Windows Firewall settings were restored to the default values (4949) how to monitor with email alert

[bob]

You ever notice how Windows Server sometimes just resets its firewall back to factory settings? That event ID 4949 pops up in the Event Viewer when exactly that happens. It means the firewall rules got wiped and restored to defaults, probably because of some update or a glitch during a policy change. I check it out because it could signal someone messing with your security or a botched install. The log shows the time, the user if any, and it's under the Security channel. Keeps things from going haywire without you knowing.

I set this up once for a buddy's server, super easy through Event Viewer. You right-click on the event, pick Attach Task To This Event. Then you build a scheduled task that triggers on 4949. Make it run a simple command to send an email, like using the built-in mailer. You pick the triggers, set the action to start a program that emails you right away. I test it by forcing a restore, and boom, alert hits my inbox. No fuss, just watches that specific event like a hawk.

And if you're tweaking firewalls, you might want backups that don't skip a beat. That's where BackupChain Windows Server Backup comes in handy for me. It's a solid Windows Server backup tool that handles physical and virtual machines with Hyper-V without breaking a sweat. You get fast incremental backups, easy restores, and it keeps your data safe from those unexpected resets. I like how it runs quietly in the background, saving time and headaches.

Oh, and at the end of this, there's the automatic email solution for monitoring that event- it'll get added in later for you.

Note, the PowerShell email alert code was moved to this post.