PowerShell News: Graph SDK Goes WAM & Building AI Agents
Plus: Auditing MFA, replacing VBScript, and advanced console formatting with Jeff Hicks.
If you celebrate Christmas, I hope it was a good one! There is still a lot of great PowerShell content from the last week.
Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK V2.34 Makes WAM the Default
Tony Redmond has an interesting post about the unexpected weekend release of the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK V2.34, which mandates the use of the Web Account Manager (WAM) for all interactive connections. This update, likely rushed to address a potential security vulnerability, fixes previous integration issues but permanently changes the sign-in experience by removing the ability to disable the WAM broker.
https://office365itpros.com/2025/12/23/web-account-manager-graph-sdk/
Living in PowerShell with Jeff Hicks. The PowerShell Podcast E206
Andrew Pla has a great episode featuring PowerShell legend Jeff Hicks on his daily workflow within the console. Jeff demonstrates how he uses custom tools and modules like Spectre Console to manage his entire day from the command line and introduces his new PS Intro project, designed to help beginners get started with interactive tutorials and resources.
Microsoft Resolves WAM Issues for Microsoft Graph PowerShell
Daniel Bradley has a great post detailing how Microsoft has finally fixed the Web Account Manager (WAM) authentication errors in the latest Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK. He explains that while the update resolves the library conflicts that previously caused crashes, it also makes WAM the mandatory default login experience for Windows devices to enforce seamless SSO and Token Protection, even if you try to disable it.
https://ourcloudnetwork.com/microsoft-resolves-wam-issues-for-microsoft-graph-powershell/
Build a PowerShell AI Agent From Scratch (No Frameworks, No Magic)
Doug Finke has a great video on building a PowerShell AI agent from scratch, demonstrating how to use REST calls, loops, memory, and tool calling to evolve a simple chat completion into a stateful agent without using any frameworks.
Partner Centre Admin MFA Assessment: A Comprehensive PowerShell Compliance Tool
JJ Milner has a comprehensive post detailing a new PowerShell script designed to accurately audit Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) compliance for all Microsoft Partner Centre admin accounts. He explains that because Microsoft’s native reporting can be opaque regarding which roles are monitored, this tool queries all relevant sources—including Entra ID roles, Agent groups, and GDAP assignments—to ensure partners meet the strict security requirements for the new Support Services designation.
https://substack.com/home/post/p-182311608
AL: Replacing VBScript with PowerShell with John Clark and Maria Barnes
John Clark and Maria Barnes have a great video on replacing deprecated VBScript with PowerShell for deploying Microsoft Access front-end updates. They demonstrate how to use AI to convert legacy scripts (originally by Bill Mosca) and cover foundational concepts for rolling out front-end updates to users.
More Formatting Fun with pwshSpectreConsole
Jeff Hicks explores advanced formatting capabilities with the pwshSpectreConsole module in his December 19th newsletter. The article covers Write-SpectreHost, adding links and emojis to output, using rulers and JSON formatting, applying styles, and creating visual trees with Out-SpectreTree. These techniques help create more visually appealing and informative PowerShell output.
PowerShell 5.1 Now Warns When Running Invoke-WebRequest Scripts
This is a bit older than last week, but I thought it was worth sharing…
Following the December Patch Tuesday updates, Windows PowerShell 5.1 now displays a security confirmation prompt when using the Invoke-WebRequest command to fetch web pages without the -UseBasicParsing parameter. This change mitigates CVE-2025-54100, a command injection vulnerability that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code through crafted web content. IT admins should update automation scripts to explicitly use the -UseBasicParsing switch.
Installing PowerShell on macOS
Harm Veenstra has a helpful post detailing his experience setting up a new MacBook Air M4 with PowerShell. He walks through four distinct installation methods—including Homebrew, direct PKG downloads, and .NET Global Tools—and notes that while Homebrew is the easiest for Windows users, it currently flags a warning about future Gatekeeper compliance changes coming in 2026.
https://powershellisfun.com/2025/12/24/installing-powershell-on-macos/
Solid roundup. The WAM enforcement is interesting timing, especially pushing it as mandatory without much heads up. I get why Microsoft wants seamless SSO everywhere, but removing the ability to disble it probably gonna catch some automation workflows off guard. The MFA audit script for Partner Centre is actually pratical stuff, native reporting has always been too opaque about which roles get monitored.