The Windows PowerShell command Get-Acl is a powerful tool for managing access control lists (ACLs) on Windows systems. ACLs are used to control which users and groups have access to specific resources. With Get-Acl, you can view, set, and modify the permissions of files, folders, registry keys, and other objects. In this article, we will discuss the syntax, parameters, inputs, outputs, examples, and tips for using Get-Acl.
Syntax
The basic syntax for Get-Acl is as follows:
Get-Acl [-Path] <String[]> [-Filter <String>] [-Include <String[]>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Audit] [-Access] [-UseTransaction] [<CommonParameters>]
Parameters
The Get-Acl command has several parameters that can be used to modify its behavior. These parameters are listed below:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| -Path | Specifies the path to the object for which the ACL should be retrieved. |
| -Filter | Specifies a filter to be applied to the results. |
| -Include | Specifies an array of strings that will be used to filter the results. |
| -Exclude | Specifies an array of strings that will be used to exclude certain results. |
| -Audit | Specifies that the audit settings should be retrieved. |
| -Access | Specifies that the access settings should be retrieved. |
| -UseTransaction | Specifies that the command should be run in a transaction. |
Inputs
The Get-Acl command takes a path to an object as an input. This can be a file, folder, registry key, or other object. The path must be specified as a string.
Outputs
The Get-Acl command returns an AccessControlList object. This object contains information about the object’s ACL, including the owner, the list of access rules, and any audit rules. The AccessControlList object can be used to modify the object’s ACL.
Examples
Here are some examples of how to use the Get-Acl command:
- To view the ACL of a file: Get-Acl C:\path\to\file.txt
- To view the ACL of a folder and all its subfolders: Get-Acl C:\path\to\folder -Recurse
- To view the audit settings of a registry key: Get-Acl HKLM:\path\to\key -Audit
- To view the access settings of a registry key: Get-Acl HKLM:\path\to\key -Access
Tips
Here are some tips for using the Get-Acl command:
- Use the -Filter parameter to filter the results.
- Use the -Include and -Exclude parameters to include or exclude certain results.
- Use the -Audit and -Access parameters to view the audit and access settings.
- Use the -UseTransaction parameter to run the command in a transaction.
- Use the -Recurse parameter to view the ACL of a folder and all its subfolders.
With the Get-Acl command, you can easily view, set, and modify the permissions of files, folders, registry keys, and other objects. The command has several parameters that can be used to modify its behavior, and it returns an AccessControlList object that can be used to modify the object’s ACL.