Create a Custom Detection Script for Surfshark (PowerShell)

Microsoft Endpoint Manager Configuration Manager (MEMCM / SCCM) and Microsoft Intune use Detection Rules to determine the presence of Applications & Win32 Apps. The detection rules ensure that application installations only begin to run if the application is not already installed on the device. This article will serve as an informative guide and give you a clear understanding of how to create an updated custom detection script for each new version of Surfshark using PowerShell.

How to Create a Custom Detection Script for Surfshark

Surfshark (File Detection Method)

Install the version of Surfshark you want to deploy on a test box or VM
- Check out the following posts for further details
  - Surfshark Silent Install (How-To Guide)
  - Surfshark Install and Uninstall (PowerShell)
Open Windows PowerShell ISE by Right-Clicking on Windows PowerShell ISE and selecting Run as Administrator
Copy the following code into the Windows PowerShell ISE

## Check for Surfshark (File Detection Method)
$SurfsharkExe = (Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\Program Files\Surfshark\Surfshark.exe","C:\Program Files (x86)\Surfshark\Surfshark.exe" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
$SurfsharkExe.FullName
$SurfsharkPath = $($SurfsharkExe.FullName).Replace("C:\Program Files\","").Replace("C:\Program Files (x86)\","")
$FileVersion = (Get-Item -Path "$($SurfsharkExe.FullName)" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).VersionInfo.FileVersion

## Create Text File with Surfshark File Detection Method
$FilePath = "C:\Windows\Temp\Surfshark_Detection_Method.txt"
New-Item -Path "$FilePath" -Force
Set-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "If([String](Get-Item -Path `"`$Env:ProgramFiles\$SurfsharkPath`",`"`${Env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\$SurfsharkPath`" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).VersionInfo.FileVersion -ge `"$FileVersion`"){"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Write-Host `"Installed`""
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Exit 0"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "}"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "else {"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Exit 1"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "}"
Invoke-Item $FilePath

Click Run Script (F5)
A text file will open with the Surfshark Detection Method script required to detect the current version of Surfshark that is installed on the device you are running the script from.

Example:

If([String](Get-Item -Path "$Env:ProgramFiles\Surfshark\Surfshark.exe","${Env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\Surfshark\Surfshark.exe" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).VersionInfo.FileVersion -ge "4.3.3.999"){
Write-Host "Installed"
Exit 0
}
else {
Exit 1
}

Copy the Surfshark Detection Method script content into the Custom Detection Rules (Script)
Microsoft Endpoint Manager Configuration Manager (MEMCM / SCCM)
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/configmgr/apps/deploy-use/create-applications#bkmk_detect-script
Microsoft Intune
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/apps-win32-add

Surfshark (Registry Detection Method)

Install the version of Surfshark you want to deploy on a test box or VM
- Check out the following posts for further details
  - Surfshark Silent Install (How-To Guide)
  - Surfshark Install and Uninstall (PowerShell)
Open Windows PowerShell ISE by Right-Clicking on Windows PowerShell ISE and selecting Run as Administrator
Copy the following code into the Windows PowerShell ISE

## Check for Surfshark (Registry Detection Method)
$Surfshark = Get-ChildItem -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall","HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall" | Get-ItemProperty | Where-Object {$_.DisplayName -match 'Surfshark' -and $_.UninstallString -notlike '*MsiExec.exe*' } | Select-Object -Property DisplayName, DisplayVersion, PSChildName
$Surfshark.DisplayVersion
$Surfshark.PSChildName

## Create Text File with Surfshark Registry Detection Method
$FilePath = "C:\Windows\Temp\Surfshark_Detection_Method.txt"
New-Item -Path "$FilePath" -Force
Set-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "If([Version](Get-ItemPropertyValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$($Surfshark.PSChildName)','HKLM:\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$($Surfshark.PSChildName)' -Name DisplayVersion -ea SilentlyContinue) -ge '$($Surfshark.DisplayVersion)') {"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Write-Host `"Installed`""
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Exit 0"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "}"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "else {"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "Exit 1"
Add-Content -Path "$FilePath" -Value "}"
Invoke-Item $FilePath

Click Run Script (F5)
A text file will open with the Surfshark Detection Method script required to detect the current version of Surfshark that is installed on the device you are running the script from.

Example:

If([Version](Get-ItemPropertyValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Surfshark 4.3.3999','HKLM:\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Surfshark 4.3.3999' -Name DisplayVersion -ea SilentlyContinue) -ge '4.3.3999') {
Write-Host "Installed"
Exit 0
}
else {
Exit 1
}

Copy the Surfshark Detection Method script content into the Custom Detection Rules (Script)
Microsoft Endpoint Manager Configuration Manager (MEMCM / SCCM)
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/configmgr/apps/deploy-use/create-applications#bkmk_detect-script
Microsoft Intune
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/apps-win32-add

Always make sure to test everything in a development environment prior to implementing anything into production. The information in this article is provided “As Is” without warranty of any kind.