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Use PowerShell in Excel VBA

VBA in Excel is very helpful since it can run things without any human intervention, or technically it can run task and automate things and just get the result.

VBA coupled with PowerShell can even be more interesting. Of course, there is always some drawback or pros and cons.

Bad actor can take advantage of VBA and PowerShell to run malicious software on user’s computer.

For most users who are not aware or doesn’t believe that VBA and PowerShell can be used to steal data, one common reaction is; Is it possible? Or you are just trying to exaggerate and scare people?

As the odds say, to see is to believe. Or to see it in action is one thing and trying to educate users is another thing. Cyber Security is a task that everyone should be a part of, a chain is useless if one its link is weak. Which is basically, true in digital world.

The company may spend thousands of moneys on Firewall, Anti-Virus and other devices or software to thwart attack but just a simple click on a Phishing email of an unaware email user will defeat all security measures.

VBA code below, shows on how to use PowerShell on Excel VBA.

Sub vba_powershell()

Dim varx As String

Dim wshell As String

 

'Code below will minimized all  open windows

varx = Shell("PowerShell (New-Object -comobject Shell.Application).ToggleDesktop()")

 

'This will open Notepad

wshell = Shell("PowerShell (New-Object -ComObject wscript.shell).run('Notepad')")

 

'Wait for 5 seconds

Application.Wait DateAdd("s", 5, Now)

 

'Send the string to Notepad

Application.SendKeys ("Hello, be careful of opening files with Excel Macros!")

 

'This will open c:\Temp folder

'A network location can be used by replacing with a UNC path such as: \\server01\sharefolder

wshell = Shell("PowerShell (New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application).open('C:\Temp')")

 

End Sub

  

Above code is quite friendly but of course, it can be tweaked and change the code to download a malicious file from the internet, or run a malicious app that is already on the hard drive. Never run an  Excel macro that is not trusted, or just out of curiosity and take the risk. 

Some users think that the anti-virus or other security measures set on the network will do its job and they will be totally protected, such mindset will wreak the whole company network. Malicious code that has not been detected, newly found security hole or any bug that is not yet known, can be exploited by bad actors and all security measures can easily be bypassed.

Cheers...till next time. Stay safe and keep praying that this pandemic will end.

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Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 11, 2021 at 8:59 PM

    Good article. I would just like to underscore your point about the importance of never running macros from sources you don't know / do not trust. I would also add that, looking at the code above, powershell isn't even needed - VBA can do all of that by itself without have to rely on Powershell!

    ReplyDelete

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