How can I automate Microsoft Defender updates with a PowerShell script?

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Asked By CodeNinja42 On

I'm looking to set up a PowerShell script to automate my Microsoft Defender antivirus updates. The plan is to manually place the mpam-fe.exe file in a local folder, and then the script should find and execute it. The script does run and logs that it found the file, but when I check the Virus & Threat Protection in Windows Security, it shows that the update was not successful. Additionally, I see an error in the Event Viewer that says: "Executing pipeline error." Below is the PowerShell script I'm using:

```powershell
# Define the path to the local file share
$updateSource = "C:UsersbbhattarDesktopScript"

# Define the log file path
$logDirectory = "C:UsersbbhattarDesktopScript"
$logFile = Join-Path $logDirectory "DefenderLogs.txt"

# Ensure the log directory exists
if (-not (Test-Path $logDirectory)) {
New-Item -Path $logDirectory -ItemType Directory -Force
}

Write-Output "Checking for update files in $updateSource"
$updateFile = Get-ChildItem -Path $updateSource -Filter "mpam-fe*.exe" -ErrorAction Stop |
Sort-Object LastWriteTime -Descending |
Select-Object -First 1

if ($null -eq $updateFile) {
Write-Output "No update file found."
} else {
Write-Output "Found update file: $($updateFile.FullName)"
}

# Get current timestamp
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"

if ($updateFile) {
$message = "$timestamp - Found update file: $($updateFile.FullName)"
Add-Content -Path $logFile -Value $message

# Run the update file
Start-Process -FilePath $updateFile.FullName -Wait -NoNewWindow

$message = "$timestamp - Microsoft Defender update executed."
Add-Content -Path $logFile -Value $message
} else {
$message = "$timestamp - No mpam-fe.exe file found in $updateSource"
Add-Content -Path $logFile -Value $message
}
```

3 Answers

Answered By ScriptSavant88 On

Seems like you're on the right track! Just to clarify, it's crucial to ensure the mpam-fe.exe file is not marked as downloaded from the internet. If it's still stamped with a 'mark of the web,' it could be preventing the execution. Instead of launching the script manually, have you considered scheduling it to run regularly? That could help with running updates automatically without needing manual intervention.

Answered By TechGuruSmith On

It looks like running the script from your desktop might be causing some issues. Make sure that the path to the update is correct and that your script actually has permission to run the executable. You might want to add the `-PassThru` parameter to your `Start-Process` command to see what error code it's generating. Also, check if your script needs to be run with elevated permissions. Are you also sure that your local file isn't flagged by Windows as coming from the internet?

Answered By DataDreamer56 On

Running tests through Visual Studio is an interesting approach! From what I'm reading, it seems like the log file indicates the script runs fine but doesn’t actually update Defender. Have you checked if the update requires a system reboot to take effect? Additionally, could there be an issue with how the file is being placed in the local folder? Trying to check the file's integrity might also help!

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