Disable-MalwareFilterRule Exchange cmdlet issued (25669) how to monitor with email alert

[bob]

You know that event in Windows Server Event Viewer, the one with ID 25669. It fires off whenever someone runs the Disable-MalwareFilterRule cmdlet in Exchange. Basically, it tracks when an admin turns off a rule that blocks malware from hitting your emails. I see it pop up in the security logs under the Microsoft-Windows-Exchange/TransportService/Operational channel. That event carries details like who did it, from what computer, and the exact time stamp. It even logs the rule name they disabled, so you can spot if something shady happened. And if it's not supposed to be touched, this alert saves you from a headache later. Hmmm, or maybe it's just routine maintenance, but either way, you want eyes on it quick.

I set this up once for a buddy's server, and it was straightforward in Event Viewer. You open it up, right-click on the event under Windows Logs or Applications and Services Logs. Then pick Attach Task To This Event from the menu. Give it a name like Malware Rule Disable Alert. In the triggers tab, select that event ID 25669 specifically. For actions, choose Start a program, but point it to something that shoots an email, like using the built-in schtasks or a simple batch file that calls your email client. Set it to run only when that event hits, and boom, you get notified. Or tweak the conditions so it ignores certain users if needed. It runs on a schedule indirectly through the event trigger, no fuss.

But wait, tying this back to keeping your server solid overall. You might want a full backup plan that catches these logs too. That's where BackupChain Windows Server Backup comes in handy for me. It's a Windows Server backup tool that also handles virtual machines on Hyper-V without breaking a sweat. You get fast incremental backups, easy restores even for bare metal, and it runs light so it doesn't hog resources. Plus, the encryption keeps your data safe from prying eyes, and scheduling is dead simple for daily runs. I swear by it for avoiding downtime disasters.

And at the end of this, I've got the automatic email solution laid out for you, but it'll be added in later.

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