How to Master Startup Security: Autorunsc Audit PowerShell Script Guide

Key takeaways

• Comprehensive auditing: The script provides an all-encompassing audit of startup items, enhancing system security and performance.
• Automation and efficiency: Automates the process of downloading and running Autorunsc, saving time compared to manual methods.
• Customizable parameters: Offers flexibility to target specific autorun entries like services, scheduled tasks, or startup applications.
• Ease of reporting: Outputs results to an activity log and optionally to a custom field for easy documentation and review.
• Necessity of admin rights: Requires administrative privileges for full functionality, particularly for writing to custom fields.
• Compatibility: Designed for Windows 10 and Server 2012 onwards, ensuring broad applicability in modern IT environments.
• Malware identification: Aids in identifying suspicious autorun entries, which is a crucial step in malware detection and prevention.
• Regular audits recommended: Regular use of the script is advised to maintain ongoing system integrity and security.
• Careful result analysis: Emphasizes the need for careful examination of audit results to avoid false positives and ensure system reliability.
• Integration with IT management tools: Highlights how integration with tools like NinjaOne can enhance IT management and security strategies.

Understanding the intricacies of IT systems, particularly in the realm of security and startup management, is crucial for IT professionals and Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Efficiently auditing and managing autorun entries is a vital part of maintaining system integrity and security. This blog post delves into a PowerShell script that leverages Autorunsc, a Sysinternals tool, for conducting comprehensive startup audits.

Background

The script in question is designed to run Autorunsc with various user-defined parameters, outputting the results to an activity log and potentially to a custom field. Autorunsc is a renowned tool from Sysinternals, which Mark Russinovich developed. It provides detailed insight into all programs and scripts configured to run during system startup or user logon.

For IT professionals and MSPs, this script is a powerful asset, enabling them to quickly identify potentially malicious or unnecessary startup items, enhancing system performance and security.

The script:

#Requires -Version 4

<#
.SYNOPSIS
    Runs Autorunsc with your selected options and outputs the results to the activity log and optionally a WYSIWYG custom field. Please note that there is a limit to the number of results that can be set in Custom Fields or viewed in the Activity Log.
.DESCRIPTION
    Runs Autorunsc with your selected options and outputs the results to the activity log and optionally a WYSIWYG custom field. Please note that there is a limit to the number of results that can be set in Custom Fields or viewed in the Activity Log.
.EXAMPLE
    (No Parameters)
    URL Given, Downloading the file...
    Download Attempt 1
    HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Sysinternals\AutoRuns\EulaAccepted changed from 1 to 1

    Sysinternals Autoruns v14.10 - Autostart program viewer
    Copyright (C) 2002-2023 Mark Russinovich
    Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com

    WARNING: Script must be elevated in order to write to custom field.
    
    Entry          : C:\Windows\system32\userinit.exe
    Entry Location : HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit
    Image Path     : c:\windows\system32\userinit.exe
    Signer         : (Verified) Microsoft Windows
    MD5            : 9C4C281156040CF01EA35D759092F540

    Entry          : cmd.exe
    Entry Location : HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\AlternateShell
    Image Path     : c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe
    Signer         : (Verified) Microsoft Windows
    MD5            : 8A2122E8162DBEF04694B9C3E0B6CDEE

PARAMETER: -CustomField "ReplaceWithAMultilineCustomField"
    The name of the multiline custom field you would like to save the results to.

PARAMETER: -Startup
    Applications or scripts configured to run automatically after a user logs into their account. This is the default option for Autoruns. 
    E.g. Applications in the 'Startup' folder.

PARAMETER: -Boot
    Programs or commands that are set to execute during the system's boot-up sequence before a user logs in.

PARAMETER: -WinLogon
    Items that are configured to run during the Windows logon process. Often these items are critical to the logon UI.

PARAMETER: -AppInit
    DLLs that are automatically loaded by every process that calls the User32.dll file (anything with a GUI).

PARAMETER: -Explorer
    Plugins or extensions that integrate into the Windows Explorer shell.

PARAMETER: -Sidebar
    Mini applications or gadgets that load into the desktop sidebar in earlier versions of Windows (introduced in Windows Vista).

PARAMETER: -ImageHijacks
    Registry modifications that redirect the execution of specific executable files to a different program.

PARAMETER: -IEAddons
    Browser extensions or toolbars that Internet Explorer will load automatically when it starts.

PARAMETER: -KnownDLLs
    Crucial system DLLs that Windows will load into memory at startup.

PARAMETER: -WMIentries
    Entries related to WMI scripts or providers that are set to execute automatically.

PARAMETER: -WinSockProtocols
    Modules or services meant to load up with the Windows network stack.

PARAMETER: -Codecs
    Software components meant to be used for encoding or decoding digital media streams (often set to run at system startup).

PARAMETER: -PrinterMonitor
    DLL's associated with printer drivers.

PARAMETER: -LSAProviders
    Plugins that integrate with the Local Security Authority subsystem.

PARAMETER: -Services
    Windows Services set to start Automatically.

PARAMETER: -ScheduledTasks
    These are tasks set in Task Scheduler to do something automatically at a specified interval.

PARAMETER: -HideMicrosoftEntries
    Hides Signed Microsoft Entries from the results.

PARAMETER: -DestinationFolder
    By default this script downloads autorunsc to the temp folder.

PARAMETER: -DownloadUrl
    URL to download Autoruns from.

PARAMETER: -SkipSleep
    Skips sleeping prior to downloading autorunsc.
.OUTPUTS
    None
.NOTES
    Minimum OS Architecture Supported: Windows 10, Server 2012
    Release Notes: Initial Release
By using this script, you indicate your acceptance of the following legal terms as well as our Terms of Use at https://www.ninjaone.com/terms-of-use.
    Ownership Rights: NinjaOne owns and will continue to own all right, title, and interest in and to the script (including the copyright). NinjaOne is giving you a limited license to use the script in accordance with these legal terms. 
    Use Limitation: You may only use the script for your legitimate personal or internal business purposes, and you may not share the script with another party. 
    Republication Prohibition: Under no circumstances are you permitted to re-publish the script in any script library or website belonging to or under the control of any other software provider. 
    Warranty Disclaimer: The script is provided “as is” and “as available”, without warranty of any kind. NinjaOne makes no promise or guarantee that the script will be free from defects or that it will meet your specific needs or expectations. 
    Assumption of Risk: Your use of the script is at your own risk. You acknowledge that there are certain inherent risks in using the script, and you understand and assume each of those risks. 
    Waiver and Release: You will not hold NinjaOne responsible for any adverse or unintended consequences resulting from your use of the script, and you waive any legal or equitable rights or remedies you may have against NinjaOne relating to your use of the script. 
    EULA: If you are a NinjaOne customer, your use of the script is subject to the End User License Agreement applicable to you (EULA).
#>

[CmdletBinding()]
param (
    [Parameter()]
    [String]$CustomField,
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$Startup = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkLogonStartupEntries),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$Boot = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkBootEntries),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$WinLogon = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkWinlogonEntries),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$AppInit = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkAppinitEntries),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$Explorer = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkExplorerAddons),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$Sidebar = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkSidebarGadgets),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$ImageHijacks = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkImageHijacks),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$IEAddons = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkInternetExplorerAddons),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$KnownDLLs = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkKnownDlls),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$WMIentries = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkWmiEntries),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$WinSockProtocols = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkWinsockProtocol),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$Codecs = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkCodecs),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$PrinterMonitor = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkPrinterMonitorDlls),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$LSAProviders = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkLsaSecurityProviders),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$Services = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkAutostartServices),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$ScheduledTasks = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:checkScheduledTasks),
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$HideMicrosoftEntries = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:hideMicrosoftEntries),
    [Parameter()]
    [String]$DestinationFolder = "$env:Temp",
    [Parameter()]
    [String]$DownloadUrl = "https://download.sysinternals.com/files/Autoruns.zip",
    [Parameter()]
    [Switch]$SkipSleep = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($env:skipSleep)
)

begin {

    # If Script Forms are used replace the parameters
    if ($env:destinationFolder -and $env:DestinationFolder -notlike "null") { $DestinationFolder = $env:destinationFolder }
    if ($env:downloadUrl -and $env:downloadUrl -notlike "null") { $DownloadUrl = $env:downloadUrl }
    if ($env:customFieldName -and $env:customFieldName -notlike "null") { $CustomField = $env:customFieldName }

    if ($PSVersionTable.PSVersion.Major -lt 5) {
        function Expand-Archive {
            [CmdletBinding()]
            param(
                [Parameter()]
                [String]$Path,
                [Parameter()]
                [String]$DestinationPath,
                [Parameter()]
                [Switch]$Force
            )
            begin {
                Add-Type -assembly "System.IO.Compression.FileSystem"
            }
            process {
                if ($Force -and (Test-Path $DestinationPath)) {
                    $ZipFile = [System.IO.Compression.ZipFile]::OpenRead($Path)

                    $ZipFile.Entries | ForEach-Object {
                        $Destination = [System.IO.Path]::Combine($DestinationPath, $_.FullName)
                        $DestinationDir = [System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($Destination)
                        if (-not (Test-Path $DestinationDir)) {
                            New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $DestinationDir -Force
                        }
                        [System.IO.Compression.ZipFileExtensions]::ExtractToFile($_, $Destination, $True)
                    }
                    $ZipFile.Dispose()
                }
                else {
                    [System.IO.Compression.ZipFile]::ExtractToDirectory($Path, $DestinationPath)
                }
            }
        }
    }

    # Handy download function
    function Invoke-Download {
        param(
            [Parameter()]
            [String]$URL,
            [Parameter()]
            [String]$Path,
            [Parameter()]
            [Switch]$SkipSleep
        )

        Write-Host "URL Given, Downloading the file..."

        $SupportedTLSversions = [enum]::GetValues('Net.SecurityProtocolType')
        if ( ($SupportedTLSversions -contains 'Tls13') -and ($SupportedTLSversions -contains 'Tls12') ) {
            [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol::Tls13 -bor [System.Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
        }
        elseif ( $SupportedTLSversions -contains 'Tls12' ) {
            [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
        }
        else {
            # Not everything requires TLS 1.2, but we'll try anyways.
            Write-Warning "TLS 1.2 and or TLS 1.3 isn't supported on this system. This download may fail!"
            if ($PSVersionTable.PSVersion.Major -lt 3) {
                Write-Warning "PowerShell 2 / .NET 2.0 doesn't support TLS 1.2."
            }
        }

        $i = 1
        While ($i -lt 4) {
            if (-not ($SkipSleep)) {
                $SleepTime = Get-Random -Minimum 3 -Maximum 60
                Start-Sleep -Seconds $SleepTime
            }

            Write-Host "Download Attempt $i"

            try {
                $WebClient = New-Object System.Net.WebClient
                $WebClient.DownloadFile($URL, $Path)
            }
            catch {
                Write-Warning "An error has occurred while downloading!"
            }

            $File = Test-Path -Path $Path -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
            if ($File) {
                $i = 4
            }
            else {
                $i++
            }
        }

        if (-not $File) { 
            Write-Error -Message "File failed to download!" -Category DeviceError -Exception (New-Object System.Exception)
            Exit 1 
        }
    }

    # Need to set Regkey to accept EULA
    function Set-RegKey {
        param (
            $Path,
            $Name,
            $Value,
            [ValidateSet("DWord", "QWord", "String", "ExpandedString", "Binary", "MultiString", "Unknown")]
            $PropertyType = "DWord"
        )
        if (-not $(Test-Path -Path $Path)) {
            # Check if path does not exist and create the path
            New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
        }
        if ((Get-ItemProperty -Path $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
            # Update property and print out what it was changed from and changed to
            $CurrentValue = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).$Name
            try {
                Set-ItemProperty -Path $Path -Name $Name -Value $Value -Force -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null
            }
            catch {
                Write-Error -Message "[Error] Unable to Set registry key for $Name please see below error!" -Category DeviceError -Exception (New-Object System.Exception)
                Write-Error $_
                exit 1
            }
            Write-Host "$Path\$Name changed from $CurrentValue to $($(Get-ItemProperty -Path $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).$Name)"
        }
        else {
            # Create property with value
            try {
                New-ItemProperty -Path $Path -Name $Name -Value $Value -PropertyType $PropertyType -Force -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null
            }
            catch {
                Write-Error -Message "[Error] Unable to Set registry key for $Name please see below error!" -Category DeviceError -Exception (New-Object System.Exception)
                Write-Error $_
                exit 1
            }
            Write-Host "Set $Path\$Name to $($(Get-ItemProperty -Path $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).$Name)"
        }
    }

    function Set-NinjaProperty {
        [CmdletBinding()]
        Param(
            [Parameter(Mandatory = $True)]
            [String]$Name,
            [Parameter()]
            [String]$Type,
            [Parameter(Mandatory = $True, ValueFromPipeline = $True)]
            $Value,
            [Parameter()]
            [String]$DocumentName
        )

        $Characters = $Value | Measure-Object -Character | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Characters
        if($Characters -ge 10000){
            throw [System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException]::New("Character limit exceeded, value is greater than 10,000 characters.")
        }
    
        # If we're requested to set the field value for a Ninja document we'll specify it here.
        $DocumentationParams = @{}
        if ($DocumentName) { $DocumentationParams["DocumentName"] = $DocumentName }
    
        # This is a list of valid fields that can be set. If no type is given, it will be assumed that the input doesn't need to be changed.
        $ValidFields = "Attachment", "Checkbox", "Date", "Date or Date Time", "Decimal", "Dropdown", "Email", "Integer", "IP Address", "MultiLine", "MultiSelect", "Phone", "Secure", "Text", "Time", "URL", "WYSIWYG"
        if ($Type -and $ValidFields -notcontains $Type) { Write-Warning "$Type is an invalid type! Please check here for valid types. https://ninjarmm.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/16973443979789-Command-Line-Interface-CLI-Supported-Fields-and-Functionality" }
    
        # The field below requires additional information to be set
        $NeedsOptions = "Dropdown"
        if ($DocumentName) {
            if ($NeedsOptions -contains $Type) {
                # We'll redirect the error output to the success stream to make it easier to error out if nothing was found or something else went wrong.
                $NinjaPropertyOptions = Ninja-Property-Docs-Options -AttributeName $Name @DocumentationParams 2>&1
            }
        }
        else {
            if ($NeedsOptions -contains $Type) {
                $NinjaPropertyOptions = Ninja-Property-Options -Name $Name 2>&1
            }
        }
    
        # If an error is received it will have an exception property, the function will exit with that error information.
        if ($NinjaPropertyOptions.Exception) { throw $NinjaPropertyOptions }
    
        # The below type's require values not typically given in order to be set. The below code will convert whatever we're given into a format ninjarmm-cli supports.
        switch ($Type) {
            "Checkbox" {
                # While it's highly likely we were given a value like "True" or a boolean datatype it's better to be safe than sorry.
                $NinjaValue = [System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Value)
            }
            "Date or Date Time" {
                # Ninjarmm-cli expects the GUID of the option to be selected. Therefore, the given value will be matched with a GUID.
                $Date = (Get-Date $Value).ToUniversalTime()
                $TimeSpan = New-TimeSpan (Get-Date "1970-01-01 00:00:00") $Date
                $NinjaValue = $TimeSpan.TotalSeconds
            }
            "Dropdown" {
                # Ninjarmm-cli is expecting the guid of the option we're trying to select. So we'll match up the value we were given with a guid.
                $Options = $NinjaPropertyOptions -replace '=', ',' | ConvertFrom-Csv -Header "GUID", "Name"
                $Selection = $Options | Where-Object { $_.Name -eq $Value } | Select-Object -ExpandProperty GUID
    
                if (-not $Selection) {
                    throw [System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException]::New("Value is not present in dropdown")
                }
    
                $NinjaValue = $Selection
            }
            default {
                # All the other types shouldn't require additional work on the input.
                $NinjaValue = $Value
            }
        }
    
        # We'll need to set the field differently depending on if its a field in a Ninja Document or not.
        if ($DocumentName) {
            $CustomField = Ninja-Property-Docs-Set -AttributeName $Name -AttributeValue $NinjaValue @DocumentationParams 2>&1
        }
        else {
            $CustomField = Ninja-Property-Set -Name $Name -Value $NinjaValue 2>&1
        }
    
        if ($CustomField.Exception) {
            throw $CustomField
        }
    }

    # Test for elevation
    function Test-IsElevated {
        $id = [System.Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()
        $p = New-Object System.Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal($id)
        $p.IsInRole([System.Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole]::Administrator)
    }

    $ExitCode = 0
}
process {

    # Take the script parameters and translate them into Autoruns options.
    if ($Startup) { $AutorunOptions = "l" }
    if ($Boot) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)b" }
    if ($Winlogon) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)w" }
    if ($AppInit) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)d" }
    if ($Explorer) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)e" }
    if ($Sidebar) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)g" }
    if ($ImageHijacks) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)h" }
    if ($IEAddons) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)i" }
    if ($KnownDLLs) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)k" }
    if ($WMIentries) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)m" }
    if ($WinSockProtocols) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)n" }
    if ($Codecs) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)o" }
    if ($PrinterMonitor) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)p" }
    if ($LSAProviders) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)r" }
    if ($Services) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)s" }
    if ($ScheduledTasks) { $AutorunOptions = "$($AutorunOptions)t" }

    if (-not $AutorunOptions){
        Write-Error -Message "No Autoruns options selected. Please at least select one option to search for autostart entries." -Category InvalidArgument -Exception (New-Object System.ArgumentNullException)
        exit 1
    }

    # Download the file and unzip its contents
    $DownloadArguments = @{
        URL  = $DownloadUrl
        Path = "$DestinationFolder\Autoruns.zip"
    }
    if ($SkipSleep) { $DownloadArguments["SkipSleep"] = $true }

    # Download and unzip
    Invoke-Download @DownloadArguments
    Expand-Archive -Path "$DestinationFolder\Autoruns.zip" -DestinationPath "$DestinationFolder\Autoruns" -Force

    if (-not (Test-Path "$DestinationFolder\Autoruns\autorunsc64.exe" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
        Write-Error -Message "Failed to unzip Autoruns" -Category DeviceError -Exception (New-Object System.Exception)
        exit 1
    }

    # Now that we have the options create an argument list using those options
    $ArgumentList = New-Object System.Collections.Generic.List[string]
    $ArgumentList.Add("-a $AutorunOptions")
    $ArgumentList.Add("-h")
    $ArgumentList.Add("-c")
    $ArgumentList.Add("-s")
    if ($HideMicrosoftEntries) { $ArgumentList.Add("-m") }

    # Accept EULA
    Set-RegKey -Path "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Sysinternals\AutoRuns" -Name "EulaAccepted" -Value 1

    # Run autoruns and store the results as a csv and then import the results into powershell
    Start-Process "$DestinationFolder\Autoruns\autorunsc64.exe" -ArgumentList $ArgumentList -NoNewWindow -RedirectStandardOutput "$DestinationFolder\Autoruns\autorunsc.csv" -Wait
    $AutorunResults = Import-Csv "$DestinationFolder\Autoruns\autorunsc.csv" | Where-Object { $_.Entry } | Sort-Object Entry | Select-Object Entry, "Entry Location", "Image Path", Signer, MD5

    if (-not ($AutorunResults)) {
        Write-Error -Message "No startup entries found. Is Autorunsc being blocked?" -Category InvalidResult -Exception (New-Object System.ApplicationException)
        $ExitCode = 1
    }

    # Set the custom field with the Autoruns results.
    if ($CustomField) {
        if ($PSVersionTable.PSVersion.Major -lt 3) {
            Write-Warning "Ninjarmm-cli does not support setting custom fields using PowerShell 2.0"
            $ExitCode = 1
        }
        
        if ( -not (Test-IsElevated)) {
            Write-Warning "Script must be elevated in order to write to custom field."
            $ExitCode = 1
        }

        try {
            Write-Host "Attempting to set Custom Field '$CustomField'."
            $htmlTable = $AutorunResults | ConvertTo-HTML -Fragment
            Set-NinjaProperty -Name $CustomField -Value $htmlTable
            Write-Host "Successfully set Custom Field '$CustomField'!"
        }
        catch {
            $_
            $ExitCode = 1
        }
    }

    # Clean up our leftover files.
    Remove-Item "$DestinationFolder\Autoruns" -Recurse -Force
    Remove-Item "$DestinationFolder\Autoruns.zip" -Force

    # Output results into activity log. Using Format-List due to size of table.
    $AutorunResults | Sort-Object Entry | Format-List

    exit $ExitCode
}
end {
    
    
    
}

 

Detailed breakdown

The script starts by setting up parameters that allow users to specify various autorun entry types to audit, such as startup applications, boot executables, and scheduled tasks. It downloads the Autorunsc tool, executes it with the chosen parameters, and collects the output.

Key steps in the script:

• Parameter initialization: Users can select the type of autorun entries they want to audit, like startup items, scheduled tasks, or services.
• Downloading Autorunsc: The script automatically downloads Autorunsc from Sysinternals.
• Execution and output handling: Autorunsc is run with specified parameters, and its output is formatted into a readable format.
• Custom field writing: optionally, the results can be written to a custom field, provided the script is run with elevated privileges.
• Cleanup: post-execution, the script cleans up downloaded and temporarily generated files.

Potential use cases

Imagine an IT professional suspecting unauthorized or harmful software running at startup in their organization’s systems. By running this script, they can quickly audit all startup items and identify any unwanted or suspicious applications, enhancing system security and performance.

Comparisons

Traditional methods of auditing startup items often involve manually checking various system locations or using separate tools for different startup types. This script simplifies and consolidates the process, using a single tool (Autorunsc) to audit a comprehensive range of autorun entries. Compared to manual methods, this script saves time and reduces the likelihood of overlooking critical autorun entries.

FAQs

Q1: Is this script suitable for all Windows versions?
A1: The script is designed for Windows 10 and Server 2012 onwards.

Q2: Do I need administrative privileges to run this script?
A2: Yes, administrative privileges are required for certain operations, like writing to a custom field.

Q3: Can this script identify malware?
A3: While it can identify unauthorized or unknown startup items, further analysis is required to determine if they are malware.

Implications

The use of this script in auditing startup items is significant for IT security. Identifying and managing autorun entries can prevent malware from executing at startup and improve system performance. However, it’s crucial to analyze the audit results carefully to avoid false positives and ensure legitimate software is not inadvertently blocked.

Recommendations

Best practices when using this script include:

• Regular audits to maintain system integrity.
• Running the script with administrative privileges for full functionality.
• Careful analysis of audit results to identify and take appropriate action against unauthorized or unnecessary autorun entries.

Final Thoughts

In the context of efficient IT system management, tools like NinjaOne, combined with powerful scripts such as the Autorunsc Audit PowerShell script, can significantly enhance an IT professional’s ability to maintain system health and security. NinjaOne’s comprehensive IT management suite, integrated with such scripts, offers a robust solution for monitoring, managing, and securing IT infrastructures.