Subscriber Discussion

How To Alarm If A User Closes An Application?

SF
Sanford Fisher
Feb 16, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Does anyone know how I can ensure that a given application or process is running (on a Windows PC)? I have a security alarm situation where I'd like to provide an alert of some kind if an end-user inadvertently closes an application window - it's an alarm monitor that needs to remain open at all times.

Thanks, Sandy

DC
Dominic Chanderbhan
Feb 16, 2015

Hi Sandy,

Logmein Pro has what you are looking for.

(1)
Avatar
Luis Carmona
Feb 16, 2015
Geutebruck USA • IPVMU Certified

Sanford, what your asking for is probably what is called server/system monitoring software or services. They range greatly in price, abilities, and whether you run everything on your own systems or you subscribe to a cloud management platform where you install monitoring agent services.

In this example, this offering advertises it will watch the following:

"Monitor CPU, memory utilisation, storage, processes and services"

OpsView

The processes would be any running applications where you would setup and alert if one stopped.

This popular platform might also do what you need.

ControlNow.com

(4)
Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Feb 16, 2015
IPVMU Certified

That's helpful Luis. Have you ever used Spiceworks monitoring? I think I've seen you comment on those forums, but I'm not too familiar with the offerings. It may encompass way more than the OP needs.

Several years ago, GFI had a good system monitoring platform called EndPoint, but I think it has been folded up into MAX RemoteManagement. At the time, it was $50 per server per month.

(1)
Avatar
Luis Carmona
Feb 16, 2015
Geutebruck USA • IPVMU Certified

Yep, I'm a Spice Head. It helps me keep in touch with my IT roots.

Spiceworks probably does monitor running processes. It does a LOT. For FREE. But I couldn't remember exactly if it did or didn't. We've used it before as a Help Desk platform.

AO
Andrew Oliver
Feb 16, 2015
Windows Scripting tools (vbs/WMI) provide a very rich set of functionality without having to purchase any software. Search technet scripting guy or hundreds of other programming resource. You will need to invest time to trawl internet for examples of what your hoping to achieve. You could monitor services and processes and the call a web service or interact with a database, etc. If you don't have time/skills to use this fhen following the last response, PRTG, GFI, spice works, etc, etc. Regards ACO
(1)
(2)
MI
Matt Ion
Feb 17, 2015

One ridiculously easy way to do it is to put a small batch file in the Startup folder, have that call the application, and then as the next line, either tell it to run some kind of alerting program (either something to create noise, send an email, etc.), and/or just have it loop back and re-start the application. Something like this:

:loop
call c:\program files\myapp\myapp.exe
start /min /b c:\program files\myapp\sendalert.cmd
goto loop

So when the batch runs, it starts the app... when the app closes, launches another batch file that does whatever alerting you want, then loops back, and starts the app again.

It can be stopped from the task manager or by closing the batch window, so it's not 100% undefeatable... but then what is? Put a shortcut to the batch file into the Startup folder, then set it to start Minimized:

(2)
LM
Luke Maslen
Feb 17, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Hi Sandy, a different approach would be to simply prevent the application being closed. If this is the only application the user will need to be running, then it is easily achieved using Kiosk Mode in Windows 8.1 in any edition except for the "standard edition". Detailed instructions are provided in the article How to Easily Put a Windows PC into Kiosk Mode With Assigned Access.

(1)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Feb 17, 2015

Sandy, there is kind of program named "watchdog" that actually does what you need, but this kind of programs are created as part of a main programs like VMS and DVRs to avoid losing of video recording. there is also SNMP that is really complete and powerfu. At the end, the best tool to use to monitor your applications depends on you applications itself, a final idea will be create a VB program to frequently check for the applications you need to monitor.

New discussion

Ask questions and get answers to your physical security questions from IPVM team members and fellow subscribers.

Newest discussions