Hash tables and dictionaries are perfect lookup tables: whenever your original data contains cryptic numbers or a command returns just numeric...
Powershell
Automating Defender Antivirus (Part 2)
On Windows, PowerShell comes with cmdlets to automate the built-in antivirus engine “Defender”. In this second part, let’s take a look at how you...
Automating Defender Antivirus (Part 1)
On Windows, PowerShell comes with cmdlets to automate the built-in antivirus engine “Defender”. If you’d like to update the signatures...
Converting Wavelength to RGB
PowerShell is a generic script language so you can do all kinds of stuff with it. Below is a function that takes a light wavelength and converts it...
Storing Any Text Encrypted
Let’s say your script needs sensitive input like connection strings for a database or other text information. One way of managing such secrets is to...
Using Appropriate DataTypes (Part 2)
In part 1 we looked at how data becomes more accessible when converted to a more appropriate .NET data type. If you can't find an existing data type...
Using Appropriate DataTypes (Part 1)
Windows is an API-driven operating system, and PowerShell is, too. Compared to other shells that use plain text as a common denominator and leave it...
Investigating ConfirmImpact (Part 2: Script Author Perspective)
As explained in the previous part, PowerShell uses the $ConfimPreference automatic variable as part of its risk mitigation system: whenever a...
Investigating ConfirmImpact (Part 1: User Perspective)
In PowerShell, the $ConfimPreference variable is set to "High" by default. What does this setting control? PS> $ConfirmPreference High Any...
Picking Best Approach Example Capitalizing Words (Part 4)
In PowerShell, there are four separate sources of commands you can pick from when trying to solve a problem. In this mini-series, we look at all of...
Picking Best Approach: Example Capitalizing Words (Part 3)
In PowerShell, there are four separate sources of commands you can pick from when trying to solve a problem. In this mini-series, we look at all of...
Picking Best Approach: Example Capitalizing Words (Part 2)
In PowerShell, there are four separate sources of commands you can pick from when trying to solve a problem. In this mini-series, we look at all of...
Picking Best Approach: Example Capitalizing Words (Part 1)
In PowerShell, there are four separate sources of commands you can pick from when trying to solve a problem. In this mini-series, we look at all of...
Checking Battery Wear and Quality
If you run a laptop you can easily ask WMI for battery status such as charging status. With a little bit more work, though, you can also check the...
Using Enums to Decipher Code IDs
WMI is a great and simple way of gathering information about computers. For example, it’s a snap to determine the type of computer you are on: $info...
Using PowerShell Scripts as Commands (Part 2)
Publishing on Feruary 2, 2023 In our previous tip we discussed a simple way to extend the PowerShell command set. By saving scripts in a folder that...
Using PowerShell Scripts as Commands (Part 1)
One very simple way of extending PowerShell commands are scripts. To turn a script into a command, pick a folder and store the PowerShell script in...
Dumping Edge Cookies
If you’d like to find out (or document) the website cookies stored by the Edge browser, PowerShell can dump that information for you. The cookie...
Investigating PowerShell Command Results
When you run into new PowerShell commands, it’s always a good idea to get familiar with the result objects. When you simply run a PowerShell command...
Querying Advanced Printer Info via SNMP
Many network printer support SNMP to query information about the device, i.e. its serial number, the status and paper sizes of installed trays, or...
Subscribing to Session Lock/Unlock Events
Whenever a user on a Windows box locks his or her session, an event is emitted. Another event is emitted when you unlock your session again. Both...
Custom Action for Unknown Commands
Whenever you enter a command name that cannot be found by PowerShell, it can extend the command search by custom actions that you define. Here is a...
Managing File Shares
The Windows operating system ships with the “Storage” PowerShell module which can be used both from Windows PowerShell and PowerShell 7. One of the...
Showing Warning State in Taskbar Button
When your script needs attention, i.e. asking for user input, let’s turn its taskbar button in the Windows taskbar orange so the user immediately...