Set the folder path in the registry - a problem ? C#

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Hello everyone, I want to put a path in the windows registry, but I haven't been able to do it. That's how I want to add a folder to Windows Defender exclusion.
Please where am I wrong and what is the problem? I am asking for your help. Thank you.

What I have tried:

C#

private void setFolderPath() 
        {
            try
            {               
                Registry.SetValue("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows Defender\\Exclusions\\Paths", @"C:\New folder", 0);
            }
            catch
            {
            }
        }

Posted 10-Sep-22 2:56am

Member 10410972

Updated 10-Sep-22 5:11am

PIEBALDconsult

v2

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Richard MacCutchan · Answer 1 · 2022-09-10T03:17:00

Solution 1

You cannot add entries to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE unless you are running with administrator privilege. But it would be much easier just to use Windows Defender to do it for you: Access the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint APIs | Microsoft Docs[^].

Posted 10-Sep-22 3:17am

Richard MacCutchan

OriginalGriff · Answer 2 · 2022-09-10T03:18:00

First off, don't discard exceptions: if you catch an exception and don't access the Exception Object, you discard the information that helps you work out what the problem is!

In this case, it's an access exception.

You cannot access some of the registry without an elevated app - and that includes everything under the LOCAL_MACHINE branch. Which means UAC and user input for security reasons.

And what did you expect? If you could access the whitelist without UAC then so could any other app - which would render the AV software useless.