The Symantec Endpoint Protection client Outlook Auto-Protect actions must be explicitly configured at the top, Malware, level and not be overridden by sub-levels.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-42810	DTASEP077	SV-55538r1_rule		Medium

Description
Email has become one of the most frequently used methods of spreading malware, through embedded HTML code and attachments. User awareness and training, warning users to not open suspicious emails or email attachments and to not click hyperlinks, etc. from unknown or known senders, will not fully protect from email-borne malware. Mass mailing worms are similar to email-borne viruses but are self-contained rather than being designed to infect an existing file. Protecting from email-borne viruses and mass mailing worms by scanning email upon delivery mitigates the risk of infection via email.

Description

Email has become one of the most frequently used methods of spreading malware, through embedded HTML code and attachments. User awareness and training, warning users to not open suspicious emails or email attachments and to not click hyperlinks, etc. from unknown or known senders, will not fully protect from email-borne malware. Mass mailing worms are similar to email-borne viruses but are self-contained rather than being designed to infect an existing file. Protecting from email-borne viruses and mass mailing worms by scanning email upon delivery mitigates the risk of infection via email.

STIG	Date
Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 Local Client Antivirus STIG	2015-06-30

Details

Check Text ( C-49082r1_chk )
GUI check: Locate the Symantec Endpoint Protection icon in the system tray. Double-click the icon to open the Symantec Endpoint Protection configuration screen. On the left hand side, select Change settings -> Under Virus and Spyware Protection -> Select Configure Settings -> Under the Outlook Auto-Protect tab -> Select the Actions tab -> Under Actions -> Under Malware -> Select Virus -> Ensure "Override actions configured for Malware" is NOT selected. Criteria: If "Override actions configured for Malware" is selected, this is a finding. On the machine use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: 32 bit: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\AV\Storages\MicrosoftExchangeClient\RealTimeScan\Malware Criteria: If the value of FirstAction is not 5, this is a finding. If the value of FirstAction is 5, then check A. A must be compliant for the check to be not a finding. A - If the value of OverrideDefaultActions within HKLM\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\AV\Storages\MicrosoftExchangeClient\RealTimeScan\TCID-0 is 0 or the value is not there, this is not a finding. 64 bit: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\AV\Storages\MicrosoftExchangeClient\RealTimeScan\Malware Criteria: If the value of FirstAction is not 5, this is a finding. If the value of FirstAction is 5, then check A. A must be compliant for the check to be not a finding. A - If the value of OverrideDefaultActions within HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\AV\Storages\MicrosoftExchangeClient\RealTimeScan\Malware\TCID-0 is 0 or the value is not there, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-49082r1_chk )

GUI check: Locate the Symantec Endpoint Protection icon in the system tray. Double-click the icon to open the Symantec Endpoint Protection configuration screen. On the left hand side, select Change settings -> Under Virus and Spyware Protection -> Select Configure Settings -> Under the Outlook Auto-Protect tab -> Select the Actions tab -> Under Actions -> Under Malware -> Select Virus -> Ensure "Override actions configured for Malware" is NOT selected.

Criteria: If "Override actions configured for Malware" is selected, this is a finding.

On the machine use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key:
32 bit:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\AV\Storages\MicrosoftExchangeClient\RealTimeScan\Malware

Criteria: If the value of FirstAction is not 5, this is a finding.
If the value of FirstAction is 5, then check A. A must be compliant for the check to be not a finding.
A - If the value of OverrideDefaultActions within HKLM\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\AV\Storages\MicrosoftExchangeClient\RealTimeScan\TCID-0 is 0 or the value is not there, this is not a finding.

64 bit:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\AV\Storages\MicrosoftExchangeClient\RealTimeScan\Malware

Criteria: If the value of FirstAction is not 5, this is a finding.
If the value of FirstAction is 5, then check A. A must be compliant for the check to be not a finding.
A - If the value of OverrideDefaultActions within HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\AV\Storages\MicrosoftExchangeClient\RealTimeScan\Malware\TCID-0 is 0 or the value is not there, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-48396r1_fix)
Locate the Symantec Endpoint Protection icon in the system tray. Double-click the icon to open the Symantec Endpoint Protection configuration screen. On the left hand side, select Change settings -> Under Virus and Spyware Protection -> Select Configure Settings -> Under the Outlook Auto-Protect tab -> Select the Actions tab -> Under Actions -> Under Malware -> Select Virus -> Ensure "Override actions configured for Malware" is NOT selected.

Fix Text (F-48396r1_fix)

Locate the Symantec Endpoint Protection icon in the system tray. Double-click the icon to open the Symantec Endpoint Protection configuration screen. On the left hand side, select Change settings -> Under Virus and Spyware Protection -> Select Configure Settings -> Under the Outlook Auto-Protect tab -> Select the Actions tab -> Under Actions -> Under Malware -> Select Virus -> Ensure "Override actions configured for Malware" is NOT selected.