Adobe Reader DC must disable the ability to elevate IE Trusts to Privileged Locations.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-65799	ARDC-CL-000310	SV-80289r3_rule		Medium

Description
Privileged Locations allow the user to selectively trust files, folders, and hosts to bypass some security restrictions, such as enhanced security and protected view. By default, the user can create privileged locations through the GUI. Disabling IE Trusts to Privileged Locations disables and locks the end user's ability to treat IE trusted sites as a privileged location prevents them from assigning trust and thereby exempting that location from enhanced security restrictions.

Description

Privileged Locations allow the user to selectively trust files, folders, and hosts to bypass some security restrictions, such as enhanced security and protected view. By default, the user can create privileged locations through the GUI. Disabling IE Trusts to Privileged Locations disables and locks the end user's ability to treat IE trusted sites as a privileged location prevents them from assigning trust and thereby exempting that location from enhanced security restrictions.

STIG	Date
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Classic Track Security Technical Implementation Guide	2018-06-11

Details

Check Text ( C-66481r2_chk )
Verify the following registry configuration: Utilizing the Registry Editor, navigate to the following: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\2015\FeatureLockDown Value Name: bDisableOSTrustedSites Type: REG_DWORD Value: 1 If the value for bDisableOSTrustedSites is not set to “1” and Type configured to REG_DWORD or does not exist, then this is a finding. GUI path: Edit > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) > In the 'Privileged Locations' section, verify 'Automatically trust sites from my Win OS security zones' option is unchecked and greyed out (locked). If this box is checked and not greyed out, this is a finding. Admin Template path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Adobe Reader DC Classic > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) > Automatically trust sites from my Win OS security zones' must be set to 'Disabled'. This policy setting requires the installation of the AcrobatDCClassic custom templates included with the STIG package. "AcrobatDCClassic.admx" and "AcrobatDCClassic.adml" must be copied to the \Windows\PolicyDefinitions and \Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US directories respectively.

Check Text ( C-66481r2_chk )

Verify the following registry configuration:

Utilizing the Registry Editor, navigate to the following: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\2015\FeatureLockDown

Value Name: bDisableOSTrustedSites
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

If the value for bDisableOSTrustedSites is not set to “1” and Type configured to REG_DWORD or does not exist, then this is a finding.

GUI path: Edit > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) > In the 'Privileged Locations' section, verify 'Automatically trust sites from my Win OS security zones' option is unchecked and greyed out (locked). If this box is checked and not greyed out, this is a finding.

Admin Template path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Adobe Reader DC Classic > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) > Automatically trust sites from my Win OS security zones' must be set to 'Disabled'.

This policy setting requires the installation of the AcrobatDCClassic custom templates included with the STIG package. "AcrobatDCClassic.admx" and "AcrobatDCClassic.adml" must be copied to the \Windows\PolicyDefinitions and \Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US directories respectively.

Fix Text (F-71869r2_fix)
Configure the following registry value: Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Registry Path: \Software\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\2015\FeatureLockDown Value Name: bDisableOSTrustedSites Type: REG_DWORD Value: 1 Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Adobe Reader DC Classic > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) > Automatically trust sites from my Win OS security zones' to 'Disabled'. This policy setting requires the installation of the AcrobatDCClassic custom templates included with the STIG package. "AcrobatDCClassic.admx" and "AcrobatDCClassic.adml" must be copied to the \Windows\PolicyDefinitions and \Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US directories respectively.

Fix Text (F-71869r2_fix)

Configure the following registry value:

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \Software\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\2015\FeatureLockDown

Value Name: bDisableOSTrustedSites
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Adobe Reader DC Classic > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) > Automatically trust sites from my Win OS security zones' to 'Disabled'.

This policy setting requires the installation of the AcrobatDCClassic custom templates included with the STIG package. "AcrobatDCClassic.admx" and "AcrobatDCClassic.adml" must be copied to the \Windows\PolicyDefinitions and \Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US directories respectively.