Ability for users to enable or disable add-ons must be enforced.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-14245	DTBI697	SV-40529r1_rule	ECSC-1	Low

Description
Users often choose to install add-ons that are not permitted by an organization's security policy. Such add-ons can pose a significant security and privacy risk to your network. This policy setting allows you to manage whether users have the ability to allow or deny add-ons through Add-On Manager. If you enable this policy setting, users cannot enable or disable add-ons through Add-On Manager. The only exception occurs if an add-on has been specifically entered into the 'Add-On List' policy setting in such a way as to allow users to continue to manage the add-on. In this case, the user can still manage the add-on. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the appropriate controls in the Add-On Manager will be available to the user.

Description

Users often choose to install add-ons that are not permitted by an organization's security policy. Such add-ons can pose a significant security and privacy risk to your network. This policy setting allows you to manage whether users have the ability to allow or deny add-ons through Add-On Manager. If you enable this policy setting, users cannot enable or disable add-ons through Add-On Manager. The only exception occurs if an add-on has been specifically entered into the 'Add-On List' policy setting in such a way as to allow users to continue to manage the add-on. In this case, the user can still manage the add-on. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the appropriate controls in the Add-On Manager will be available to the user.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2013-09-30

Details

Check Text ( C-39307r5_chk )
The policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> “Do Not Allow Users to enable or Disable Add-Ons” must be “Disabled”. Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions Criteria: If the value NoExtensionManagement does not exist or the value is set to REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-39307r5_chk )

The policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> “Do Not Allow Users to enable or Disable Add-Ons” must be “Disabled”.

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

Criteria: If the value NoExtensionManagement does not exist or the value is set to REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-34418r1_fix)
Set the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer-> “Do Not Allow Users to enable or Disable Add-Ons” to “Disabled”.