The Symantec Endpoint Protection client File Reputation Data Submission must be disabled from automatically forwarding selected anonymous security information to Symantec.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-42616	DTASEP008	SV-55344r1_rule		Medium

Description
Antivirus software vendors use collective intelligence from sensors and cross-vector intelligence from web, email and network threats to compile scores that reflect the likelihood of whether a file in question is malware. The collective intelligence is constantly being updated, more frequently than the typical daily antivirus signature files. With File Reputation lookup, a more real-time response to potential malicious code is realized than with the local-running antivirus software, since querying the cloud-based database when a file appears to be suspicious provides up- to- the minute intelligence. This type of protection reduces the threat protection time period from days to milliseconds, increases malware detection rates and reduces downtime and remediation costs associated with malware attacks. Using File Reputation lookup is mandated by US CYBERCOM on DoD systems.

Description

Antivirus software vendors use collective intelligence from sensors and cross-vector intelligence from web, email and network threats to compile scores that reflect the likelihood of whether a file in question is malware. The collective intelligence is constantly being updated, more frequently than the typical daily antivirus signature files. With File Reputation lookup, a more real-time response to potential malicious code is realized than with the local-running antivirus software, since querying the cloud-based database when a file appears to be suspicious provides up- to- the minute intelligence. This type of protection reduces the threat protection time period from days to milliseconds, increases malware detection rates and reduces downtime and remediation costs associated with malware attacks. Using File Reputation lookup is mandated by US CYBERCOM on DoD systems.

STIG	Date
Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 Managed Client Antivirus	2014-10-01

Details

Check Text ( C-48897r1_chk )
Server check: From the Symantec Endpoint Protection Management Server, Symantec Endpoint Protection Management Console: Select Clients -> Under Clients -> Select the client to be checked -> Under the Policies tab, Settings -> Select External Communications Settings -> Under the Submissions tab -> Ensure "Let computers automatically forward selected anonymous security information to Symantec" is not selected. Criteria: If "Let computers automatically forward selected anonymous security information to Symantec" is selected, this is a finding. Client 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 Client Management -> Select Configure Settings -> Under the Submissions tab - > Ensure "Let this computer automatically forward selected anonymous security information to Symantec" is not selected. Criteria: If "Let this computer automatically forward selected anonymous security information to Symantec" is selected, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-48897r1_chk )

Server check: From the Symantec Endpoint Protection Management Server, Symantec Endpoint Protection Management Console: Select Clients -> Under Clients -> Select the client to be checked -> Under the Policies tab, Settings -> Select External Communications Settings -> Under the Submissions tab -> Ensure "Let computers automatically forward selected anonymous security information to Symantec" is not selected.

Criteria: If "Let computers automatically forward selected anonymous security information to Symantec" is selected, this is a finding.

Client 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 Client Management -> Select Configure Settings -> Under the Submissions tab - > Ensure "Let this computer automatically forward selected anonymous security information to Symantec" is not selected.

Criteria: If "Let this computer automatically forward selected anonymous security information to Symantec" is selected, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-48198r1_fix)
From the Symantec Endpoint Protection Management Server, Symantec Endpoint Protection Management Console: Select Clients -> Under Clients -> Select the client to be checked -> Under the Policies tab, Settings -> Select External Communications Settings -> Under the Submissions tab -> Ensure "Let computers automatically forward selected anonymous security information to Symantec" is not selected.