Add system-wide policy configuration for centralized update control

Source/NETworkManager.Localization/Resources/Strings.resx

@@ -3960,4 +3960,7 @@ If you click Cancel, the profile file will remain unencrypted.</value>
   <data name="HelpMessage_MaximumNumberOfBackups" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Number of backups that are retained before the oldest one is deleted.</value>
   </data>
+  <data name="SettingManagedByAdministrator" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>This setting is managed by your administrator.</value>
+  </data>
 </root>

Source/NETworkManager.Models/Network/NetworkInterface.cs

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public sealed class NetworkInterface
         "Npcap Packet Driver (NPCAP)",
         "QoS Packet Scheduler",
         "WFP 802.3 MAC Layer LightWeight Filter",
-        "Ethernet (Kerneldebugger)",        
+        "Ethernet (Kerneldebugger)",
         "Filter Driver",
         "WAN Miniport",
         "Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter"
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ public static List<NetworkInterfaceInfo> GetNetworkInterfaces()
             // Filter out virtual/filter adapters introduced in .NET 9/10
             // Check if the adapter name or description contains any filtered pattern
             // See: https://github.com/dotnet/runtime/issues/122751
-            if (NetworkInterfaceFilteredPatterns.Any(pattern => 
-                networkInterface.Name.Contains(pattern) || 
+            if (NetworkInterfaceFilteredPatterns.Any(pattern =>
+                networkInterface.Name.Contains(pattern) ||
                 networkInterface.Description.Contains(pattern)))
                 continue;
 

Source/NETworkManager.Profiles/ProfileManager.cs

@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ private static void Load(ProfileFileInfo profileFileInfo)
 
         if (loadedProfileUpdated)
             LoadedProfileFileChanged(LoadedProfileFile, true);
-        
+
         // Notify subscribers that profiles have been loaded/updated
         ProfilesUpdated(false);
     }
@@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ private static void AddGroups(List<GroupInfo> groups, bool profilesChanged = tru
 
         ProfilesUpdated(profilesChanged);
     }
-    
+
     /// <summary>
     ///     Method to add a <see cref="GroupInfo" /> to the loaded profile data.
     /// </summary>
@@ -1022,7 +1022,7 @@ public static GroupInfo GetGroupByName(string name)
 
 
         var group = LoadedProfileFileData.Groups.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Name.Equals(name));
-        
+
         if (group == null)
             throw new InvalidOperationException($"Group '{name}' not found.");
 
@@ -1089,12 +1089,12 @@ public static bool GroupExists(string name)
     public static bool IsGroupEmpty(string name)
     {
         ArgumentException.ThrowIfNullOrWhiteSpace(name);
-        
+
         var group = LoadedProfileFileData.Groups.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Name == name);
-        
+
         if (group == null)
             throw new InvalidOperationException($"Group '{name}' not found.");
-        
+
         return group.Profiles.Count == 0;
     }
 
@@ -1118,7 +1118,7 @@ public static void AddProfile(ProfileInfo profile)
             AddGroup(new GroupInfo(profile.Group));
 
         var group = LoadedProfileFileData.Groups.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Name.Equals(profile.Group));
-        
+
         if (group == null)
             throw new InvalidOperationException($"Group '{profile.Group}' not found for profile after creation attempt.");
 
@@ -1144,7 +1144,7 @@ public static void ReplaceProfile(ProfileInfo oldProfile, ProfileInfo newProfile
 
         // Remove from old group
         var oldGroup = LoadedProfileFileData.Groups.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Name.Equals(oldProfile.Group));
-        
+
         if (oldGroup == null)
             throw new InvalidOperationException($"Group '{oldProfile.Group}' not found for old profile.");
 
@@ -1155,7 +1155,7 @@ public static void ReplaceProfile(ProfileInfo oldProfile, ProfileInfo newProfile
             AddGroup(new GroupInfo(newProfile.Group));
 
         var newGroup = LoadedProfileFileData.Groups.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Name.Equals(newProfile.Group));
-        
+
         if (newGroup == null)
             throw new InvalidOperationException($"Group '{newProfile.Group}' not found for new profile after creation attempt.");
 
@@ -1177,7 +1177,7 @@ public static void RemoveProfile(ProfileInfo profile)
         ArgumentException.ThrowIfNullOrWhiteSpace(profile.Group, nameof(profile));
 
         var group = LoadedProfileFileData.Groups.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Name.Equals(profile.Group));
-        
+
         if (group == null)
             throw new InvalidOperationException($"Group '{profile.Group}' not found.");
 
@@ -1205,7 +1205,7 @@ public static void RemoveProfiles(IEnumerable<ProfileInfo> profiles)
             }
 
             var group = LoadedProfileFileData.Groups.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Name.Equals(profile.Group));
-            
+
             if (group == null)
             {
                 Log.Warn($"RemoveProfiles: Group '{profile.Group}' not found for profile '{profile.Name ?? "<unnamed>"}'.");

Source/NETworkManager.Settings/GlobalStaticConfiguration.cs

@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public static class GlobalStaticConfiguration
     // Settings: Settings
     public static bool Settings_IsDailyBackupEnabled => true;
     public static int Settings_MaximumNumberOfBackups => 10;
-    
+
     // Application: Dashboard
     public static string Dashboard_PublicIPv4Address => "1.1.1.1";
     public static string Dashboard_PublicIPv6Address => "2606:4700:4700::1111";

Source/NETworkManager.Settings/NETworkManager.Settings.csproj

@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@
         <Compile Include="..\GlobalAssemblyInfo.cs" Link="Properties\GlobalAssemblyInfo.cs" />
     </ItemGroup>
     <ItemGroup>
+        <Content Include="config.json.example">
+          <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
+        </Content>
         <Content Include="Themes\Dark.Accent1.xaml">
             <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
             <SubType>Designer</SubType>

Source/NETworkManager.Settings/PolicyInfo.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
+
+namespace NETworkManager.Settings;
+
+/// <summary>
+///     Class that represents system-wide policies that override user settings.
+///     This configuration is loaded from a config.json file in the application directory.
+/// </summary>
+public class PolicyInfo
+{
+    [JsonPropertyName("Update_CheckForUpdatesAtStartup")]
+    public bool? Update_CheckForUpdatesAtStartup { get; set; }
+}

Source/NETworkManager.Settings/PolicyManager.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+using log4net;
+using System;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Text.Json;
+using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
+
+namespace NETworkManager.Settings;
+
+/// <summary>
+///     Manager for system-wide policies that are loaded from a config.json file 
+///     in the application directory. These policies override user settings.
+/// </summary>
+public static class PolicyManager
+{
+    #region Variables
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Logger for logging.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static readonly ILog Log = LogManager.GetLogger(typeof(PolicyManager));
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Config file name.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static string ConfigFileName => "config.json";
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     System-wide policies that are currently loaded.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static PolicyInfo Current { get; private set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     JSON serializer options for consistent serialization/deserialization.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static readonly JsonSerializerOptions JsonOptions = new()
+    {
+        WriteIndented = true,
+        PropertyNameCaseInsensitive = true,
+        DefaultIgnoreCondition = JsonIgnoreCondition.WhenWritingNull,
+        Converters = { new JsonStringEnumConverter() }
+    };
+
+    #endregion
+
+    #region Methods
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Method to get the config file path in the application directory.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>Config file path.</returns>
+    private static string GetConfigFilePath()
+    {
+        return Path.Combine(AssemblyManager.Current.Location, ConfigFileName);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Method to load the system-wide policies from config.json file in the application directory.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void Load()
+    {
+        var filePath = GetConfigFilePath();
+
+        // Check if config file exists
+        if (File.Exists(filePath))
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                Log.Info($"Loading system-wide policies from: {filePath}");
+
+                var jsonString = File.ReadAllText(filePath);
+
+                // Treat empty or JSON "null" as "no policies" instead of crashing
+                if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(jsonString))
+                {
+                    Current = new PolicyInfo();
+                    Log.Info("Config file is empty, no system-wide policies loaded.");
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    Current = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<PolicyInfo>(jsonString, JsonOptions) ?? new PolicyInfo();
+
+                    Log.Info("System-wide policies loaded successfully.");
+
+                    // Log enabled settings
+                    Log.Info($"System-wide policy - Update_CheckForUpdatesAtStartup: {Current.Update_CheckForUpdatesAtStartup?.ToString() ?? "Not set"}");
+                }
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex)
+            {
+                Log.Error($"Failed to load system-wide policies from: {filePath}", ex);
+                Current = new PolicyInfo();
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            Log.Debug($"No system-wide policy file found at: {filePath}");
+            Current = new PolicyInfo();
+        }
+    }
+
+    #endregion
+}

Source/NETworkManager.Settings/SettingsManager.cs

@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ private static SettingsInfo DeserializeFromXmlFile(string filePath)
     ///     Method to save the currently loaded settings (to a file).
     /// </summary>
     public static void Save()
-    {        
+    {
         // Create the directory if it does not exist
         Directory.CreateDirectory(GetSettingsFolderLocation());
 
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ private static void CreateDailyBackupIfNeeded()
         // Create backup if needed
         var currentDate = DateTime.Now.Date;
         var lastBackupDate = Current.LastBackup.Date;
-                
+
         if (lastBackupDate < currentDate)
         {
             Log.Info("Creating daily backup of settings...");

Source/NETworkManager.Settings/config.json.example

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "Update_CheckForUpdatesAtStartup": false
+}