How to Export Folder Permissions from “D:\Shared” to a CSV File Using PowerShell

Managing folder permissions is crucial for maintaining security and proper access control in any shared environment. In this guide, we will walk through a simple yet effective method to export folder permissions from a specified directory and its subdirectories into a CSV file using PowerShell. This is particularly useful for administrators who need to audit or document access permissions across a shared network drive.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• Administrative access to the machine where the script will be run.
• PowerShell installed on your system (version 3.0 or higher is recommended).

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator:

• Press Win + X and select “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” or search for PowerShell in the Start menu, right-click, and select “Run as administrator”.

1. Run the PowerShell Script:

• Copy and paste the following script into the PowerShell window:
  powershell Get-ChildItem "D:\Shared" -Recurse | Get-Acl | Select-Object Path, Owner, AccessToString | Export-Csv -Path "D:\share_folder_permission.csv" -NoTypeInformation
• Press Enter to execute the script.

Explanation of the Script

• Get-ChildItem “D:\Shared” -Recurse:
  This command retrieves all items (folders and files) starting from the “D:\Shared” directory and includes all subdirectories. The -Recurse parameter ensures that the search is recursive, meaning it will include all levels of the directory structure.
• Get-Acl:
  The Get-Acl cmdlet gets the security descriptor (ACL – Access Control List) of each item retrieved by Get-ChildItem. This includes information about who has access to the item and what type of access they have.
• Select-Object Path, Owner, AccessToString:
  This part of the script selects specific properties to include in the output: the path of the item, the owner of the item, and the access permissions in a readable string format.
• Export-Csv -Path “D:\share_folder_permission.csv” -NoTypeInformation:
  Finally, the Export-Csv cmdlet exports the selected properties to a CSV file at the specified path “D:\share_folder_permission.csv”. The -NoTypeInformation parameter omits the type information from the CSV output, making it cleaner and more readable.

Result

Once the script has been executed, you will find a CSV file named “share_folder_permission.csv” in the root of the D: drive. This file contains a comprehensive list of all folders and their respective permissions within the “D:\Shared” directory and its subdirectories.

Benefits

• Documentation:
  Having a documented list of folder permissions is invaluable for audits and compliance purposes.
• Security:
  Regularly exporting and reviewing permissions can help identify any unauthorized access or permission changes.
• Management:
  Simplifies the task of managing and adjusting permissions, as you have a clear overview of the current settings.

By following these steps, you can effectively export and review folder permissions, ensuring that your shared directories are secure and properly managed.