The Windows PowerShell 2.0 feature must be disabled on the system.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-253285	WN11-00-000155	SV-253285r958478_rule		Medium

Description
Windows PowerShell 5.0 added advanced logging features which can provide additional detail when malware has been run on a system. Disabling the Windows PowerShell 2.0 mitigates against a downgrade attack that evades the Windows PowerShell 5.0 script block logging feature.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Windows 11 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-06-10

Details

Check Text ( C-56738r828937_chk )
Run "Windows PowerShell" with elevated privileges (run as administrator). Enter the following: Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online \| Where FeatureName -like PowerShellv2 If either of the following have a "State" of "Enabled", this is a finding. FeatureName : MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2 State : Enabled FeatureName : MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root State : Enabled Alternately: Search for "Features". Select "Turn Windows features on or off". If "Windows PowerShell 2.0" (whether the subcategory of "Windows PowerShell 2.0 Engine" is selected or not) is selected, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-56738r828937_chk )

Run "Windows PowerShell" with elevated privileges (run as administrator).

Enter the following:
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online | Where FeatureName -like *PowerShellv2*

If either of the following have a "State" of "Enabled", this is a finding.

FeatureName : MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2
State : Enabled
FeatureName : MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root
State : Enabled

Alternately:
Search for "Features".

Select "Turn Windows features on or off".

If "Windows PowerShell 2.0" (whether the subcategory of "Windows PowerShell 2.0 Engine" is selected or not) is selected, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-56688r828938_fix)
Disable "Windows PowerShell 2.0" on the system. Run "Windows PowerShell" with elevated privileges (run as administrator). Enter the following: Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root This command must disable both "MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root" and "MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2" which correspond to "Windows PowerShell 2.0" and "Windows PowerShell 2.0 Engine" respectively in "Turn Windows features on or off". Alternately: Search for "Features". Select "Turn Windows features on or off". De-select "Windows PowerShell 2.0".

Fix Text (F-56688r828938_fix)

Disable "Windows PowerShell 2.0" on the system.

Run "Windows PowerShell" with elevated privileges (run as administrator).
Enter the following:
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root

This command must disable both "MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root" and "MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2" which correspond to "Windows PowerShell 2.0" and "Windows PowerShell 2.0 Engine" respectively in "Turn Windows features on or off".

Alternately:
Search for "Features".
Select "Turn Windows features on or off".
De-select "Windows PowerShell 2.0".