The net use command is the correct tool for this task. When executed on a Windows system, it displays a list of the computer's active connections to shared resources on other systems. In a forensic investigation, this is critical for identifying which remote servers or shares the subject machine has connected to. This information can reveal potential data exfiltration points, connections to command-and-control (C2) servers, or lateral movement within the network by an attacker. It specifically shows the outgoing sessions initiated by the local machine.

A. Net sessions: This command lists incoming sessions to the local server from other computers, not the outgoing sessions from the server as required by the question.

C. Net config: This command is used to display or modify the configuration of the "Server" or "Workstation" services, not to view active network sessions.

D. Net share: This command lists the shared resources (e.g., folders, printers) on the local machine that are available to other systems on the network.

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1. Microsoft Corporation. (n.d.). net use. Microsoft Learn. Retrieved from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/net-use

Reference Detail: The official documentation states, "Used without parameters, net use retrieves a list of network connections." This confirms its function to display outgoing connections to remote resources.

2. Microsoft Corporation. (n.d.). net sessions. Microsoft Learn. Retrieved from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/net-sessions

Reference Detail: The documentation specifies that net sessions is used to "list or disconnect sessions between a local computer and the clients connected to it," confirming it shows incoming, not outgoing, sessions.

3. Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute. (2008). The CERT Guide to Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure. (Report No. CMU/SEI-2017-SR-022).

Reference Detail: While not a direct command reference, forensic guides from reputable institutions often detail standard procedures. Incident response methodologies taught in such contexts differentiate between commands for incoming (net sessions) and outgoing (net use) connections as a fundamental step in live system analysis.

4. Al-Sabea, H., & Al-Dhaqm, A. (2021). Digital forensic investigation of windows live system. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1892(1), 012021. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1892/1/012021

Reference Detail: In Table 1, "Volatile Data Collection from Windows System," the paper lists the net use command with the description "To display the list of network connections," validating its use in live forensic investigations to identify outgoing connections.