win_security_policy – Change local security policy settings

New in version 2.4.

Synopsis

  • Allows you to set the local security policies that are configured by SecEdit.exe.

Parameters

Parameter Choices/Defaults Comments
key
- / required
The ini key of the section or policy name to modify.
The module will return an error if this key is invalid.
section
- / required
The ini section the key exists in.
If the section does not exist then the module will return an error.
Example sections to use are 'Account Policies', 'Local Policies', 'Event Log', 'Restricted Groups', 'System Services', 'Registry' and 'File System'
If wanting to edit the Privilege Rights section, use the win_user_right module instead.
value
- / required
The value for the ini key or policy name.
If the key takes in a boolean value then 0 = False and 1 = True.

Notes

Note

  • This module uses the SecEdit.exe tool to configure the values, more details of the areas and keys that can be configured can be found here https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb742512.aspx.
  • If you are in a domain environment these policies may be set by a GPO policy, this module can temporarily change these values but the GPO will override it if the value differs.
  • You can also run SecEdit.exe /export /cfg C:\temp\output.ini to view the current policies set on your system.
  • When assigning user rights, use the win_user_right module instead.

Examples

- name: change the guest account name
  win_security_policy:
    section: System Access
    key: NewGuestName
    value: Guest Account

- name: set the maximum password age
  win_security_policy:
    section: System Access
    key: MaximumPasswordAge
    value: 15

- name: do not store passwords using reversible encryption
  win_security_policy:
    section: System Access
    key: ClearTextPassword
    value: 0

- name: enable system events
  win_security_policy:
    section: Event Audit
    key: AuditSystemEvents
    value: 1

Return Values

Common return values are documented here, the following are the fields unique to this module:

Key Returned Description
import_log
string
 secedit.exe /import run and change occurred
The log of the SecEdit.exe /configure job that configured the local policies. This is used for debugging purposes on failures.

Sample:
Completed 6 percent (0/15) \tProcess Privilege Rights area.
key
string
 success
The key in the section passed to the module to modify.

Sample:
NewGuestName
rc
integer
 failure with secedit calls
The return code after a failure when running SecEdit.exe.

Sample:
-1
section
string
 success
The section passed to the module to modify.

Sample:
System Access
stderr
string
 failure with secedit calls
The output of the STDERR buffer after a failure when running SecEdit.exe.

Sample:
failed to import security policy
stdout
string
 failure with secedit calls
The output of the STDOUT buffer after a failure when running SecEdit.exe.

Sample:
check log for error details
value
string
 success
The value passed to the module to modify to.

Sample:
Guest Account


Status

Authors

  • Jordan Borean (@jborean93)

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