The Microsoft Defender SmartScreen for Explorer must be enabled.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-253395	WN11-CC-000210	SV-253395r829269_rule		Medium

Description
Microsoft Defender SmartScreen helps protect systems from programs downloaded from the internet that may be malicious. Enabling Microsoft Defender SmartScreen will warn or prevent users from running potentially malicious programs.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Windows 11 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-09-29

Details

Check Text ( C-56848r829267_chk )
This is applicable to unclassified systems, for other systems this is NA. If the following registry values do not exist or are not configured as specified, this is a finding: Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Registry Path: \SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\ Value Name: EnableSmartScreen Value Type: REG_DWORD Value: 0x00000001 (1) And Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Registry Path: \SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\ Value Name: ShellSmartScreenLevel Value Type: REG_SZ Value: Block

Check Text ( C-56848r829267_chk )

This is applicable to unclassified systems, for other systems this is NA.

If the following registry values do not exist or are not configured as specified, this is a finding:

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\

Value Name: EnableSmartScreen

Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0x00000001 (1)

And

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\

Value Name: ShellSmartScreenLevel

Value Type: REG_SZ
Value: Block

Fix Text (F-56798r829268_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> File Explorer >> "Configure Windows Defender SmartScreen" to "Enabled" with "Warn and prevent bypass" selected. Windows 11 includes duplicate policies for this setting. It can also be configured under Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Windows Defender SmartScreen >> Explorer.

Fix Text (F-56798r829268_fix)

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> File Explorer >> "Configure Windows Defender SmartScreen" to "Enabled" with "Warn and prevent bypass" selected.

Windows 11 includes duplicate policies for this setting. It can also be configured under Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Windows Defender SmartScreen >> Explorer.