monitoring function of netstat.

Location: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/networking/technologies/netsh/netsh-cms

3. Zeltser

L. (2011). Network Forensics: Tracking Hackers through Cyberspace. Pearson Education.

Reference: In the context of incident response and network analysis

a core topic in ethical hacking

academic and professional texts consistently identify netstat as the primary tool for examining network connections. Chapter 5

"Network-Based Evidence

" details the use of netstat -an to "list all active connections and listening ports."

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (2014). 6.858 Computer Systems Security

Fall 2014 - Lab 1. MIT OpenCourseWare.

Reference: In the lab assignment for a foundational computer security course

students are directed to use netstat -l -p --tcp to "find out what TCP ports are listening for connections." This use in a reputable academic setting establishes netstat as the standard tool for this purpose.

Location: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/6-858-computer-systems-security-fall-2014/pages/labs/ (Specifically within the Lab 1 assignment PDF).