What is CiTool.exe & How Do I Use It to Manage CI Policies?

CiTool.exe is a powerful command-line tool for managing Code Integration (CI) policies in software development projects. CI has become an essential practice in modern software development, enabling teams to automate build, test, and deployment processes.

CiTool.exe is designed to simplify the management of CI policies, allowing developers to streamline their workflows and ensure consistent and reliable software delivery. This article will provide an overview of CiTool.exe and guide you on using it effectively to manage CI policies.

What is CiTool.exe?

CiTool simplifies the management of Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies for IT administrators. With CiTool, IT admins can efficiently handle Windows Defender Application Control policies and CI Tokens, streamlining their management processes.

You can also read about other vital executables like castsrv.exe, bthudtask.exe, CameraSettingsUIHost.exe, etc., in our past articles.

How do I Manage CI policies and tokens with CiTool?

1. Press the Windows + S keys simultaneously, and enter the word prompt in the search field.
2. While holding CTRL and Shift keys down, press ENTER to start Command Prompt with admin privileges.
   
3. When you receive a prompt, click Yes.
4. Finally, enter the desired commands.

Policy Commands

• Use the code below when you want to add or update a policy on the current system:
  --update-policy /Path/To/Policy/File
  Alias: -up
• Use the code below when you want to remove a policy indicated by PolicyGUID from the system:
  --remove-policy PolicyGUID
  Alias: -rp
• Use the code below when you want to dump information about all policies on the system, whether they are active or not:
  --list-policies
  Alias: -lp

Token Commands

• Use the code below when you want to deploy a token onto the current system with an optional specific ID:
  --add-token Path/To/Token/File <--token-id ID>
  Alias: -at
  If <ID> is specified, a pre-existing token with <ID> should not exist.
• Use the code below when you want to remove a Token indicated by ID from the system:
  --remove-token ID
  Alias: -rt
• Use the code below when you want to dump information about all tokens on the system:
  --list-tokens
  Alias: -lt

Miscellaneous Commands

• Use the code below when you want to dump the Code Integrity Device ID:
  --device-id
  Alias: -id
• Use the code below when you want to attempt to Refresh WDAC Policies:
  --refresh
  Alias: -r
• Use the code below when you want to display the tool’s help menu:
  --help
  Alias: -h

Examples

• Deploy a WDAC policy:
  CiTool --update-policy "/Path/To/Policy/File"
• Refresh the WDAC policies on the system:
  CiTool --refresh
• Remove a specific WDAC policy by its policy ID:
  CiTool --remove-policy "PolicyGUID"
• Display the help menu:
  CiTool -h

Should I delete CiTool.exe?

Whether or not you should delete CiTool.exe depends on your specific needs and requirements. Here are some reasons to consider both keeping and deleting CiTool.exe:

Reasons to keep CiTool.exe

• It provides the necessary functionality to configure and enforce code integrity rules on your system.
• Code Integrity helps enhance system security.
• CiTool.exe allows for granular control over code integrity policies, enabling you to specify trusted files, directories, and code signing requirements.

Reasons to consider deleting CiTool.exe

• To free up disk space and reduce clutter if you do not require code integrity management or have a specific use case.
• Avoid accidental misconfigurations or complications if you are unfamiliar with the tool or do not have the expertise to utilize it effectively.
• If you prefer to manage code integrity through alternative methods or tools that better suit your workflow.

In conclusion, CiTool.exe is an indispensable utility for managing CI policies and safeguarding the integrity of an operating system. By allowing users to add, update, remove, and list policies and deploy and remove tokens, CiTool.exe provides a comprehensive set of commands for effective CI policy management.

With the knowledge and understanding of CiTool.exe’s functionalities, users can confidently configure CI policies. Embracing CiTool.exe as a part of their security arsenal, users can bolster the protection of their systems against unauthorized and malicious software.