Internet Explorer Processes for restricting pop-up windows must be enforced (Explorer).

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-15571	DTBI647	SV-40689r1_rule	ECSC-1	Medium

Description
Internet Explorer allows scripts to programmatically open, resize, and reposition various types of windows. Often, disreputable web sites will resize windows to either hide other windows or force a user to interact with a window that contains malicious code. The Scripted Window Security Restrictions security feature restricts pop-up windows and prohibits scripts from displaying windows in which the title and status bars are not visible to the user or hide other windows’ title and status bars. If you enable the Scripted Window Security Restrictions\Internet Explorer Processes policy setting, pop-up windows and other restrictions apply for Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer processes. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, scripts can continue to create pop-up windows and windows that hide other windows. This guide recommends configuring this setting to Enabled to help prevent malicious web sites from controlling the Internet Explorer windows or fooling users into clicking on the wrong window.

Description

Internet Explorer allows scripts to programmatically open, resize, and reposition various types of windows. Often, disreputable web sites will resize windows to either hide other windows or force a user to interact with a window that contains malicious code. The Scripted Window Security Restrictions security feature restricts pop-up windows and prohibits scripts from displaying windows in which the title and status bars are not visible to the user or hide other windows’ title and status bars. If you enable the Scripted Window Security Restrictions\Internet Explorer Processes policy setting, pop-up windows and other restrictions apply for Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer processes. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, scripts can continue to create pop-up windows and windows that hide other windows. This guide recommends configuring this setting to Enabled to help prevent malicious web sites from controlling the Internet Explorer windows or fooling users into clicking on the wrong window.

STIG	Date
Internet Explorer 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2014-03-21

Details

Check Text ( http://oval.mitre.org/XMLSchema/oval-definitions-5 )
The policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> Security Features -> Scripted Window Security Restrictions -> "Internet Explorer Processes" must be “Enabled”. Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\FEATURE_WINDOW_RESTRICTIONS Criteria: If the value explorer.exe is REG_SZ = 1, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( http://oval.mitre.org/XMLSchema/oval-definitions-5 )

The policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> Security Features -> Scripted Window Security Restrictions -> "Internet Explorer Processes" must be “Enabled”.

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

Criteria: If the value explorer.exe is REG_SZ = 1, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-34547r1_fix)
Set the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> Security Features -> Scripted Window Security Restrictions -> "Internet Explorer Processes" to “Enabled”.