Blogs, Articles, and Posts

  • PowerShell Automatic Variables: Special Variables Built into PowerShell
    Learn about PowerShell’s automatic variables - built-in special variables that serve specific purposes. Discover how to work with history limits, constants, exit codes, and null values.
  • Install and manage VM watch on Azure Virtual Machines
    Microsoft announced the public preview of VM watch, a new in-VM service designed for Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) and Virtual Machine Scale Sets (VMSS). This service aims to enhance VM health monitoring by offering standardized, lightweight, and flexible in-VM health checks that connect seamlessly with Azure’s monitoring and AIOps systems.
  • How to Verify a File Hash (Checksum) on Windows
    Checking a downloaded file’s hash (checksum) allows verifying its integrity and ensuring that the file contents have not been modified. Administrators commonly use MD5/SHA256 checksum verification for downloaded OS distros…
  • Use PowerShell to check if (shortened) URL link is safe
    It just happens a lot: you receive a (shortened) URL and are unsure if it’s safe to open. Sometimes, I open it in Windows Sandbox or use the urlscan.io website. In this blog post, I will show you how you can automate the check of a URL and see if it’s safe or not :)
  • Activating PIM Roles that require MFA or Conditional Access Authentication Context with PowerShell
    For some time, I’ve been activating and scheduling activations for Azure roles under Privileged Identity Management (PIM) using the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. However recently we secured these role activations to require a conditional access authentication context with MFA. This basically requires me to MFA when I activate a role with PIM. Problem is, by … Continue reading Activating PIM Roles that require MFA or Conditional Access Authentication Context with PowerShell →
  • Loading PowerShell Custom Functions: Profiles, Dot-Sourcing, and Modules
    PowerShell is a versatile scripting environment that allows users to extend its capabilities by creating custom functions. Once written, you can load these PowerShell custom functions into your session or environment for reuse. Here are four common methods to load custom functions in PowerShell.

Projects, Scripts, and Modules

Community

  • Jordan Returns: A Fun Dive into Life, PowerShell, and Beyond
    In this special episode, we catch up with our former cohost, Jordan, and hear about his journey since leaving the PowerShell Podcast. Jordan shares an exciting life update, offers invaluable advice on how PowerShell has shaped his career and participates in our fun “This or That” segment.

Fun

Events

Check out psweekly.dowst.dev for all past editions as well as a searchable archive.