Symptoms:

When you use the Forefront Endpoint Protection (FEP) 2010 Group Policy Tool to import a policy file that was exported from System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection, it will fail with a screenshot similar to the following:

Cause:

The XML namespace is missing and a couple of registry value types have changed in System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection, which results in the error.

Resolution:

1. Perform the following changes manually
   • Add "xmlns="http://forefront.microsoft.com/FEP/2010/01/PolicyData"" in the "SecurityPolicy" section of the policy file.
   • Open the policy file, in the “AddKey Name="SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Microsoft Antimalware\Signature Updates"” section, replace “FallbackOrder” type “REG_DWORD” with “REG_SZ”.
   • Open the policy file, in the “AddKey Name="SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Microsoft Antimalware\Signature Updates"” section, replace “DefinitionUpdateFileSharesSources” type “REG_DWORD” with “REG_SZ”.
2. Automate the changes by using the script in the Script section

   You can use the script in the Script section to make the changes to the policy file. You can also write a Java script tool to automate the script. For example, you can name the script in the Script section FepGPFileCorrector.js, and then use a command such as the following:

   cscript.exe FepGPFileCorrector.js <originpolicyfile>.xml

   Where, originpolicyfile is the exported System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection policy file. Currently, the following is supported:

   • Full path of local xml file. For example, c:\test\output.xml
   • Full path of network share file. For example, \\atc-dist-01\test\output.xml
   • File located under the folder that script tool is running.

   The target/output policy file is named Converted-<originpolicyfile>.xml.

References:

The Forefront Endpoint Protection Group Policy Tool is used to convert policy settings contained in configured FEP policies to the format that is used by Group Policy. This tool can be obtained from the Microsoft Download Center (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=207729) as part of the FEP 2010 Group Policy Tools download package.

System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection provides several default policy template files that you can find in subfolder AdminConsole\XmlStorage\EPTemplates of site server installation directory. You can import the policy template files by using FEP 2010 Forefront Endpoint Protection Group Policy Tool by default.

Script:

@set @debug = false

//******************************************************************************

//

// Constants

//

//******************************************************************************

var c_sSecurityPolicy = "SecurityPolicy";

var c_sPolicySection = "PolicySection";

var c_sLocalGroupPolicySettings = "LocalGroupPolicySettings";

var c_sXmlns = "xmlns";

var c_sNameSpace = "http://forefront.microsoft.com/FEP/2010/01/PolicyData";

var c_sAddKey = "AddKey";

var c_sAddValue = "AddValue";

var c_sName = "Name";

var c_sType = "Type";

var c_sDisabled = "Disabled";

var c_sFallbackOrder = "FallbackOrder";

var c_sDefinitionUpdateFileShareSources = "DefinitionUpdateFileSharesSources";

var c_sDWord = "REG_DWORD";

var c_sSZ = "REG_SZ";

var c_sHelp = "cscript.exe FepGPFileCorrector.js <originpolicyfile> \r\n"

                + "\r\n"

                + "originpolicyfile Original exported SCEp2012 policy file.\r\n"

//******************************************************************************

//

// Globals

//

//******************************************************************************

var g_fso = null;                 // Scripting.FileSystemObject

var g_xmlSource = null;           // Source XML document

var g_xmlTarget = null;           // Target XML document

var g_shell = null;

var g_environment = null;

var g_sScriptDir = null;          // cscript.exe running directory

var g_sOriginPolicyFile = null;   // Original FEP2012 exported policy file

var g_sOriginFileName = null;   // Original FEP2012 exported policy file name

var g_sOriginPolicyPath = null;   // The directory hosting original FEP2012 exported policy file

//******************************************************************************

//

// GetAttribute

//

//******************************************************************************

function GetAttribute(oNode, sAttrib, bAllowNull) 

{

    var attrib = oNode.attributes.getNamedItem(sAttrib);

    if (attrib != null) 

    {

        return attrib.text;

    }

    else if (bAllowNull) 

    {

        return null;

    }

    return null;

}

// Validate script host version

if (Number(WScript.Version) < 5.6) 

{

    WScript.Echo(

                "This script requires Windows Script Host v5.6 or later. "

                + "Go to http://www.microsoft.com/scripting for download"

                );

    WScript.Quit(1);

}

if (WScript.FullName.toLowerCase().indexOf("cscript.exe") < 0) 

{

    WScript.Echo(

                "This script can only be executed with Cscript."

                );

    WScript.Quit(1);

}

if ((WScript.Arguments.length < 1) || (WScript.Arguments(0) == "/?")) 

{

    WScript.Echo(c_sHelp);

    WScript.Quit(1);

}

// Initialize

g_fso = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");

g_shell = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell");

g_environment = g_shell.Environment("Process");

g_sScriptDir = g_fso.GetParentFolderName(WScript.ScriptFullName);

g_sOriginPolicyFile = String(WScript.Arguments(0));

// If g_sOriginPolicyFile has not path

if ((g_sOriginPolicyFile.indexOf(":") > 0) && (g_sOriginPolicyFile.charAt(0) != ".")) 

{

    g_sOriginPolicyPath = g_sOriginPolicyFile.substr(0, g_sOriginPolicyFile.lastIndexOf("\\"));

    g_sOriginFileName = g_sOriginPolicyFile.substr(g_sOriginPolicyFile.lastIndexOf("\\") + 1);

}

else if ((g_sOriginPolicyFile.charAt(0) == "\\") && (g_sOriginPolicyFile.charAt(1) == "\\")) 

{

    g_sOriginPolicyPath = g_sOriginPolicyFile.substr(0, g_sOriginPolicyFile.lastIndexOf("\\"));

    g_sOriginFileName = g_sOriginPolicyFile.substr(g_sOriginPolicyFile.lastIndexOf("\\") + 1);

}

else 

{

    g_sOriginPolicyPath = g_sScriptDir;

    g_sOriginFileName = g_sOriginPolicyFile;

}

if (!g_fso.FileExists(g_sOriginPolicyFile)) 

{

    WScript.Echo("XML file " + g_sOriginPolicyFile + " does not exist!");

    throw new Error(1, "The XML file does not exist!");

}

//var oFile = g_fso.GetFile(g_sOriginPolicyFile);

//oFile.Attributes = oFile.Attributes & (~1);

g_xmlSource = new ActiveXObject("MSXML2.DOMDocument.6.0");

// Load original SCEP2012 exported policy file

if (!g_xmlSource.load(g_sOriginPolicyFile))

{

    var pe = g_xmlSource.parseError;

    INFO(

        "XML load failed:\n"

        + " Location: " + pe.line + ", " + pe.linepos + "\n"

        + " Source: " + pe.srcText + "\n"

        + " Reason: " + pe.reason + "\n"

        );

    throw new Error(-1, "Policy file is invalid.");

}

var oSrcSecurityPolicyNode;

//var oRootNodes = g_xmlSource.documentElement.selectNodes(c_sSecurityPolicy);

var oRootNodes = g_xmlSource.childNodes;

if (!g_xmlSource.hasChildNodes()) 

{

    WScript.Echo("XML file " + g_sOriginPolicyFile + " might not need to process, exit directly.");

    WScript.Quit(1);

}

for (var iIndex = 0; iIndex < oRootNodes.length; iIndex++) 

{

    if (oRootNodes[iIndex].nodeName == c_sSecurityPolicy) 

    {

        oSrcSecurityPolicyNode = oRootNodes[iIndex];

        if (oSrcSecurityPolicyNode != null) 

        {

            if (oSrcSecurityPolicyNode.attributes.getNamedItem(c_sXmlns) != null) 

            {

                WScript.Echo("XML file " + g_sOriginPolicyFile + " might not need to process, exit directly.");

                WScript.Quit(1); 

            }

        }

        break;

    }

}

g_xmlTarget = new ActiveXObject("MSXML2.DOMDocument.6.0");

var sTargetXmlFile = g_sOriginPolicyPath + "\\Converted-" + g_sOriginFileName;

if (g_fso.FileExists(sTargetXmlFile)) 

{

    var oFile = g_fso.GetFile(sTargetXmlFile);

    oFile.Attributes = oFile.Attributes & (~1);

    g_fso.DeleteFile(sTargetXmlFile);

}

WScript.Echo("The target converted policy file: " + sTargetXmlFile);

var oSrcAddKeyNodes;

var oSrcAddValueNodes;

var sNameAttribute;

var sTypeAttribute;

var sDisabledAttribute;

var sNodeValue;

var oTargetAddKeyNode;

var oTargetAddValueNode;

var oAttributes;

// Check "SecurityPolicy" node in source XML

if (oSrcSecurityPolicyNode != null) 

{

    // Create "SecurityPolicy" node for target XML

    var oTargetSecurityPolicyNode = g_xmlTarget.createNode(1, c_sSecurityPolicy, c_sNameSpace);

    // Add attributes under "SecurityPolicy" child node to target node 

    oAttributes = oSrcSecurityPolicyNode.attributes;

    for (var index = 0; index < oAttributes.length; index++) 

    {

        if (oAttributes.item(index).name != c_sXmlns) 

        {

            oTargetSecurityPolicyNode.setAttribute(oAttributes.item(index).name, oAttributes.item(index).nodeValue);

        }

    }

    // Check "PolicySection" child node in source XML

    var oSrcPolicySectionNode = oSrcSecurityPolicyNode.selectSingleNode(c_sPolicySection);

    if (oSrcPolicySectionNode != null) 

    {

        // Create "PolicySection" node for target XML

        var oTargetPolicySectionNode = g_xmlTarget.createNode(1, c_sPolicySection, c_sNameSpace);

        // Add attributes under "PolicySection" child node to target node 

        oAttributes = oSrcPolicySectionNode.attributes;

        for (var index = 0; index < oAttributes.length; index++) 

        {

            oTargetPolicySectionNode.setAttribute(oAttributes.item(index).name, oAttributes.item(index).nodeValue);

        }

        // Check "LocalGroupPolicySettings" child node

        var oSrcLocalGroupPolicySettingsNode = oSrcPolicySectionNode.selectSingleNode(c_sLocalGroupPolicySettings);

        if (oSrcLocalGroupPolicySettingsNode != null) 

        {

            // Create "LocalGroupPolicySettings" node for target XML

            var oTargetLocalGroupPolicySettingsNode = g_xmlTarget.createNode(1, c_sLocalGroupPolicySettings, c_sNameSpace);

            oSrcAddKeyNodes = oSrcLocalGroupPolicySettingsNode.selectNodes(c_sAddKey);

            for (var iKeyIndex = 0; iKeyIndex < oSrcAddKeyNodes.length; iKeyIndex++) 

            {

                // Create one "AddKey" node for target XML

                oTargetAddKeyNode = g_xmlTarget.createNode(1, c_sAddKey, c_sNameSpace);

                // Add attributes under "AddKey" child node to target node 

                oAttributes = oSrcAddKeyNodes[iKeyIndex].attributes;

                for (var index = 0; index < oAttributes.length; index++) 

                {

                    oTargetAddKeyNode.setAttribute(oAttributes.item(index).name, oAttributes.item(index).nodeValue);

                }

                oSrcAddValueNodes = oSrcAddKeyNodes[iKeyIndex].selectNodes(c_sAddValue);

                for (var iValueIndex = 0; iValueIndex < oSrcAddValueNodes.length; iValueIndex++) 

                {

                    // Create "AddValue" node

                    oTargetAddValueNode = g_xmlTarget.createNode(1, c_sAddValue, c_sNameSpace);

                    // Add attributes under "AddValue" child node to target node 

                    sNameAttribute = GetAttribute(oSrcAddValueNodes[iValueIndex], c_sName);

                    oTargetAddValueNode.setAttribute(c_sName, sNameAttribute);

                    sTypeAttribute = GetAttribute(oSrcAddValueNodes[iValueIndex], c_sType);

                    if (sNameAttribute == c_sFallbackOrder) 

                    {

                        if (sTypeAttribute == c_sDWord) 

                        {

                            oTargetAddValueNode.setAttribute(c_sType, c_sSZ);

                        }

                        else 

                        {

                            oTargetAddValueNode.setAttribute(c_sType, sTypeAttribute);

                        }

                    }

                    else if (sNameAttribute == c_sDefinitionUpdateFileShareSources) 

                    {

                        if (sTypeAttribute == c_sDWord) 

                        {

                            oTargetAddValueNode.setAttribute(c_sType, c_sSZ);

                        }

                        else 

                        {

                            oTargetAddValueNode.setAttribute(c_sType, sTypeAttribute);

                        }

                    }

                    else 

                    {

                        oTargetAddValueNode.setAttribute(c_sType, sTypeAttribute);

                    }

                    if (oSrcAddValueNodes[iValueIndex].attributes.getNamedItem(c_sDisabled) != null) 

                    {

                        sDisabledAttribute = GetAttribute(oSrcAddValueNodes[iValueIndex], c_sDisabled);

                        oTargetAddValueNode.setAttribute(c_sDisabled, sDisabledAttribute);

                    }

                    sNodeValue = oSrcAddValueNodes[iValueIndex].text;

                    oTargetNodeValue = g_xmlTarget.createTextNode(sNodeValue);

                    oTargetAddValueNode.appendChild(oTargetNodeValue);

                    // Append "AddValue" child node under current "AddKey" node

                    oTargetAddKeyNode.appendChild(oTargetAddValueNode);

                }

                // Append "AddKey" child node under "LocalGroupPolicySettings" node

                oTargetLocalGroupPolicySettingsNode.appendChild(oTargetAddKeyNode);

            }

            // Append "LocalGroupPolicySettings" child node under "PolicySection" node

            oTargetPolicySectionNode.appendChild(oTargetLocalGroupPolicySettingsNode);

        }

        // Append "PolicySection" child node under "SecurityPolicy" node

        oTargetSecurityPolicyNode.appendChild(oTargetPolicySectionNode);

    }

    // Append "SecurityPolicy" node

    g_xmlTarget.appendChild(oTargetSecurityPolicyNode);

    g_xmlTarget.save(sTargetXmlFile);

}

--Weitao Wang

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.