How To Create HKCU Registry Keys Using Intune Remediations

In this blog post, we’ll use the Intune remediations method to deploy the registry key and its entries within the HKCU registry node. You can also use this method to deploy registry keys and entries under the HKLM node.

HKCU is a short form of HKEY_CURRENT_USER. It contains the configuration information for the user currently logged on. The user’s folders, screen colors and Control Panel settings are stored here, and this information is associated with the user’s profile.

HKLM is an abbreviation for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, which stores information related to the operating system and application configuration settings. I’ve utilized the Intune Device remediations method in this blog post to deploy HKLM registry keys and entries. You can also achieve identical outcomes by using the Intune Win32 App method.

If you need to back up and remove a registry key, refer to my other blog post, which offers guidance on addressing the CVE-2022-30190 vulnerability. It also outlines the steps for backing up and deleting a registry key using Intune. It utilizes the Powershell script deployment method.

How to create a registry Key and values using Powershell
Step-by-step guide

Numerous use cases exist for deploying registry keys on Windows devices using Intune. While I can’t cover every scenario here, I can highlight a few examples:

Post-deployment application configuration: After installing software, you can use registry keys to configure and customize the application settings to suit your specific needs.
License configuration or activation: Registry keys can manage software licenses and activation for various installed applications.
Operating system configuration settings: You can deploy registry keys to adjust and fine-tune operating system settings to align with your requirements.
Enabling or disabling application features: Registry keys can enable or disable specific features within applications, allowing you to tailor the software’s functionality to your preferences.

STEP 1 – Create a Script Package

To create a script package, follow the below steps:

Sign in to the Intune admin center.
Go to Devices > Scripts and remediatons.
Click on + Create under the Remediations tab.

Basics Tab

The basics tab will provide information about the script package, such as name, description, and publisher.

Name: Create Reg Keys in HKCU
Description: This Remediation will create given registry keys on target devices.
Publisher: Jatin Makhija (auto-filled)
Version: Auto-filled

Settings Tab

Create a detection script using the Powershell code below. Save it as Detect_reg_key.ps1.

Detect_reg_key.ps1

<#
.DESCRIPTION
    Below Powershell script will Check the existence of
    cloudinfra.net registry Key.
    Author: Jatin Makhija
    Site: cloudinfra.net
    Version: 1.0.0
#>
$regPath = "HKCU:\Software\cloudinfra.net"
$value = Test-Path $regPath
if($value){
        Write-host "Reg Key already Exists. No Action Required"
        Exit 0
}
Else{
        Write-host "Reg Key does not exist"
        Exit 1    
}

Create a remediation script using the Powershell code below. Save it as Remediate_reg_key.ps1.

Remediate_reg_key.ps1

<#
.DESCRIPTION
    Below Powershell script will Check the existence of
    cloudinfra.net registry Key. If it does not exist, It will create it and
    Also creates two registry entries under this key. One is DWORD
    and other one it will create it as String type.
    Author: Jatin Makhija
    Site: cloudinfra.net
    Version: 1.0.0
#>
$regPath = "HKCU:\Software\cloudinfra.net"
$value = Test-Path $regPath
$value
if(!$value){
     try{
        Write-Host "Creating Reg Key"
        New-Item -Path HKCU:\Software -Name cloudinfra.net –Force | Out-Null
        New-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -Name 'Status' -Value 1 -PropertyType DWord -Force | Out-Null
        New-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -Name 'Location' -Value "UnitedKingdom" -PropertyType String | Out-Null
        Exit 0
     }
     Catch {
            Write-Host "Error Creating Reg Key"
            Write-error $_
            Exit 1
      }
}
Else{
        Write-host "Reg Key already Exists. No Action Required"
        Exit 0
    
}

Detection script file – Browse to the Detection script Detect_reg_key.ps1
Remediation script file – Browse to Remediation script file Remediate_reg_key.ps1
Run this script using the logged-on credentials – Yes
Enforce script signature check – No
Run script in 64-bit Powershell – Yes

Intune Remediation script package settings for Deployment of Registry keys

Assignments tab

Click on Add group to add an Entra security group containing users or devices. You can also select the Schedule to run this Powershell script. You have three options: Once, hourly, or Daily.

Review + Create

Review the deployment and click on Create to start the deployment process.

Sync Intune Policies

The device check-in process might not begin immediately. If you’re testing this policy on a test device, you can manually kickstart Intune sync from the device itself or remotely through the Intune admin center.

Alternatively, you can use PowerShell to force the Intune sync on Windows devices. Restarting the device is another way to trigger the Intune device check-in process.

End-user Experience

After successfully completing the deployment, Registry keys will be created as per the script package.

Verification of Intune Registry Deployment on Windows device — Verification of Intune Registry Deployment on a Windows device

Step 2 – Monitor Intune Device Remediations

To check Intune device remediation script packages, do the following:

Sign in to the Intune admin center.
Go to Devices > Scripts and Remediations.
Click on the Remediation script package you want to monitor—for example, Create Reg Keys in HKCU.
Go to the Overview to find the deployment status of the script package.

Conclusion

This blog post explored the steps to create registry keys in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU) hive using Intune remediations. Intune offers various methods for deploying registry keys and entries. Another approach involves creating and deploying a PowerShell script through the Devices > Scripts and remediations > Platform scripts method.

How to create HKCU registry keys using Intune remediations

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