The IIS 8.5 web server Indexing must only index web content.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-76735	IISW-SV-000139	SV-91431r1_rule		Medium

Description
The indexing service can be used to facilitate a search function for websites. Enabling indexing may facilitate a directory traversal exploit and reveal unwanted information to a malicious user. Indexing must be limited to web document directories only.

STIG	Date
IIS 8.5 Server Security Technical Implementation Guide	2018-04-05

Details

Check Text ( C-76391r1_chk )
Access the IIS 8.5 Web Server. Access an administrator command prompt and type "regedit " to access the server's registry. Navigate to KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ContentIndex\Catalogs\. If this key exists then indexing is enabled; if the key does not exist then this check is Not Applicable. Review the Catalogs keys to determine if directories other than web document directories are being indexed. If so, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-76391r1_chk )

Access the IIS 8.5 Web Server.

Access an administrator command prompt and type "regedit " to access the server's registry.

Navigate to KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ContentIndex\Catalogs\.

If this key exists then indexing is enabled; if the key does not exist then this check is Not Applicable.

Review the Catalogs keys to determine if directories other than web document directories are being indexed. If so, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-83431r1_fix)
Run MMC. Add the Indexing Service snap-in. Edit the indexed directories to only include web document directories.