Windows Server 2022 User Account Control (UAC) must virtualize file and registry write failures to per-user locations.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-254489	WN22-SO-000450	SV-254489r958518_rule		Medium

Description
UAC is a security mechanism for limiting the elevation of privileges, including administrative accounts, unless authorized. This setting configures non-UAC-compliant applications to run in virtualized file and registry entries in per-user locations, allowing them to run.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Windows Server 2022 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-06-14

Details

Check Text ( C-57974r849281_chk )
UAC requirements are NA for Server Core installations (this is the default installation option for Windows Server 2022 versus Server with Desktop Experience). 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: \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\ Value Name: EnableVirtualization Value Type: REG_DWORD Value: 0x00000001 (1)

Check Text ( C-57974r849281_chk )

UAC requirements are NA for Server Core installations (this is the default installation option for Windows Server 2022 versus Server with Desktop Experience).

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: \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\

Value Name: EnableVirtualization

Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0x00000001 (1)

Fix Text (F-57925r849282_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Local Policies >> Security Options >> User Account Control: Virtualize file and registry write failures to per-user locations to "Enabled".