Sending msg to all users in domain during work

[MadBoy]

Hey,

My collegue at work got asked to find a way to send some "communicate" to all users on domain (like some information that concerns all users). The main thing here is "NET SEND" won't work as it is disabled on MOST computers. Logon script wont' do anygood here as the boss wants the ability to send the communicate to all users when they are working and logged on. So i'm asking you guys if you know the way to do it? Maybe autoit has some functions like that? I haven't realy searched for sulution on forum as i don't exactly know how to "ask" for it.

Any help will be appreciated! Thank You!

[Gigglestick]

1. You could use a GPO to enable messenger and use net send.

or

2. You might look at the IM scripts and look at modifying it to run as a service on each machine and just doing msgbox's for incoming messages.

You might be better off with enabling messenger because it's been through the ringer security-wise and because it's a bit easier to deploy a GPO than to deploy a new service.

[arcker]

i've done a net send program that send to all users of a group in ActiveDirectory

he does it in 3-4 secondesz for 1000 users

BUT

you have to enable net send on all computers (net start send)

in winxp it's disabled until sp1 or sp2, so you have to active it

[MadBoy]

1. You could use a GPO to enable messenger and use net send.

or

2. You might look at the IM scripts and look at modifying it to run as a service on each machine and just doing msgbox's for incoming messages.

You might be better off with enabling messenger because it's been through the ringer security-wise and because it's a bit easier to deploy a GPO than to deploy a new service.

Problem with GPO and messanger is that most if not all Antispyware programs (Windows Defender etc) block it by default. Enabling this will just make those programs disable it again or will make viruses to send "weird" msges to users

I have no "clue" at all about IM scripts :/

[MadBoy]

care to share the source ? Is it in autoit? or batch?

[Gigglestick]

@MadBoy

Valid points.

Probably the same with the IM scripts. You'd have to exlude the ports. You could probably exclude the ports or add the executable to the exclusions for messenger too, for that matter. Depending on the antispyware software you might not be able to push these exclusions via GPO, and would have to figure out another way to do it; either scripting interaction with the GUI of that software or turning it off, updating its registry settings or INI files and turning it back on.

Edit: GUI not GIU

Edited March 1, 2006 by c0deWorm

[Gigglestick]

care to share the source ? Is it in autoit? or batch?

Source for the IM scripts? I don't have any as I haven't been involved in them. I have watched the conversations though. Search the forums for them. I think there are two in the works right now, possible three.

[arcker]

i'm in discussion with my firm to implement the "autoit server" UDF

with you can do anything, but you will have to reserv a port in your network, that's our principal break

[MadBoy]

Well NET SEND seems the easiest choice. Most users use Symantec Antivirus here, some additionally Windows Defender or older Windows Antispyware. Both will disable NET SEND. Don't realy know how it will behave on users when GPO will tell it to ENABLE again. I can imagine some old ladies here in panic that SOMEONE send them some msg ;p

I'm now thinking about making autoit application that will be pushed to all computers thru domain and started as service on all of them. It would open some UDP port and wait for right string with password. Hrmms that seems like doable

[MadBoy]

Problem i see now is that all pc's will have the applications waiting .. but how do i tell the 'main' application to send it to all computers (would need some ip list or something), eh now my idea went to stage complicated ;p

[MadBoy]

I meant Arker if he can send his script to send to all users

[DaveF]

This thread has a prototype messenger that uses the Windows mailslot API (same as NET SEND). Like NET SEND this can target all PCs on a domain, but rather than the default target ("messenger" mailslot, I think) you can use a different name; the example has uses "AutoIt" if I remember correctly...

[arcker]

i post a image of my script, it's in french, but i can convert it quickly

he can :

search every group in AD and list the users of it, in 2-5 seconds

send net send and/or mail (using blat ,waiting for a solution to use inetsmtpmail with Jpm)

personnalise messages, store them in separate txt files, add subject quickly.

here the screen

Edited March 1, 2006 by arcker