Browser Geolocation functionality must be disallowed.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-30775	DTBI755	SV-40757r1_rule	ECSC-1	Medium

Description
This setting has a small impact on user privacy because users may unknowingly allow their browser to share location data with web sites that they visit. The value of enabling this setting is diminished due to the fact that malicious web sites can learn a great deal about the location of a user merely by analyzing their IP address. If you enable this policy setting, browser geolocation support will be turned off. If you disable this policy setting, browser geolocation will be turned on. If you do not configure this setting, browser geolocation support can be turned on or off in Internet Options on the Privacy Tab.

Description

This setting has a small impact on user privacy because users may unknowingly allow their browser to share location data with web sites that they visit. The value of enabling this setting is diminished due to the fact that malicious web sites can learn a great deal about the location of a user merely by analyzing their IP address. If you enable this policy setting, browser geolocation support will be turned off. If you disable this policy setting, browser geolocation will be turned on. If you do not configure this setting, browser geolocation support can be turned on or off in Internet Options on the Privacy Tab.

STIG	Date
Internet Explorer 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2012-06-22

Details

Check Text ( C-39502r2_chk )
The policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> "Disable Browser Geolocation" must be “Enabled”. Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Geolocation Criteria: If the value PolicyDisableGeolocation is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-39502r2_chk )

The policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> "Disable Browser Geolocation" must be “Enabled”.

Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key:
HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Geolocation

Criteria: If the value PolicyDisableGeolocation is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-34708r1_fix)
Set the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> "Disable Browser Geolocation" to “Enabled”.