The system must be configured to use Safe DLL Search Mode.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-225486	WN12-SO-000045	SV-225486r569185_rule		Medium

Description
The default search behavior, when an application calls a function in a Dynamic Link Library (DLL), is to search the current directory, followed by the directories contained in the system's path environment variable. An unauthorized DLL, inserted into an application's working directory, could allow malicious code to be run on the system. Setting this policy value forces the system to search the %Systemroot% for the DLL before searching the current directory or the rest of the path.

Description

The default search behavior, when an application calls a function in a Dynamic Link Library (DLL), is to search the current directory, followed by the directories contained in the system's path environment variable. An unauthorized DLL, inserted into an application's working directory, could allow malicious code to be run on the system. Setting this policy value forces the system to search the %Systemroot% for the DLL before searching the current directory or the rest of the path.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 Member Server Security Technical Implementation Guide	2021-03-05

Details

Check Text ( C-27185r471800_chk )
If the following registry value does not exist or is not configured as specified, this is a finding: Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Registry Path: \System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\ Value Name: SafeDllSearchMode Value Type: REG_DWORD Value: 1

Fix Text (F-27173r471801_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> "MSS: (SafeDllSearchMode) Enable Safe DLL search mode (recommended)" to "Enabled". (See "Updating the Windows Security Options File" in the STIG Overview document if MSS settings are not visible in the system's policy tools.)