When building out scripts, we must consider different ways they will fail. One of the ways I have seen them fail is through the UAC of a computer. The script needs to be run by an administrator. The question is, How do you check if you are running as an Administrator? Here are the two ways I like doing this check.
The Comment Requires it
Powershell has a handy little feature called #Requires. The idea is simple, you place a #Requires at the top of your script. I suggest looking at the official documentation because there is a lot you can do. As of PowerShell 4, #Requires -RunAsAdministrator is a thing. Having this requirement at the start will tell the shell to fail out.
Powershell Checks
The next method is using PowerShell to check if the current shell is administrator through the security protocols of windows. This method only uses two lines of code to produce a true or false statement. Thus, it’s best to keep it inside a function for later use.
function Test-Administrator {
$user = [Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent();
(New-Object Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal $user).IsInRole([Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltinRole]::Administrator)
}
The first part is grabbing the current user of the terminal. We store that information and then create a new object. We create a security principal windows Principal object. Here we can check what the user’s role was and if it was the built-in administrator role.
There we have it, how to test if a script is running as admin.
Taking it an additional step forward
Let’s take this script to the next level by adding a restart in admin mode. The following code can be used to restart any terminal session into admin mode. However, it breaks in vs code.
The first part of this script catches the current process information. Then we pass that information into a new system diagnostic object to find the process start information. Next, we change the arguments to start a file and the current script’s name. We also set the verb to runas to trigger a run as administrator call. Then we start the process that we created and close to this current process. Afterward, the script will run as admin.
Now to make this more practical. Add the above code to the Citrix Workspace Installer. Then wrap the script up into an EXE with the PS1toExe program. Finally, add the little script program to your toolbox for future use.
At a previous company, we had to maintain windows updates without WSUS. This caused some unique complexities. Back then, all machines in question were Microsoft Surface Tablets. This means that driver updates were important. Thus, I created a one-liner to update windows. In today’s post, we will go over Windows Updates with PowerShell. Using PowerShell allows you to use tools like backstage or scripts to install updates on remote machines quickly. The first part of this post will be how to do it manually and then the final part is oneliners. PSWindowsupdate is the module we will be using.
Warnings
Today’s code has the ability to install all windows updates. This includes updates blocked by different software. Thus, reviewing the updates and being confident in what you are updating are essential to success.
The Manual Breakdown
Once you are connected to a machine that you want to do windows updates with PowerShell, start a PowerShell session. Each step from here own will help make a clear and clean method.
Execution Policy
Set-ExecutionPolicy - ExecutionPolicy Bypass
This command allows you to install modules and any other items in PowerShell. The PSWindowsUpdate will require the execution policy to be at least set to bypass. You can learn more about execution policies here. Note, you must be running PowerShell in an evaluated prompt for this code to work.
Nuget
Install-PackageProvider Nuget -Force
After setting the execution policy, we might need to update the package provider. Making a single-line script becomes a challenge because of this. With this knowledge, we want to force an installation of the newest package provider.
The next piece is to install the pswindowsupdate module. This module is the module that does our heavy lifting. Here is where we will need to use the force and confirm flags.
Import PSWindowsUpdate
Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate
Now we have the module. It is time to import the module. Importing a module does not need additional input.
Getting the Windows Update
Get-WindowsUpdate -MicrosoftUpdate
It’s time to get the updates.Here is where we grab the KB information. This is where Windows Updates with Powershell Happens. This is where you can find updates to research. It’s important to know what you are updating.
This command will install the KB that you wish without asking any questions. You will see a fancy update process bar during this time.
One-Liner Commands to Install Windows Updates With PowerShell
The following are single-line commands. These commands will install all the updates according to their purpose. The following commands have the ability to break your system. One example of this is the BitLocker update that bricked machines recently. The following command will install all the KB updates.
This command will install all updates on the machine. This includes the KB Microsoft and vendor updates. Please be aware of any dangerous updates that are in the wild. The following command will install those as well.
A client called in and told me a line of information that made me concerned about security. I ran a webroot scan and wanted to give another level of the scan. I am partial to the Microsoft Safety Scanner. It runs well connectwise backstage. You can read more about the safety scanner here. So, lets look at this oneliner.
The first part of this little script is to test and create the folder that will hold our file. We are doing this by using test-path. Then if the file doesn’t exist, aka !. Then we create it with the new-item.
The next part is we are going to download the Microsoft security scanner from Microsoft directly. The link is the direct download. We use invoke-webrequest to download the file. The -outfile flag is where we will download the file at and its name. In this case, we are going to name it something simple. Mss.exe inside our temp folder. We use the -usebasicparsing because most machines only have PowerShell 5.
Then we run the command needed. We start the command with the path. C:\temp\mss.exe. We want it to be quiet and we want to force it. So we use the /Q to quiet, and /F:Y to force.
c:\temp\mss.exe /Q /F:Y
The system will not prompt for any kind of approval. It will run and delete what it needs to delete. This is a simple, deploy and walk away one-liner. So, add it to your deployment scripts and enjoy scanning with a Microsoft safety scanner.
It’s time to Install Sentinel One. In this blog, we are going to go through the process of installing Sentinel One through Intune. We are going to be using the IntuneWinAppUtil program, and the MSI download of Sentinel one that you can obtain from your Sentinel one login portal. I will not go over how to download the msi installer.
File/Folder Structure
The next item you will need is the Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool [Link]. Once you have downloaded this file, I suggest creating a file structure as follows
Intune
Files
IntuneWin
After that, Extract the intunewinapputil.exe file to the top level of your file structure, intune. Place the MSI inside the Files location. Then we should be ready to run intunewinapputil.exe. Before you do, I always suggest reading the help by using the /? command line prompt. Here is the command we are going to use to convert our file.
Intune Win App Util
.\IntuneWinAppUtil.exe -c c:\Intune\Files -s SentinelOneInstaller.msi - o c:\Intune\IntuneWin
Afterward, we use the command above to convert our file into a intune installer file. This will give us a large amount of control. Things like detection rules, custom msi inputs and more. Which we will be using.
Intune – Setting up the installer
Next, It’s time to crack open the intune process. Log in to https://endpoint.microsoft.com/ with an account with intune rights.
Once you have logged into the endpoint management system. Click the Apps on the left-hand side of the screen.
Since we are deploying sentinel one to windows machines, under by platform, click the windows icon.
Uploading the Installer
Now we are going to click the add button on the right-hand side of the screen. This will bring up the add dialog box. We are deploying out the final option. Click the Windows App (Win32) option.
You will be brought to an upload page. Here you select the app package file and click the blue button on the right-hand side of the screen. This is where we go to the file we created in the previous steps. We upload the file here. Once it uploads it will populate the information like name and other items. Click ok to move to the app information page.
Setting the rules
Here we can change the name. Add a unique, html, description. Update the publisher, the application version and more. The category we are going to select is computer management. They show this as a featured app in the company portal. You want to check that one. This allows people to download this version of perch. If you want to feel in any of the other information you are welcome to. Once you have the required information, click next to go to the Program page. Where we determine how to install this application.
Adding the Key
On this page, we want to show the install and uninstall commands. This is where research comes into play. If you don’t know the silent install command of your program then that’s a problem. If you don’t know how your program responds to installs and the error codes or success codes it produces. that’s also a problem. You will need to know these things for other applications. Sentinel One is unique as it’s commands is a little different. Here is the install command:
Keep the uninstall command the same. As the MSI installer of Sentinel One is the app code. The biggest problem with the uninstall command with S1 is that it doesn’t work without prior approval. You have to log into the S1 Portal and approve its uninstall. Keep the default and continue.
Another thing to point out, this kicked my tail, the SITE_TOKEN does not have a /, I repeat NO /.
On this page, we can scan the system to make sure we meet the requirements. So if you know this is a heavy application, you can say to have at least 8GB of ram. You can even have PowerShell scripts that can trigger. A good example would be a user. If user Bob is on this PC don’t install it. The required items are the OS Arch and the minimum os. Which is going to be windows 10 1607 as that is intune’s min. Don’t get this confused with the next item. These are the requirements. Not meeting the requirements will prevent the app from installing. Once you have added what you want, click next.
On this page, we are going to select any dependencies that the application may need. Something unique about Sentinel One is, it will capture all of your custom PowerShell deployments. It’s best to set those as dependencies on this installer. This way they will deploy before S1 does. S1, doesn’t need any additional dependencies from my current knowledge and testing.
Detection Rules
We are going to use a Powershell Script to validate the install. Click on the Rule Format and select Use Custom Detection script. Upload your script file using the blue folder icon.
This script checks for the Sentinel Agent every 30 seconds after installation. Then it increases my timer, by 30. It finally stops at 300 seconds. If services are null, it just exits, and thus a failure is seen in intune. If it is installed, it exits with a string. This tells the system that the installation was successful. What I like about this part is, that if the edit needs to be done, it can be done at this point using PowerShell.
The next screen supersedence is where you can choose what will replace the application. This is a preview feature at the moment and the idea is for upgrades. The final section is the Assignment, this is where you will select a group of devices for S1 to deploy out to.
I hope this is helpful for everyone viewing this page.
Recently I covered how to install perch using PowerShell. Today we are going to Install Perch Log Shipper with Intune. This is very useful for tools like continuum where there is very few software deployment tools built-in. Intune is a powerful tool that you can use to deploy software for a client. Today we are going to be looking at how to deploy Perch through intune.
The first thing we need is a fresh perch installer. You can acquire one here. [link]. Once you have the installer, you will need to download the Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool [Link]. Let’s setup our directory like so. Top Folder = Intune. Two subfolders, one called Files and the other called intunewin. Extract the exe from the Microsoft win32 content prep tool to the intune folder. Copy the perch installer to the files folder. Now we have a setup that is easy to remember.
By default, you can not deploy EXE programs via intune. You must convert them to the win32 application or a .intunewin file. The tool you just downloaded can do just that. The Tools name is IntuneWinAppUtil.exe.
IntuneWinAppUtil.exe
Start a command prompt and navigate to your intune folder using the CD command. Run the intunewinapputil.exe /? command to view the help selection. Notice we are going to be using the -c -s and -o commands. Here is the following command you will use to convert the perch installer into a intunewin application.
Now we have a perch installer for Intune. Lets move to intune and take a look.
Intune Apps
It’s time to crack open the Intune process. Log in to https://endpoint.microsoft.com/ with an account with intune rights.
Once you have logged into the endpoint management system. Click the Apps on the left-hand side of the screen.
Since we are deploying perch to windows machines, under by platform, click the windows icon.
Now we are going to click the add button on the right-hand side of the screen. This will bring up the add dialog box. We are deploying out the final option. Click the Windows App (Win32) option.
Upload the Package
Afterward, we are brought to the app page. Here you select the app package file and click the blue button on the right-hand side of the screen. This is where we go to the file we created in the previous steps. We upload the file here. Once it uploads it will populate the information like name and other items. Click ok to move to the app information page.
App Information
Here we can change the name. Add a unique, html, description. Update the publisher, the application version and more. The category we are going to select is computer management. The show this as a featured app in the company portal. You want to check that one. This allows people to download this version of perch. If you want to feel in any of the other information you are welcome to. Once you have the required information, click next to go to the Program page. Where we determine how to install this application.
Program Information
On this page we want to show the install and uninstall command. This is where research comes into play. If you don’t know the silent install command of your program then that’s a problem. If you don’t know how your program responds to installs and the error codes or success codes it produces. that’s also a problem. You will need to know these things for other applications. Thankfully perch follows the basic ones. Here is the installer command:
Once you have the installer and uninstaller in place, click the next button to go to the requirement page.
Requirements
On this page, we can scan the system to make sure we meet the requirements. So if you know this is a heavy application, you can say to have at least 8GB of ram. You can even have PowerShell scripts that can trigger. A good example would be a user. If user Bob is on this PC don’t install. The required items are the OS Arch and the minimum os. Which is going to be windows 10 1607 as that is intunes min. Don’t get this confused with the next item. These are the requirements. Once you have added what you want, click next.
Dependencies
On this page, we are going to select any dependencies that the application may need. For example, let’s say your application needs 7-zip. Set up an install for 7 zip and make it a dependency and have it install the dependency. One hack I found is if you know the app is going to break other apps while installing as the ITS Platform does, then you can set the other applications as dependants and install them. Thankfully perch does not have any additional dependants. So, when it does it’s taxes, life is easier. (American joke).
Detection Rules
Detection is very important. if the rule doesn’t exist, then intune has no idea if it was installed. If the detection policy is incorrect, the same issue. It’s very wise to know what you are looking for. In this case perch always installs on c:\program files\perch. So we will select the manual to configure detection rule. Then select add. We will select a file from the drop-down list and enter the folder path of c:\program files and the folder name perch. Then click folder or existing file. That’s your detection policy.
Group Assignments
In like fashion, The next window of importance is the Assign. If you want the app to deploy with autopilot, you must select the app as required, or be tied into another application install dependency. Here we are adding a group of computers. This is very common. The other options are available for enrolled devices. If the computer has the company portal, they can download it without needing admin rights. The final option is to uninstall which would uninstall from the select computers.
Finally, the last page is to review all the settings. Once you click save the file will upload and it might take some time. The bigger the file the longer it will take. This is how you Install Perch Log Shipper with Intune.
Conclusion
Hopefully this guide helped you through the process of setting up an Install Perch Log Shipper with Intune
Perch is an event log tracker that can catch a lot of useful information. I like perch because it captures failed login information. It’s easy to sort and exportable. This is why many companies use the software. There are some gatchya’s with perch installs though. If you are installing it on a server, some services don’t auto start. Installing it from PowerShell also has a gatchya. This post is about how to install perch via PowerShell scripts. This method uses your token for the client’s site. Let’s Install Perch with PowerShell.
Let’s break down the script. The first thing we do is create the download repo. I personally like to use the C:\Temp. Not all machines have a c:\. This is why I use the variable $Env:SystemDrive. If the OS drive is d, the code will add a D:\Temp. and so on and so forth.
The next line is the URL for the latest and greatest Perch installer. This keeps your download up to date. With that stated, this also means if they change something you will need to be able to catch that change. So you will need to stay up to date with their deployment. A good way to do that is by registering with their updates emails. I like to have a ticket every 3 to 6 months, randomly placed, to review deployments like this one. This is just a good habit.
Now we have the url, we want to create a path. Using the Env:SystemDrive we place the perch-log-shipper-latest.exe into the temp folder, our local repo. This will make the next command easier.
Now we invoke-webrequest this bad boy. Just like curl and wget, we are able to download the file. Using the PerchURL in the URI position and then the outfile will be the perchfullfilename. Of course, we use the basic parsing just in case it’s an older version of PowerShell. At the time of this writing, the default PowerShell is 5.1 on windows 10.
Now we start the installation. We start-process. Using the PerchFullFileName as the target. See, using parameters helps. Our argument list is /qn for quiet. The output is going to be the token. Finally our token value, value is our token from perch’s site.
Getting the token
To get the token, you will need to log into your perch system. At the top, select the company you wish to get the token from.
Next, you will need to click on the settings icon on the bottom left-hand corner. Then click the Network icon.
Normally we want to add a -wait flag to the end of the installer. Things like google chrome do great with the -wait flag. However, in this case, we don’t want to do that. The reason we create advanced checks is due to the multiple sub-processes inside of the perch install process. The wait flag only captures the first process.
Confirming Install Perch with Powershell
With all that, it’s time to confirm the installation. The most simple way to do this is by watching the services. Perch installs 2 services. It installs perch-auditbeat and perch-winlogbeat. During the confirmation process, we wait. If a timeout occurs, we get the error. If the application installs, we get the results. At this point, we want to start our time-out timer. That’s why we have a $timeout = 0. We then start a do until. Each time the system loops, we wait for 5 seconds. Then we add 5 to the timer. This effectively creates a timer for us. This process is repeated until the conditions are met. The services with the name perch* are greater than or equal to 2, or the time-out reaches 500.
If the services are installed or if the timeout is reached, we moved to the next step. By default, the auditbeat is set to manual. So we check to see if we have the two services. If we do, we then set the perch-auditbeat to automatic and start the service. If not, we throw an error saying the services did not install. This will alert the deployment engineer to dig deeper into this machine. From my experience, it’s because another application is installed.
