Windows 10: Controlled Folder Access w/ GPO: Multiple exes?

I'm looking to configuring Controlled Folder Access for our organization, however we have programs that have multiple exes to them (like most programs) - like, in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Reader DC", for example, has their main Reader.exe, but there's also other exes in folders and subfolders that Adobe Reader DC uses.


I looked at this guide here to see the syntax for entering allowed applications, but I'm wondering if it's possible for each entry just to be the path and *.*, for example: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Reader DC\*.*".


If that works, it'd be so much easier to configure allowed applications, because they all have multiple exes to them, haha, it'd be better just to allow each program's directory/folder.


Thank you!

:)

 

Defender Controlled Folder Access: how to allow desktop application w/ multiple exe files access a protected folder?

After enabling Controlled folder access in Windows Defender, one of my desktop applications that uses a cloud location for file storage was blocked. That's fine, and that's what Defender is supposed to do.

However, this program has MANY MANY executable files and functions, so it's enormously time consuming to add them all. So, my question is:

is there any way to allow that program and all of its functions access or must I go through every single exe file and allow it access individually? (That means not only finding the exe files in the Programs Files (x86) directory for that program but also
sorting through all the myriad executables it has in the /Common Files directory as well.

Any suggestions?

 

Controlled Folder Access is off. Shouldn't this be on?

Suggestion to also read

• this article (ignore ads):
  How to Protect Your Files From Ransomware With Windows Defender’s New “Controlled Folder Access”
• and this thread:
  Controlled Folder Access Feature in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update Questions?
  

 

Windows 10 Fall Creators Update with Controlled Folder Access

Yes, i tried that excluding every .exe file connected to the Brother printer and Control Center but it still blocked my scans. To solve the problem, I moved the folder for savings scans outside of the Controlled Folder Access folders (not a protected
folder) as suggested by SprintX above and it works. Adding .exe files to the allow through section in Controlled Folder Access does nothing to let it through in this case.