When you remove the Run command from the start menu in a GPO, does it also remove it from the task manager?

Years back during the NT4/Win95 days, you were able to remove the users ability to run programs using the Windows NT4 system policies. The problem was that there were multiple ways to execute a program that the system policies did not address. Flash forward to Windows Sever 2008. By setting the Group Policy setting of User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar\

Remove Run menu from Start Menu to Enable, you will do the following.

· The Run command is removed from the Start menu.

· The New Task (Run) comm.

· and is removed from Task Manager.

· The user will be blocked from entering the following into the Internet

· Explorer Address Bar:

o A UNC path: \\\

o Accessing local drives: e.g., C:

o Accessing local folders: e.g., \temp>

David discovered that you can still get to the CMD window with this procedure:

· [Window Key] E will open Windows Explorer.

· Browse to C:\Windows\System32

· Launch CMD.exe.

To help curve any “work arounds”, set the following group policy objects in the appropriet place for your organization:

· User Config \ Admin Templates\ System\ Prevent access to the command prompt

· User Config \ Admin Templates\ System\ Ctrl+Alt+Del Options! Remove Task Manager

That prevents CMD.EXE but Command.com worked. OK, now we must set a software restriction policy to prevent Command.com for executing, no matter where the user moves it. For that, we will use the Hash software restriction policy:

In your Group Policy:

· Copy COMMAND.COM to your server at c:\Windows\System32.

· Computer Configuration à Policies à Windows Settings

· Right click Software Restriction Policy and click New Software Restriction Policies.

· Right click Additional Rules à New Hash Rule.

· Click Browse to C:\Windows\System32\Command.com

· Click OK

· To allow administrators to still be able to use the software that you have restricted:

o IN the Software Restriction GPO.

o Double click Enforcement

o Select All users except local administrators.

Since we used a Hash rule, moving or even renaming the file will not allow it to run.