Microsoft to Add Linux-Like Sudo Command to Windows Server 2025

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Key Takeaways:

  • Microsoft seems to be working on bringing sudo command support to Windows Server 2025.
  • The new feature will allow users to execute administrative commands without logging in as the root user.
  • The latest Windows Server preview build includes a new setting for enabling sudo with three configurable options.

Microsoft appears to be working on adding sudo command support to Windows Server 2025. The new feature has been spotted in the latest Windows Server preview build and it was shared by the X/Twitter account Albacore last week.

The sudo (superuser do) command allows users to execute commands with administrative privileges on a user account. It allows regular users to perform administrative tasks on a system without having to log in as the root user. For example, the sudo apt update command can be used to update system packages on Debian-based Linux distros.

As shown in the screenshot below, Microsoft has started testing a new feature that gives users three options for configuring sudo behavior. The first option allows users to execute the sudo command in a new window. The second option could temporarily disable input from the mouse or keyboard to prevent unauthorized actions. And the third option, called “inline”, allows the Sudo command to execute within the existing window.

Microsoft to Add Linux-Like Sudo Command to Windows Server 2025
New sudo settings in Windows Server 2025

Windows Server 2025 to receive five years of mainstream and extended support

Microsoft plans to release Windows Server 2025 for commercial customers in the second half of 2024. It will be available as a perpetual-license product and will receive five years of mainstream and extended support from Microsoft. The system requirements will remain the same, which will make it easier for organizations to upgrade their machines to the latest version of Windows Server.

According to Microsoft, Windows Server 2025 will bring several new capabilities for organizations, including Windows Server hotpatching, a new domain and forest level, robust in-place upgrades, and new Active Directory (AD) features. Moreover, the Server Message Block (SMB) over the QUIC protocol uses TLS 1.3 to ensure secure connections in corporate networks. This capability was previously only available in Windows Server 2022 Azure Edition.