Enforce updates and configurations on off-network devices, even when your standard tools can’t help

Everyone working remotely? Here's how we can help:

Pinpoint vulnerabilities and enforce OS updates, take security actions, adjust device settings, and remediate IT issues without bringing devices in

Remotely deploy and execute prebuilt or custom Powershell /BASH scripts on one or multiple devices, on or off your network

Working from home may be the future of work, but COVID-19 has ushered it into the present. When everyone is remote, you still need to push urgent OS updates, take security actions, and fix device issues. But when devices are off-network, sometimes group policies can’t help — or your existing tools lose visibility and control over devices.

Your end users need your help to stay productive, and you need to maintain security for everyone. And vulnerabilities continue to arise: for example, Microsoft recently published a fix for a critical vulnerability that has the NIST’s highest severity score.

You’ll be able to apply patches, take security actions, and adjust device settings to improve security and productivity — with zero human touch.

How Absolute’s remote scripting tool helps you manage and secure your devices remotely and at scale

With remote scripting backed by Absolute, IT and security teams gain unprecedented abilities to peer into their off-network devices and manage them proactively or reactively, without the need for physical access.

You can remotely deploy and execute Powershell or BASH scripts on any device — on or off your corporate network — and confirm their successful execution

No scripting skills required

You also have access to a library of 130+ pre-built commands. Among many other actions, you can:

Keep the operating system secure and up to date

Scan your fleet for specific device configurations, attributes, or vulnerabilities
Force updates so all devices run the latest, most secure OS versions

Help your end users be more productive

Adjust device configurations across your entire fleet, saving time for your team
Install or uninstall any app, even when your endpoint management tool can’t
Start applications or services, or create scheduled tasks
Manage user profiles and admin passwords, and change permissions
Detect most frequent errors from event logs
Update registry settings

Take remedial security actions

Disable ports or removable media and kill processes
Isolate devices from the network
Force endpoint applications to check in

If you have experience scripting in Powershell or BASH, you can also create your own scripts and remotely deploy them. The only limit is your imagination.

To learn how this tool works, view the instruction page, which includes a step-by-step example of how to easily address the recently announced  security vulnerability  affecting Windows 10.

View Instructions

FAQs

1. What is Absolute Reach? How does it work?

Absolute Reach lets you connect with one or multiple devices at the same time, allowing you to check any attribute or perform a myriad of device actions. Since Absolute is firmware-embedded, it works even when your devices are off your corporate network or can't be seen with your existing endpoint management tools for any reason.

As an integral part of the Absolute platform, this tool leverages the power of Absolute’s firmware-embedded Persistence technology. This allows you to confirm successful execution of your commands, use collected information in reports, and directly interface with devices from any report.

2. What are the requirements to use this tool?

In order to use this remote scripting tool, you just need to activate Absolute by installing the agent on your devices. Once Absolute is activated, it creates a two-way stream of information between devices and your Absolute console, including information to be collected or commands to be executed. Like the rest of the Absolute platform, this tool does not require any additional network infrastructure, relying only on the device’s internet connection.

3. What is the Absolute Reach Library?

It’s a collection of 120+ ready-to-use Powershell commands that let you check attributes or perform actions on your devices. You don’t need to know how to script to use these pre-built commands. You just need to select which devices you want to run a command on and provide the desired parameters.

Popular scripts include, among many others

Force all devices to run the latest, most secure OS versions
Survey your fleet for specific device configurations, attributes, or vulnerabilities
Install required or uninstall unwanted apps when your endpoint management tool can’t help
Disable ports, or isolate devices from the network
Manage user profiles and admin passwords, and change permissions
Adjust device configurations at scale across your entire fleet, to save time for your team
Force endpoint applications to check in
Update registry settings

You can explore the library directly within your Absolute console.

4. How does this help me with OS updates?

Even if your endpoint management tools are broken or disabled, or lose visibility of your off-network devices, you can still check any attributes for you on one or multiple devices at the same time, such as patch level, UBR, OS settings, pending or failed OS updates, or any other attributes of your choice, as well as force any urgent OS updates to address vulnerabilities as soon as possible, regardless of the end user’s availability or willingness to collaborate.

For example, you can address a recently announced  security vulnerability  affecting Windows 10 build versions 1903 and 1909, related to the remote execution of Microsoft Server Message Block v3 (SMBv3), by leveraging a pre-built command available for you in the library, to enable or disable SMBv3 compression on affected devices.

5. Can I install software applications on my devices remotely?

Yes, you can. In the library, you’ll find ready-to-use commands that allow you to use an EXE or MSI installer, so you can install a software application remotely, even if the devices are not visible through your endpoint management tool.

6. Can I adjust device configurations, even when Group Policies can’t help?

Yes, Absolute allows you to adjust device configurations. The library provides you with 120+ ready-to-use commands for multiple applications, such as adjusting firewall or network configurations, modifying Windows settings, managing user profiles, changing permissions, disabling ports, among many others. You can also create your own scripts using Powershell or BASH to run your own custom commands.

7. How can Helpdesk benefit from using this tool?

With all or most of your end users using their devices from home, every issue must be solved without physical access. As a result, Helpdesk may take much longer than usual to resolve common tickets, especially with devices are off your corporate network or invisible through your existing tools. This tool gives Helpdesk the ability to see and control all of your devices at all times, to check any attributes remotely or perform any maintenance or security action such as adjusting configurations, installing an application, forcing an OS update, starting a service, killing a process, among many other actions that could help address the problem immediately, without requiring the end user’s availability or collaboration.

8. Can I create my own scripts? What scripting languages are supported?

You can run any custom Powershell or BASH script on any device you choose — the only limit is your imagination. Once your script is ready, you just need to upload it for it to appear in the Custom Scripts section of the library. From there, you can use it on any device, whenever you need it.

9. I don’t know how to create scripts. Can I still use these services?

You don't need to perform any coding to use commands that are in the library. With 120+ ready-to-use commands (and counting) for multiple applications, you have plenty of tools to query and remediate your devices. You can explore the library directly within your Absolute console to see which scripts might be most helpful in your organization.

10. What does this feature cost?

If you have Resilience licenses, this feature is already part of your Absolute platform. If you have Visibility or Control licenses, we’re enabling it for you at no additional cost to assist bridging the gap left by traditional tools managing remote workers due to COVID19, until October 30, 2020, so you can help your organization maintain productivity and continuity while most or all users are remote. For the same period of time, we’re granting all users access to the library, which includes 120+ ready-to-use, pre-built commands, so you can be effective from Day 1.

11. How can I learn to use Reach from scratch?

Take a look at this example, which allows you to address a recently announced security vulnerability affecting specific Windows 10 build versions. You can also watch these educational videos on our Learning Hub or visit this page in the Absolute Help.

If you’re looking for 1-on-1 support, fill out the form here and a Sales Development Representative will give you a call.