topic Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI in General Topics

Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

molander — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 14:50:53 GMT

I wrote a simple PowerShell GUI script that can check for GlobalProtectVPN users connected currently, or at a past date.

It uses the Rest API to grab the information. Not sure if anyone would find it useful.

Here is the Github link: https://github.com/marcusit/PaltoShell

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

IanRiley — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 01:28:43 GMT

Thank you for building this. I get an error after I try and genereate the API key 'The remote name could not be resolved'.

I treid both the hostname and IP for the variable in the script but still get this same error. Any ideas on what I may be missing? I do get prompted for authentication, could it be an authentication issue?

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

molander — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 13:01:25 GMT

I noticed that I had left a static variable in the function to generate a new API key (line 82).

I updated the code on GitHub, so if you download the script again it should work for you now.

The authentication comes from the script itself, it stores the credentials in a variable that it then passess to the firewall to be able to generate the API key.

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

IanRiley — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 14:30:57 GMT

Thanks for the quick update. Now I seem to be getting -

Exception calling "DownloadString" with "1" argument(s): "The underlying connection was closed: An unexpected error occurred on a send."
+   [xml]$get_api_key = $KeyClient.DownloadString($key_url)

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

molander — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 15:03:12 GMT

Are you running PowerShell version 4 or higher? You can check my running "$psversiontable.PSVersion" in PowerShell.

You would also need Microsoft .NET Framework. Not sure on version, but it works with 4.6.01590.

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

IanRiley — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 17:43:44 GMT

Yes. Version 5 and .NET 4.6

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

Remo — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 18:45:13 GMT

To me this sounds like the TLS version does not mat or the server/client where you run the script does not trust the firewall certificate. As far as I know by default powershell only connects to trusted certs and I am sure that by default TLS1.0 (and only 1.0) is used.

By adding this line you can force TLS1.2:

[System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12;

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

molander — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 19:02:42 GMT

@Remowrote:
To me this sounds like the TLS version does not mat or the server/client where you run the script does not trust the firewall certificate. As far as I know by default powershell only connects to trusted certs and I am sure that by default TLS1.0 (and only 1.0) is used.

By adding this line you can force TLS1.2:
[System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12;

This might be correct. You can check for cert errors by going to the firewall GUI and see if you receive a cert warning.

You can do some testing by just running this code snippet:

  $fw_hostname = "Your firweall hostname or IP here"
  $pass = Get-Credential -Credential $env:userdomain\$env:username
  $plainpass = $pass.GetNetworkCredential().Password
  $key_url = "https://"+$fw_hostname+"/api/?type=keygen&user="+$env:username+"&password="+$plainpass
  $KeyClient = New-Object System.Net.WebClient
  $KeyClient.DownloadString($key_url)

Be sure to change the first line. You should get text output similar to below:

Finally you can test it in a browser too, to make sure you are able to generate an API key:

https://<FIREWALL HOSTNAME OR IP>/api/?type=keygen&user=<YOUR FW USERNAME>&password=<YOUR FW PASSWORD>

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

IanRiley — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 19:16:43 GMT

I really apprecaite all of the help. It looks like the TLS fix worked and am now able to generate the API key.

Now i get this when i try and query the users. I am assuming this is a permission thing -

Exception calling "DownloadString" with "1" argument(s): "The remote server returned an error: (403) Forbidden."
At C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\PaltoShell-GUI.ps1:121 char:5
+     [xml]$global:result = $WebClient.DownloadString($query_url)
+     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : WebException

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

molander — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 19:27:30 GMT

You might not have the correct API permissions on the firewall. I have not had a chance to pinpoint exactly what permissions are needed as I have superuser rights, and no lower account to test with.

You can create custom admin roles and grant API permissions under Device > Admin Roles. You would then tie this role to your administrative account.

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

molander — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 20:09:14 GMT

I seem to be able to a query with just the "Operational Request" API right (Device > Admin Roles > <custom role> > "XML API" tab). I can't guarantee that more permissions will not be needed.

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

IanRiley — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 15:32:54 GMT

Able to get it up and running thank you.

I noticed that the tool will only query a specific day - is it possible to select a date and see all users connected from that date until now?

Example: enter the date 2/1/18 and see all users that connected to GP from then until now with date/time stamps associated? Similar to what you see when you view the Monitor logs on the firewall, but jsut with the username and timestamp?

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

molander — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 15:53:05 GMT

Try using the "all time" option, and save the results which will create a spreadsheet that you can filter by connection date. I use that myself for reporting on VPN users.

I might be able to add that feature in if I get some free cycles.

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

IanRiley — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 16:23:51 GMT

Thats odd - I dont have an All Time option similar to your original screenshot

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

molander — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 16:35:49 GMT

I had added that feature when I took the screenshot but did not actually push it to the git repo.

If you re-download the script the feature will be in. Everything else should be the same.

https://github.com/marcusit/PaltoShell

Re: Check GlobalProtect VPN users with PowerShell GUI

IanRiley — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 21:59:12 GMT

Everything appears to be working correctly.

Thank you very much for all of your help, and building this tool.