Windows Security Check Automation

Problem Overview

Keeping Windows systems secure and updated is time-consuming and easy to overlook. This automation ensures critical security checks are performed regularly without manual effort, helping prevent vulnerabilities and maintain system health.

Description

This automation performs a comprehensive suite of security and maintenance checks designed to keep your Windows systems secure, updated, and running smoothly. First, it ensures Windows Defender is fully up to date by downloading the latest definitions and immediately running a full system scan to detect and address potential threats. Simultaneously, it leverages Winget, a modern package manager, to update third-party software such as Adobe Reader, Zoom, and Chrome, reducing vulnerabilities caused by outdated applications.

Beyond software updates and scans, this automation goes a step further by auditing critical security components. It verifies that the Windows Security Center, firewall, and antivirus are active and functioning correctly, ensuring a strong security baseline. The automation also checks DNS configurations to prevent potential misconfigurations or vulnerabilities that could impact network security. Additionally, it monitors administrative user accounts to detect any unauthorized changes and runs disk diagnostics to identify errors or early signs of hardware failure, including SMART disk health analysis. With this “set it and forget it” approach, the automation ensures no critical task is overlooked, providing detailed alerts for any issues found so you can address them promptly.

Preview

Use Cases

• Automating weekly security checks across all managed endpoints.
• Regularly auditing system health and addressing vulnerabilities before they become critical.
• Simplifying compliance and security protocols for managed IT environments.
• Preemptively identifying hardware failures via disk health monitoring.
• Verifying firewall and antivirus configurations to maintain network safety.

Recommendations

• Initial Setup: Test the automation on a small subset of systems to ensure it performs as expected before deploying widely.
• Customization: Adjust the schedule and frequency based on your organization’s security policies.
• Winget Configuration: Confirm Winget is installed and configured on target systems for third-party package updates.
• Monitoring Alerts: Ensure alerts are configured to notify the appropriate team.
• Review Results: Regularly review the alert history to identify recurring issues or trends.

FAQ

• Can I run this automation manually if needed?
  ‍Yes, the automation can be manually triggered at any time for on-demand checks.

• Does this handle updates for all third-party software?
  ‍The automation uses Winget, so it supports all packages available in the Winget repository.

• What happens if a disk health issue is detected?
  ‍You’ll receive an alert with details about the issue so you can take immediate action, such as replacing a failing drive.

• Are alerts customizable?
  ‍Yes, you can customize alerts by editing the automation after import.

• How can I ensure Winget is installed on all systems?
  ‍Level should handle this for you. We’ll install Winget if it’s not detected.

• What if a system fails one of the checks?
  ‍Alerts will provide specific details about the failed check, allowing your team to prioritize and resolve the issue efficiently.