Understanding PowerShell Execution Policy

PowerShell’s execution policy is a security feature designed to control the execution of scripts. It is not meant to be a robust security boundary but rather an administrative tool to prevent accidental execution of scripts.

What does it do?

It helps safeguard your system by preventing untrusted or malicious scripts from running.

Where is it enforced?

The policy can be applied at multiple levels: for the local machine, individual users, or the current session. Local and user policies are stored in the Windows registry, while session-level policies are temporary.

Important note:

Though it’s a useful feature, it can be bypassed if necessary.

Now, let’s look at four methods to bypass the execution policy and run your scripts successfully.

Method 1: One-Time Script Execution

Without Changing the Policy

If you need to run a script just once without altering any policies permanently, this method is ideal.

  1. Right-click the PowerShell icon and select Run as Administrator.
  2. Navigate to the directory containing your script.
  3. Use this command to bypass the policy for this specific execution:
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    PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\script.ps1
    This lets you run the script without changing your system’s settings.

Method 2: Temporary Bypass for the Current Session

This method temporarily bypasses the policy for the duration of your current PowerShell session. Once you close PowerShell, the settings revert back to default.

  1. Open PowerShell.
  2. Run the following command to bypass the policy:
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    Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypass
  3. You can now execute your script normally:
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    .\script.ps1
    This approach is ideal for testing and troubleshooting scripts without permanently altering system security.

Method 3: Change the Execution Policy for Your User Account

If you want to enable script execution for your user account permanently but avoid affecting other users on the system, this method works well.

  1. Open PowerShell.

  2. Run this command to set the policy for your current user:

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    Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

    The RemoteSigned policy allows local scripts to run, but it requires remote scripts (e.g., downloaded from the internet) to be signed by a trusted publisher.

  3. Now, you can run your script without any issues.

Method 4: Change the Execution Policy System-Wide

Requires Admin Privileges

This method applies the policy across the entire system and requires administrative rights. It’s a more permanent and broad solution, but it should be used with caution.

  1. Right-click the PowerShell icon and select Run as Administrator.

  2. Run the following command to change the policy for all users:

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    Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope LocalMachine -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

    Like the user-level policy, RemoteSigned allows scripts to run locally while enforcing signature requirements for remote scripts.

  3. After this, any user on the machine will be able to run scripts according to the new policy.

Recommendations

  • For most users, I recommend starting with Method 1 or Method 2, as these options allow you to run scripts without making permanent changes to your system’s security settings.

  • Method 3 and Method 4 are more invasive and should be used cautiously, especially on systems where multiple users or administrators are present. Always be mindful of the origin of scripts you are running—if you’re unsure about their source, avoid more permissive policies like RemoteSigned.

Verification

  • Use Get-ExecutionPolicy -List to get all execution policies.
  • This command displays the execution policies for each scope in the order of precedence.
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Get-ExecutionPolicy -List

References

For more detailed information about PowerShell’s execution policies and their implications, refer to the official documentation: