# Services, Scheduled Tasks & Startup

> Master Windows persistence and automation mechanisms. Explore Windows Services, Scheduled Tasks, and Startup locations, and learn how attackers abuse them to survive reboots.

Canonical: https://codelivly.com/rooms/services-scheduled-tasks-startup
Last updated: 2026-07-02

| | |
|---|---|
| Level | Beginner |
| Category | Cybersecurity |
| Lessons | 3 |
| Estimated time | 23 min |
| XP | 200 |

Dive into the core automation and persistence mechanisms of the Windows operating system. The Services, Scheduled Tasks & Startup module breaks down how Windows executes code in the background and at boot.

You will learn the architecture of Windows Services, how to identify weak service permissions and unquoted paths, and how attackers hijack them for privilege escalation. We will explore the Task Scheduler, analyzing how attackers use it for stealthy execution, and finally, we will map out the various Startup folders and Autostart Extensibility Points (ASEPs). By the end of this module, you will know how to secure these critical execution points and hunt for malware hiding within them.

## Lessons

1. Windows Services Architecture & Security (30 min)
2. Scheduled Tasks & Job Scheduling (30 min)
3. Windows Autostart Extensibility Points (30 min)

## Related

- [Learning path: Windows Fundamentals](https://codelivly.com/learning-paths/windows-fundamentals)
- [All rooms](https://codelivly.com/rooms)