Allow or Block all *.exe files and subfolders removing existing firewall rules in windows

[darknkreepy3#]

Here is the code I wrote to remove existing firewall rules (but it is very slow) and then openAI helped me use hash tables to speed things up 100x it feels like (not going through the firewall each time for each .exe)

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Running powershell scripts for the first time in Windows 11 home/pro/ent etc...

How to - Run PowerShell scripts in Windows 11
Open PowerShell as an Administrator.
Type Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted.
Press Enter.
Type A.
Run the PowerShell script.
Once finished, type Set-ExecutionPolicy Restricted.
Press Enter.
Type Exit.

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make this file whatever name you like, I call it fw_current_fast.ps1
put it in the root folder of the folders and sub folders you want to find all .exe files and block or allow internet access to:

*remember saving this to the desktop to then paste in those program files and program files x86 app folders will ask if you want to do this as an administrator, just say yes.

*when you run it with START>POWERSHELL> choose run as administrator on the right when you hover over powershell

in powershell change directory to your script like this:

Code: Select all

cd "C:\Program Files\Adobe"

then use ./ meaning in this folder do the thing I powershelled there like this:
./fw_current_fast.ps1
and press [enter]

then A or B to allow or block and press [enter] and sit back and watch it work on that folder and all sub folders.

and your folders to block or allow might have roots in these for example, adobe isn't just one place or tree of folders, but at least 4
C:\Program Files\Adobe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files

Code: Select all

# fw_current.ps1 v1.3 by kristoffe.brodeur. ©2025 All rights reserved.
# Optimized for speed: preloads firewall rules for faster lookups. *by openAI

# Prompt user for Allow or Block
do {
    $userChoice = Read-Host "ALLOW OR BLOCK? Enter A for Allow, B for Block"
} until ($userChoice -match "^[AaBb]$")

# Set the action type based on user input
$ruleAction = if ($userChoice -match "^[Aa]$") { "Allow" } else { "Block" }

# Get the current script's folder
$folderPathCurrent = Split-Path -Parent -Path $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Definition

# Get all .exe files in the folder and its subfolders
$exeFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $folderPathCurrent -Recurse -Filter *.exe

# Preload existing firewall rules once (only those with a defined Program path)
$existingRules = Get-NetFirewallRule -PolicyStore ActiveStore | Where-Object { $_.Program -ne $null }

# Convert to hash table for fast lookup
$rulesHash = @{}
foreach ($rule in $existingRules) {
    $rulesHash[$rule.Program] = $rule
}

# Process each .exe file
foreach ($file in $exeFiles) {
    $filePath = $file.FullName

    # Check if rule exists using the hash table
    if ($rulesHash.ContainsKey($filePath)) {
        $rule = $rulesHash[$filePath]
        Remove-NetFirewallRule -Name $rule.Name
        Write-Output "Removed existing firewall rule: $($rule.Name)"
    }

    # Create new firewall rules
    New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "$ruleAction Inbound - $($file.Name)" -Direction Inbound -Program $filePath -Action $ruleAction -Profile Any
    New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "$ruleAction Outbound - $($file.Name)" -Direction Outbound -Program $filePath -Action $ruleAction -Profile Any

    Write-Output "$ruleAction rules applied for: $filePath"
}

Write-Output "Firewall rules updated for all .exe files in $folderPathCurrent and its subfolders."