Running in a secure environment

[garethem]

All our Windows machines are running with a restrictive "software restriction policy" applied at domain level.
This policy helps to prevent ransomware and other malware by only allowing software to run from a few secure folders.
We can install Exiftool into one such folder, but when it runs it is obviously tries to run something from AppData\Local\Temp which is not allowed.

Access to C:\Users\MACHINENAME~1.SIT\AppData\Local\Temp\par-676172657468\cache-exiftool-12.44/exiftool.exe has been restricted by your Administrator by the default software restriction policy level.

Questions:
1) Can this behaviour be altered so that it runs from the folder it is installed in?
2) If not, can the folder be specified somewhere to allow use of a non-restricted folder

[StarGeek]

I don't believe this is possible due to the way the exiftool Windows executable works.

You should probably take a look at Oliver Betz's alternative exiftool build as I believe he created it with situations like this in mind.

Another alternative would be to use the actual Perl code version, but that requires installing either ActivePerl or Strawberry Perl.

[StarGeek]

Actually, it might be possible.  See this thread.

But I still think Oliver's version is a better choice.

[garethem]

Looks like Oliver Betz's version was the solution.

Thanks!

[Phil Harvey]

It should be possible to set the temporary folder for the standard .exe version by setting the PAR_GLOBAL_TEMP environment variable to the directory you want ExifTool to unpack and run from.

- Phil

Edit: Ah, I see that this is mentioned in StarGeek's link.  But the Betz version is probably better as he says.