Company logoHelp Center
Visit oncld.io

Script to Add or Remove User Rights for Defined Users on Specified Computers

7 min. readlast update: 09.26.2024

This PowerShell script manages user rights on local or remote computers. It allows administrators to add or remove specific rights (such as "Log on as a service" or "Allow log on through Remote Desktop Services") for users. The script supports multiple users and computers, providing flexibility in granting or revoking privileges. It also handles elevated permissions, ensuring the script runs as an administrator, and outputs detailed information about the operations performed. This tool is ideal for system administrators managing user rights in Active Directory environments.

Here is the script:

<#
.Synopsis
Add and Remove User Right(s) for defined user(s) and computer(s).
 
.DESCRIPTION
Add and Remove User Rights via Powershell.
 
.PARAMETER AddRight
You want to Add a user right.
 
.Parameter ComputerName
Defines the name of the computer where the user right should be granted. This can be multiple values, comma seperated.
Default is the local computer on which the script is run.
 
.PARAMETER RemoveRight
You want to Remove a user right.
 
.Parameter Username
Defines the Username under which the service should run. This can be multiple values, comma seperated.
Use the form: domain\Username.
Default is the user under which the script is run.
 
.PARAMETER UserRight
Defines the User Right you want to set. This can be multiple values, comma seperated.
Name of the right you want to add to: SeServiceLogonRight
There is no default for this argument
 
Some (but not all) of the Options you can use:
"Log on as a batch job (SeBatchLogonRight)"
"Allow log on locally (SeInteractiveLogonRight)"
"Access this computer from the network (SeNetworkLogonRight)"
"Allow log on through Remote Desktop Services (SeRemoteInteractiveLogonRight)"
"Log on as a service (SeServiceLogonRight)"
"Deny log on as a batch job (SeDenyBatchLogonRight)"
"Deny log on locally (SeDenyInteractiveLogonRight)"
"Deny access to this computer from the network (SeDenyNetworkLogonRight)"
"Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services (SeDenyRemoteInteractiveLogonRight)"
"Deny log on as a service (SeDenyServiceLogonRight)"
 
.Example
Usage:
Single Users
Add User Right "Log on as a service" for CONTOSO\User:
.\Set-UserRights.ps1 -AddRight -Username CONTOSO\User -UserRight SeServiceLogonRight
 
Add User Right "Log on as a batch job" for CONTOSO\User:
.\Set-UserRights.ps1 -AddRight -Username CONTOSO\User -UserRight SeBatchLogonRight
 
Remove User Right "Log on as a batch job" for CONTOSO\User:
.\Set-UserRights.ps1 -RemoveRight -Username CONTOSO\User -UserRight SeBatchLogonRight
 
Add User Right "Allow log on locally" for current user:
.\Set-UserRights.ps1 -AddRight -UserRight SeInteractiveLogonRight
 
Remove User Right "Allow log on locally" for current user:
.\Set-UserRights.ps1 -RemoveRight -UserRight SeInteractiveLogonRight
 
Multiple Users / Services / Computers
Add User Right "Log on as a service" and "Log on as a batch job" for CONTOSO\User and run on, local machine and SQL.contoso.com:
.\Set-UserRights.ps1 -AddRight -UserRight SeServiceLogonRight, SeBatchLogonRight -ComputerName $env:COMPUTERNAME, SQL.contoso.com -UserName CONTOSO\User1, CONTOSO\User2
 
.Notes
Original Creator: Bill Loytty (weloytty)
Based on this script found here: https://github.com/weloytty/QuirkyPSFunctions/blob/ab4b02f9cc05505eee97d2f744f4c9c798143af1/Source/Users/Grant-LogOnAsService.ps1
I modified to my own needs: https://github.com/blakedrumm/SCOM-Scripts-and-SQL/blob/master/Powershell/General%20Functions/Set-UserRights.ps1
 
My blog post: https://blakedrumm.com/blog/set-and-check-user-rights-assignment/
 
Author: Blake Drumm (blakedrumm@microsoft.com)
First Created on: January 5th, 2022
Last Modified on: April 23rd, 2022
#>
function test{
param
(
[Parameter(Position = 0,
   HelpMessage = 'You want to Add a user right.')]
[Alias('add')]
[switch]$AddRight,
[Parameter(Position = 1)]
[Alias('computer')]
[array]$ComputerName,
[Parameter(Position = 2,
   HelpMessage = 'You want to Remove a user right.')]
[switch]$RemoveRight,
[Parameter(Position = 3)]
[Alias('user')]
[array]$Username,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $false,
   Position = 4)]
[ValidateSet('SeNetworkLogonRight', 'SeBackupPrivilege', 'SeChangeNotifyPrivilege', 'SeSystemtimePrivilege', 'SeCreatePagefilePrivilege', 'SeDebugPrivilege', 'SeRemoteShutdownPrivilege', 'SeAuditPrivilege', 'SeIncreaseQuotaPrivilege', 'SeIncreaseBasePriorityPrivilege', 'SeLoadDriverPrivilege', 'SeBatchLogonRight', 'SeServiceLogonRight', 'SeInteractiveLogonRight', 'SeSecurityPrivilege', 'SeSystemEnvironmentPrivilege', 'SeProfileSingleProcessPrivilege', 'SeSystemProfilePrivilege', 'SeAssignPrimaryTokenPrivilege', 'SeRestorePrivilege', 'SeShutdownPrivilege', 'SeTakeOwnershipPrivilege', 'SeDenyNetworkLogonRight', 'SeDenyInteractiveLogonRight', 'SeUndockPrivilege', 'SeManageVolumePrivilege', 'SeRemoteInteractiveLogonRight', 'SeImpersonatePrivilege', 'SeCreateGlobalPrivilege', 'SeIncreaseWorkingSetPrivilege', 'SeTimeZonePrivilege', 'SeCreateSymbolicLinkPrivilege', 'SeDelegateSessionUserImpersonatePrivilege', 'SeMachineAccountPrivilege', 'SeTrustedCredManAccessPrivilege', 'SeTcbPrivilege', 'SeCreateTokenPrivilege', 'SeCreatePermanentPrivilege', 'SeDenyBatchLogonRight', 'SeDenyServiceLogonRight', 'SeDenyRemoteInteractiveLogonRight', 'SeEnableDelegationPrivilege', 'SeLockMemoryPrivilege', 'SeRelabelPrivilege', 'SeSyncAgentPrivilege', IgnoreCase = $true)]
[Alias('right')]
[array]$UserRight
)
BEGIN
{
 
Write-Output '==================================================================='
Write-Output '==========================  Start of Script ======================='
Write-Output '==================================================================='
 
$checkingpermission = "Checking for elevated permissions..."
$scriptout += $checkingpermission
Write-Output $checkingpermission
if (-NOT ([Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal][Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()).IsInRole([Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole] "Administrator"))
{
$currentPath = $myinvocation.mycommand.definition
$nopermission = "Insufficient permissions to run this script. Attempting to open the PowerShell script ($currentPath) as administrator."
$scriptout += $nopermission
Write-Warning $nopermission
# We are not running "as Administrator" - so relaunch as administrator
# ($MyInvocation.Line -split '\.ps1[\s\''\"]\s*', 2)[-1]
Start-Process powershell.exe "-File", ('"{0}"' -f $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path) -Verb RunAs
break
}
else
{
$permissiongranted = " Currently running as administrator - proceeding with script execution..."
Write-Output $permissiongranted
}
 
Function Time-Stamp
{
$TimeStamp = Get-Date -UFormat "%B %d, %Y @ %r"
return "$TimeStamp - "
}
}
PROCESS
{
function Inner-SetUserRights
{
param
(
[Parameter(Position = 0,
   HelpMessage = 'You want to Add a user right.')]
[Alias('add')]
[switch]$AddRight,
[Parameter(Position = 1)]
[Alias('computer')]
[array]$ComputerName,
[Parameter(Position = 2,
   HelpMessage = 'You want to Remove a user right.')]
[switch]$RemoveRight,
[Parameter(Position = 3)]
[Alias('user')]
[array]$Username,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $false,
   Position = 4)]
[Alias('right')]
[array]$UserRight
)
if (!$UserRight)
{
Write-Warning "Inner Function: Unable to continue because you did not supply the '-UserRight' parameter."
break
}
if (!$AddRight -and !$RemoveRight)
{
Write-Warning "Inner Function: Unable to continue because you did not supply the '-AddRight' or '-RemoveRight' switches."
break
}
elseif ($AddRight -and $RemoveRight)
{
Write-Warning "Inner Function: Unable to continue because you used both the '-AddRight' and '-RemoveRight' switches. Run again with just one of these present, either Add or Remove."
break
}
elseif ($AddRight)
{
Write-Verbose "Inner Function: Detected -AddRight switch in execution."
$ActionType = 'Adding'
}
elseif ($RemoveRight)
{
Write-Verbose "Inner Function: Detected -RemoveRight switch in execution."
$ActionType = 'Removing'
}
else
{
Write-Warning "Something is wrong, detected logic is broken before executing main function. Exiting."
break
}
Function Time-Stamp
{
$TimeStamp = Get-Date -UFormat "%B %d, %Y @ %r"
return "$TimeStamp - "
}
$tempPath = [System.IO.Path]::GetTempPath()
$import = Join-Path -Path $tempPath -ChildPath "import.inf"
if (Test-Path $import) { Remove-Item -Path $import -Force }
$export = Join-Path -Path $tempPath -ChildPath "export.inf"
if (Test-Path $export) { Remove-Item -Path $export -Force }
$secedt = Join-Path -Path $tempPath -ChildPath "secedt.sdb"
if (Test-Path $secedt) { Remove-Item -Path $secedt -Force }
$Error.Clear()
try
{
foreach ($right in $UserRight)
{
$UserLogonRight = switch ($right)
{
"SeBatchLogonRight"     { "Log on as a batch job (SeBatchLogonRight)" }
"SeDenyBatchLogonRight"     { "Deny log on as a batch job (SeDenyBatchLogonRight)" }
"SeDenyInteractiveLogonRight"     { "Deny log on locally (SeDenyInteractiveLogonRight)" }
"SeDenyNetworkLogonRight"     { "Deny access to this computer from the network (SeDenyNetworkLogonRight)" }
"SeDenyRemoteInteractiveLogonRight" { "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services (SeDenyRemoteInteractiveLogonRight)" }
"SeDenyServiceLogonRight"     { "Deny log on as a service (SeDenyServiceLogonRight)" }
"SeInteractiveLogonRight"     { "Allow log on locally (SeInteractiveLogonRight)" }
"SeNetworkLogonRight"     { "Access this computer from the network (SeNetworkLogonRight)" }
"SeRemoteInteractiveLogonRight"     { "Allow log on through Remote Desktop Services (SeRemoteInteractiveLogonRight)" }
"SeServiceLogonRight"     { "Log on as a service (SeServiceLogonRight)" }
Default { "($right)" }
}
Write-Output ("$(Time-Stamp)$ActionType `"$UserLogonRight`" right for user account: '$Username' on host: '$env:COMPUTERNAME'")
if ($Username -match "^S-.*-.*-.*$|^S-.*-.*-.*-.*-.*-.*$|^S-.*-.*-.*-.*-.*$|^S-.*-.*-.*-.*$")
{
$sid = $Username
}
else
{
$sid = ((New-Object System.Security.Principal.NTAccount($Username)).Translate([System.Security.Principal.SecurityIdentifier])).Value
}
secedit /export /cfg $export | Out-Null
#Change the below to any right you would like
$sids = (Select-String $export -Pattern "$right").Line
if ($ActionType -eq 'Adding')
{
$sidList = "$sids,*$sid"
}
elseif ($ActionType -eq 'Removing')
{
$sidList = "$($sids.Replace("*$sid", '').Replace("$Username", '').Replace(",,", ',').Replace("= ,", '= '))"
}
foreach ($line in @("[Unicode]", "Unicode=yes", "[System Access]", "[Event Audit]", "[Registry Values]", "[Version]", "signature=`"`$CHICAGO$`"", "Revision=1", "[Profile Description]", "Description=$ActionType `"$UserLogonRight`" right for user account: $Username", "[Privilege Rights]", "$sidList"))
{
Add-Content $import $line
}
}
 
secedit /import /db $secedt /cfg $import | Out-Null
secedit /configure /db $secedt | Out-Null
gpupdate /force | Out-Null
Write-Verbose "The script will not delete the following paths due to running in verbose mode, please remove these files manually if needed:"
Write-Verbose "`$import : $import"
Write-Verbose "`$export : $export"
Write-Verbose "`$secedt : $secedt"
 
if ($VerbosePreference.value__ -eq 0)
{
Remove-Item -Path $import -Force | Out-Null
Remove-Item -Path $export -Force | Out-Null
Remove-Item -Path $secedt -Force | Out-Null
}
}
catch
{
Write-Output ("$(Time-Stamp)Failure occurred while granting `"$right`" to user account: '$Username' on host: '$env:COMPUTERNAME'")
Write-Output "Error Details: $error"
}
}
$InnerSetUserRightFunctionScript = "function Inner-SetUserRights { ${function:Inner-SetUserRights} }"
function Set-UserRights
{
param
(
[Parameter(Position = 0,
   HelpMessage = 'You want to Add a user right.')]
[Alias('add')]
[switch]$AddRight,
[Parameter(Position = 1)]
[Alias('computer')]
[array]$ComputerName,
[Parameter(Position = 2,
   HelpMessage = 'You want to Remove a user right.')]
[switch]$RemoveRight,
[Parameter(Position = 3)]
[Alias('user')]
[array]$Username,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $false,
   Position = 4)]
[ValidateSet('SeNetworkLogonRight', 'SeBackupPrivilege', 'SeChangeNotifyPrivilege', 'SeSystemtimePrivilege', 'SeCreatePagefilePrivilege', 'SeDebugPrivilege', 'SeRemoteShutdownPrivilege', 'SeAuditPrivilege', 'SeIncreaseQuotaPrivilege', 'SeIncreaseBasePriorityPrivilege', 'SeLoadDriverPrivilege', 'SeBatchLogonRight', 'SeServiceLogonRight', 'SeInteractiveLogonRight', 'SeSecurityPrivilege', 'SeSystemEnvironmentPrivilege', 'SeProfileSingleProcessPrivilege', 'SeSystemProfilePrivilege', 'SeAssignPrimaryTokenPrivilege', 'SeRestorePrivilege', 'SeShutdownPrivilege', 'SeTakeOwnershipPrivilege', 'SeDenyNetworkLogonRight', 'SeDenyInteractiveLogonRight', 'SeUndockPrivilege', 'SeManageVolumePrivilege', 'SeRemoteInteractiveLogonRight', 'SeImpersonatePrivilege', 'SeCreateGlobalPrivilege', 'SeIncreaseWorkingSetPrivilege', 'SeTimeZonePrivilege', 'SeCreateSymbolicLinkPrivilege', 'SeDelegateSessionUserImpersonatePrivilege', 'SeMachineAccountPrivilege', 'SeTrustedCredManAccessPrivilege', 'SeTcbPrivilege', 'SeCreateTokenPrivilege', 'SeCreatePermanentPrivilege', 'SeDenyBatchLogonRight', 'SeDenyServiceLogonRight', 'SeDenyRemoteInteractiveLogonRight', 'SeEnableDelegationPrivilege', 'SeLockMemoryPrivilege', 'SeRelabelPrivilege', 'SeSyncAgentPrivilege', IgnoreCase = $true)]
[Alias('right')]
[array]$UserRight
)
if (!$Username)
{
$Username = "$env:USERDOMAIN`\$env:USERNAME"
}
if (!$UserRight)
{
Write-Warning "Main Function: Unable to continue because you did not supply the '-UserRight' parameter."
break
}
if (!$AddRight -and !$RemoveRight)
{
Write-Warning "Main Function: Unable to continue because you did not supply the '-AddRight' or '-RemoveRight' switches."
break
}
elseif ($AddRight -and $RemoveRight)
{
Write-Warning "Main Function: Unable to continue because you used both the '-AddRight' and '-RemoveRight' switches. Run again with just one of these present, either Add or Remove."
break
}
elseif ($AddRight)
{
Write-Verbose "Main Function: Detected -AddRight switch in execution."
$ActionType = 'Adding'
}
elseif ($RemoveRight)
{
Write-Verbose "Main Function: Detected -RemoveRight switch in execution."
$ActionType = 'Removing'
}
if (!$ComputerName)
{
$ComputerName = $env:ComputerName
}
foreach ($user in $Username)
{
foreach ($right in $UserRight)
{
foreach ($computer in $ComputerName)
{
if ($computer -match $env:COMPUTERNAME)
{
Inner-SetUserRights -UserRight $right -Username $user -AddRight:$AddRight -RemoveRight:$RemoveRight
}
else
{
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $Computer -Script {
param ($script,
[string]$Username,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
[array]$UserRight,
$AddRight,
$RemoveRight,
$VerbosePreference)
. ([ScriptBlock]::Create($script))
$VerbosePreference = $VerbosePreference
$Error.Clear()
try
{
if ($VerbosePreference -eq 0)
{
Inner-SetUserRights -Username $Username -UserRight $UserRight -AddRight:$AddRight -RemoveRight:$RemoveRight
}
else
{
Inner-SetUserRights -Username $Username -UserRight $UserRight -AddRight:$AddRight -RemoveRight:$RemoveRight -Verbose
}
}
catch
{
$info = [PSCustomObject]@{
Exception = $Error.Exception.Message
Reason    = $Error.CategoryInfo.Reason
Target    = $Error.CategoryInfo.TargetName
Script    = $Error.InvocationInfo.ScriptName
Line   = $Error.InvocationInfo.ScriptLineNumber
Column    = $Error.InvocationInfo.OffsetInLine
Date   = Get-Date
User   = $env:username
}
Write-Warning "$info"
}
 
} -ArgumentList $InnerSetUserRightFunctionScript, $user, $right, $AddRight, $RemoveRight, $VerbosePreference
}
}
}
}
 
}
if ($ComputerName -or $Username -or $UserRight -or $RemoveRight)
{
foreach ($user in $Username)
{
Set-UserRights -ComputerName $ComputerName -Username $user -UserRight $UserRight -AddRight:$AddRight -RemoveRight:$RemoveRight
}
}
else
{
 
<# Edit line 392 to modify the default command run when this script is executed.
   Example: 
        Set-UserRights -AddRight -UserRight SeServiceLogonRight, SeBatchLogonRight -ComputerName $env:COMPUTERNAME, SQL.contoso.com -UserName CONTOSO\User1, CONTOSO\User2
        or
        Set-UserRights -AddRight -UserRight SeBatchLogonRight -Username S-1-5-11
        or
        Set-UserRights -RemoveRight -UserRight SeBatchLogonRight -Username CONTOSO\User2
        or
        Set-UserRights -RemoveRight -UserRight SeServiceLogonRight, SeBatchLogonRight -Username CONTOSO\User1
   #>
Set-UserRights
}
}
END
{
Write-Output "$(Time-Stamp)Script Completed!"
}
}
test -AddRight -Username S-1-5-32-545 -UserRight SeShutdownPrivilege
Was this article helpful?