Skip to content

Commit

Permalink
Updated and adding new documents (#562)
Browse files Browse the repository at this point in the history
Updated and added new documents for App Control and AppControl Manager app.
  • Loading branch information
HotCakeX authored Jan 23, 2025
1 parent 54f6125 commit f7e0db3
Show file tree
Hide file tree
Showing 7 changed files with 187 additions and 1 deletion.
2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions Rationale.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ Make sure to use Surface products that support [Device Firmware Configuration In

* Pluton security chip is included in [Qualcomm Snapdragon ARM CPUs](https://www.qualcomm.com/products/mobile/snapdragon/pcs-and-tablets/snapdragon-x-elite), [AMD](https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2024/04/16/amds-commercial-ai-pc-portfolio-integrates-microsoft-pluton-includes-microsoft-copilot/) and [Intel CPUs](https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/3/24169115/intel-lunar-lake-architecture-platform-feature-reveal).

* [Copilot+](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/copilot-plus-pcs) PCs are among [the most secure consumer grade devices](https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2024/09/27/update-on-recall-security-and-privacy-architecture/). They are secured-core and incorporate the Pluton security chip.

<br>

> [!IMPORTANT]\
Expand Down
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -44,7 +44,57 @@ You can customize the XML file further using different pages and features of the

<br>

### FAQs
## Create a Supplemental Policy for Packaged Apps

Packaged apps are modern, they use MSIX packages and are easy to manage and authorize in App Control policies because all of the files in a packaged app share the same signing certificate and Package Family Name.

Use the [AppControl Manager](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/AppControl-Manager) to create supplemental policies for packaged apps. The policy that you create will not need any changes when the apps are updated since the authorization is based on the `PackageFamilyName` aka `PFN`.

In the [**Create Supplemental Policy Page**](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/Create-Supplemental-App-Control-Policy), navigate to the **Package Family Name** section.

<br>

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/fa77675ec8cea0f73303487b3875600393d2948e/Pictures/PNG%20and%20JPG/How%20To%20Create%20an%20App%20Control%20Supplemental%20Policy/PFN%20section.png" alt="Package Family Name section">

<br>

<br>

Select the installed apps from the list. The list is automatically populated when you first expand the **Package Family Name** section. If you installed or removed apps, you can use the **Refresh** button to update the list of apps. Use the search bar to easily find the app(s) you are looking for.

Next enter a name for the supplemental policy and browse for the base policy that this supplemental policy will be associated with.

<br>

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/refs/heads/main/Pictures/PNG%20and%20JPG/How%20To%20Create%20an%20App%20Control%20Supplemental%20Policy/PFN%20package%20selection%20and%20base%20policy%20button.png" alt="PFN select base policy and packaged apps from the list">

<br>

<br>

Finally press the `Create Supplemental Policy` button to create the supplemental policy. If you toggle the **Deploy after Creation** button the policy will also be deployed on the system and you will be able to view it in the [System Information page](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/System-Information).

<br>

## Create a Supplemental Policy That Allows an Entire Folder

You can create a supplemental policy that will allow everything inside of a folder to be authorized to run. It is based on wildcard file path. This type of supplemental policy is less secure than ones that are based on file signature, publisher or hash so use it with caution.

Navigate to the [**Create Supplemental Policy Page**](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/Create-Supplemental-App-Control-Policy) page in the AppControl Manager and select the **Files and Folders** section.

<br>

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/f391b22dfba59f8070a9d7191c743827dc89afb3/Pictures/PNG%20and%20JPG/How%20To%20Create%20an%20App%20Control%20Supplemental%20Policy/wildcard%20folder%20path.png" alt="Creating wildcard based folder path supplemental policy">

<br>

<br>

Enter an appropriate policy name. Set the Scan Level to **WildCard Folder Path**, you will notice that the **Browse for Files** section is deactivated in this mode. Use the **Browse for Folders** button to select the folder you want to allow and finally press the **Create Supplemental Policy** button to create the policy. If you toggle the **Deploy after Creation** button, the policy will also be deployed on the system and you will be able to view it in the [System Information page](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/System-Information).

<br>

## FAQs

Q: What happens if you create a supplemental policy with the same name as an existing one?

Expand Down
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
# How to Create an App Control Deny Policy

Application Control is based on whitelisting strategy, that means everything that is not allowed in the policy is automatically denied. However, there are times when you might need to only prevent a certain app or file from running, while allowing everything else. This is where the App Control Deny Policy comes in.

Use the [Create Deny Policy](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/Create-Deny-App-Control-Policy) page in the [AppControl Manager](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/AppControl-Manager) to create a new App Control Deny Policy based on different criteria.

<br>

## Create an App Control Deny Policy by Scanning Files and Folders

In the [Create Deny Policy](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/Create-Deny-App-Control-Policy) page, select the **Files and Folders** section to expand it.

<br>

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/ea0139c82415aa735341490086ff22af03d93a87/Pictures/PNG%20and%20JPG/How%20to%20Create%20an%20App%20Control%20Deny%20Policy/Files%20and%20Folders%20section.png" alt="Deny policy Files and Folders section">

<br>

<br>

* Browse for files and/or folders that you want to be scanned and included in the Deny policy.

* Select an appropriate name for the Deny policy that will help you recognize it after deployment.

* The scalability is set to ***2*** by default but you can increase it if the number of files/folders are too many. The higher this number, the faster the scan will be completed and the more system resources will be consumed during the scan phase.

<br>

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/c89b6fd8edeaea7062fb7b73a00b593f13b16c62/Pictures/PNG%20and%20JPG/How%20to%20Create%20an%20App%20Control%20Deny%20Policy/Files%20and%20Folders%20details%20filled.png" alt="Files and Folders deny policy section">

<br>

<br>

Having selected all of the required details, you can now press the **Create Deny Policy button** and wait for the scan to finish.

All of the files and folders that you selected will be recursively scanned and any App Control compatible files that are found in them will be added to **View detected file details** page at the bottom of the section to show you the exact files that will be included in the deny policy.

<br>

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/c89b6fd8edeaea7062fb7b73a00b593f13b16c62/Pictures/PNG%20and%20JPG/How%20to%20Create%20an%20App%20Control%20Deny%20Policy/Files%20and%20Folders%20Scan%20Results.png" alt="Files and Folders deny policy section scan results">

<br>

<br>

If you toggle the **Deploy after Creation** button the Deny policy will also be deployed on the system after creation.

<br>

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/b716692bc5eac4158f07fb2f1a3f94fa2ecdf609/Pictures/PNG%20and%20JPG/How%20to%20Create%20an%20App%20Control%20Deny%20Policy/Files%20and%20Folders%20Deploy%20button.png" alt="Files and folders section Deploy button focus">

<br>

<br>

## Create a Deny Policy for Packaged Apps

Packaged apps are modern, they use MSIX packages and are easy to manage and block/deny in App Control policies because all of the files in a packaged app share the same signing certificate and Package Family Name.

Use the [AppControl Manager](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/AppControl-Manager) to create deny policies for packaged apps. The policy that you create will not need any changes when the apps are updated since the denial is based on the `PackageFamilyName` aka `PFN`.

In order to create this type of deny policy, navigate to the [Create Deny Policy](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/Create-Deny-App-Control-Policy) page in the AppControl Manager and expand the **Package Family Name** section.

<br>

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/29c774a6339adf75bea5f019ad32a3f214fe764e/Pictures/PNG%20and%20JPG/How%20to%20Create%20an%20App%20Control%20Deny%20Policy/Deny%20policy%20PFN%20app%20selection.png" alt="PFN section selecting apps after search">

<br>

<br>

The apps list will be automatically preloaded for you upon expanding the section. You can use the search bar to search for one or more app(s) and then select them.

Next, enter a suitable name for the Deny policy and finally press the **Create Deny Policy** button.

The deny policy will be created and if you toggled the **Deploy after Creation** button, it will also be deployed on the system.

In the screenshots above, we searched for the Photos app, selected it and after deploying that policy, the Photos app will no longer be able to run on the system when we try to launch it.

<br>

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/ce3c1c2553573fcb16036ebee76989ab7dd8a403/Pictures/PNG%20and%20JPG/How%20to%20Create%20an%20App%20Control%20Deny%20Policy/example%20of%20blocked%20photos%20app%20for%20PFN%20section.png" alt="PFN blocked Photos app notice in Windows">

<br>

<br>
2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions Wiki posts/App Control for Business/Introduction.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ If a policy is not deployed in audit mode, it is considered to be in enforced mo

* [How To Create and Maintain Strict Kernel‐Mode App Control Policy](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/How-To-Create-and-Maintain-Strict-Kernel%E2%80%90Mode-App-Control-Policy)

* [How to Create an App Control Deny Policy](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/How-to-Create-an-App-Control-Deny-Policy)

* [Fast and Automatic Microsoft Recommended Driver Block Rules updates](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/Fast-and-Automatic-Microsoft-Recommended-Driver-Block-Rules-updates)

* [App Control Notes](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/WDAC-Notes)
Expand Down
21 changes: 21 additions & 0 deletions Wiki posts/AppControl Manager/Create Deny Policy.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ All Deny policies have 2 allow all rules so that anything not denied by them wil

<br>

> [!IMPORTANT]\
> [How to Create an App Control Deny Policy](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/How-to-Create-an-App-Control-Deny-Policy)
<br>

## Create a Deny Policy by Files or Folders Scan

With AppControl Manager, you can easily create a Deny base policy by scanning files or folders.
Expand All @@ -38,3 +43,19 @@ With AppControl Manager, you can easily create a Deny base policy by scanning fi
> Use the ***View Detected File Details*** section to view highly detailed results of the files and folder scans.
<br>

## Create a Deny Policy Based on Package Family Names

You can create Deny policies for the installed packaged apps. This is useful for only blocking specific apps that are installed on the system.

### Configuration Details

* **Policy Name**: Enter a name for the Deny policy.

* **Package Family Names**: In this section, you can view the list of all installed apps. Use the search bar to looking for a specific app and after finding them, click/tap on them to select them.

* Use the "Select All" and "Remove Selections" buttons to select/deselect all apps currently available in the list.

* Use the Refresh button to refresh the list of installed apps in case you removed/installed any apps after the list was loaded.

<br>
23 changes: 23 additions & 0 deletions Wiki posts/AppControl Manager/Create Supplemental Policy.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ Use [AppControl Manager](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wik

<br>

> [!IMPORTANT]\
> [How To Create an App Control Supplemental Policy](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/How-To-Create-an-App-Control-Supplemental-Policy)
<br>

## Create a Supplemental Policy by Files or Folders Scan

With AppControl Manager, you can easily create a supplemental policy by scanning files or folders. If an application or file is being blocked by Application Control, use this feature to scan its files or installation directory. This process enables you to generate a supplemental policy that ensures the application or file can run seamlessly on your system.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -82,3 +87,21 @@ This supplemental policy can be created only for Kernel-mode files/drivers, typi
* **Base Policy File**: Browse for the path to the base policy XML file that this Supplemental policy will be expanding.

<br>

## Create a Supplemental Policy Based on Package Family Names

You can create Supplemental policies for the installed packaged apps. These are modern apps packaged in MSIX files, such as the AppControl Manager itself, or many of the apps installed from the Microsoft Store.

### Configuration Details

* **Policy Name**: Enter a name for the Supplemental policy.

* **Base Policy File**: Browse for the path to the base policy XML file that this Supplemental policy will be expanding.

* **Package Family Names**: In this section, you can view the list of all installed apps. Use the search bar to looking for a specific app and after finding them, click/tap on them to select them.

* Use the "Select All" and "Remove Selections" buttons to select/deselect all apps currently available in the list.

* Use the Refresh button to refresh the list of installed apps in case you removed/installed any apps after the list was loaded.

<br>
1 change: 1 addition & 0 deletions Wiki posts/Home Index.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
- <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/main/Pictures/Gifs/wings/yellowwings.gif" width="35"> [Introduction](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/Introduction)
- <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/main/Pictures/Gifs/wings/yellowwings.gif" width="35"> [How To Generate Audit Logs via App Control Policies](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/How-To-Generate-Audit-Logs-via-App-Control-Policies)
- <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/main/Pictures/Gifs/wings/yellowwings.gif" width="35"> [How To Create an App Control Supplemental Policy](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/How-To-Create-an-App-Control-Supplemental-Policy)
- <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/main/Pictures/Gifs/wings/yellowwings.gif" width="35"> [How to Create an App Control Deny Policy](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/How-to-Create-an-App-Control-Deny-Policy)
- <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/main/Pictures/Gifs/wings/yellowwings.gif" width="35"> [The Strength of Signed App Control Policies](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/The-Strength-of-Signed-App-Control-Policies)
- <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/main/Pictures/Gifs/wings/yellowwings.gif" width="35"> [How To Upload App Control Policies To Intune Using AppControl Manager](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/How-To-Upload-App-Control-Policies-To-Intune-Using-AppControl-Manager)
- <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HotCakeX/.github/main/Pictures/Gifs/wings/yellowwings.gif" width="35"> [How To Create and Maintain Strict Kernel‐Mode App Control Policy](https://github.com/HotCakeX/Harden-Windows-Security/wiki/How-To-Create-and-Maintain-Strict-Kernel%E2%80%90Mode-App-Control-Policy)
Expand Down

0 comments on commit f7e0db3

Please sign in to comment.