Windows Server 2019 Exploit Protection mitigations must be configured for EXCEL.EXE.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-205885	WN19-EP-000090	SV-205885r569188_rule		Medium

Description
Exploit protection provides a means of enabling additional mitigations against potential threats at the system and application level. Without these additional application protections, Windows may be subject to various exploits.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2020-10-26

Details

Check Text ( C-6150r356017_chk )
If the referenced application is not installed on the system, this is NA. This is applicable to unclassified systems, for other systems this is NA. Run "Windows PowerShell" with elevated privileges (run as administrator). Enter "Get-ProcessMitigation -Name EXCEL.EXE". (Get-ProcessMitigation can be run without the -Name parameter to get a list of all application mitigations configured.) If the following mitigations do not have a status of "ON", this is a finding: DEP: Enable: ON ASLR: ForceRelocateImages: ON Payload: EnableExportAddressFilter: ON EnableExportAddressFilterPlus: ON EnableImportAddressFilter: ON EnableRopStackPivot: ON EnableRopCallerCheck: ON EnableRopSimExec: ON The PowerShell command produces a list of mitigations; only those with a required status of "ON" are listed here.

Check Text ( C-6150r356017_chk )

If the referenced application is not installed on the system, this is NA.

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

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

Enter "Get-ProcessMitigation -Name EXCEL.EXE".
(Get-ProcessMitigation can be run without the -Name parameter to get a list of all application mitigations configured.)

If the following mitigations do not have a status of "ON", this is a finding:

DEP:
Enable: ON

ASLR:
ForceRelocateImages: ON

Payload:
EnableExportAddressFilter: ON
EnableExportAddressFilterPlus: ON
EnableImportAddressFilter: ON
EnableRopStackPivot: ON
EnableRopCallerCheck: ON
EnableRopSimExec: ON

The PowerShell command produces a list of mitigations; only those with a required status of "ON" are listed here.

Fix Text (F-6150r356018_fix)
Ensure the following mitigations are turned "ON" for EXCEL.EXE: DEP: Enable: ON ASLR: ForceRelocateImages: ON Payload: EnableExportAddressFilter: ON EnableExportAddressFilterPlus: ON EnableImportAddressFilter: ON EnableRopStackPivot: ON EnableRopCallerCheck: ON EnableRopSimExec: ON Application mitigations defined in the STIG are configured by a DoD EP XML file included with the STIG package in the "Supporting Files" folder. The XML file is applied with the group policy setting Computer Configuration >> Administrative Settings >> Windows Components >> Windows Defender Exploit Guard >> Exploit Protection >> "Use a common set of exploit protection settings" configured to "Enabled" with file name and location defined under "Options:". It is recommended the file be in a read-only network location.

Fix Text (F-6150r356018_fix)

Ensure the following mitigations are turned "ON" for EXCEL.EXE:

DEP:
Enable: ON

ASLR:
ForceRelocateImages: ON

Payload:
EnableExportAddressFilter: ON
EnableExportAddressFilterPlus: ON
EnableImportAddressFilter: ON
EnableRopStackPivot: ON
EnableRopCallerCheck: ON
EnableRopSimExec: ON

Application mitigations defined in the STIG are configured by a DoD EP XML file included with the STIG package in the "Supporting Files" folder.

The XML file is applied with the group policy setting Computer Configuration >> Administrative Settings >> Windows Components >> Windows Defender Exploit Guard >> Exploit Protection >> "Use a common set of exploit protection settings" configured to "Enabled" with file name and location defined under "Options:". It is recommended the file be in a read-only network location.