Active Directory Password Reset Script

A PowerShell script for performing batch password resets in Active Directory environments with built-in safety features and comprehensive logging.

Features

• Batch Processing: Reset multiple user passwords from a CSV file

• Safety Confirmation: Prompts user to confirm before making any changes

• Comprehensive Logging: All actions are logged with timestamps to a file

• Error Handling: Gracefully handles and logs any failures during password reset

• Security Focus: Generated passwords are not displayed or logged

• Force Password Change: Users must change their password at next login

Prerequisites

• Windows PowerShell 5.1 or PowerShell 7+
• Active Directory PowerShell module
• Administrator privileges on the domain
• CSV file with user accounts to process

Setup

1. Prepare your CSV file:

• Create a CSV file with a "Username" column header

• List one username per row

• Example format:

  Username

  john.doe

  jane.smith

  mike.johnson

2. Update the script path:

• Modify the $csvPath variable to point to your CSV file location
• Default: C:\Users\administrator\Desktop\Users.csv

Usage

1. Place your CSV file in the specified location

2. Run the script in PowerShell:

   .\PasswordReset.ps1

3. Review the number of users to be processed

4. Type "yes" to confirm and proceed, or anything else to cancel

5. Monitor the output for success/failure messages

6. Check the log file for a complete record: C:\PasswordReset.log

Output

The script provides:

• Screen Output: Real-time status of each password reset
• Log File: Permanent record with timestamps of all operations
• Success Messages: Confirmation when passwords are reset successfully
• Error Messages: Detailed information when operations fail

Example Output

You are about to reset the password for 3 users. Continue? (Yes/No): yes

[SUCCESS] Password for john.doe has been reset on 17-09-2025 22:08:56. User must change it at next login.

[SUCCESS] Password for jane.smith has been reset on 17-09-2025 22:08:57. User must change it at next login.

[ERROR] Failed to reset password for mike.johnson - The specified account does not exist

Security Notes

• Generated passwords are 12 characters long with at least 1 special character
• Temporary passwords are never displayed or logged for security
• Users are forced to change passwords at next login
• All operations are logged for audit purposes

Error Handling

The script handles common scenarios:

• Missing or inaccessible CSV files
• Non-existent user accounts
• Permission-related errors

Author

Created as part of a PowerShell learning portfolio to demonstrate:

• Active Directory management
• Error handling and logging
• User input validation
• Security best practices

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.