The Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services user right on workstations must prevent all access if RDS is not used by the organization. If RDS is used, it must be configured to prevent access from highly privileged domain accounts and local administrator accounts on domain systems and unauthenticated access on all systems.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-26486	WINUR-000021	SV-35941r4_rule	ECLP-1	Medium

Description
Inappropriate granting of user rights can provide system, administrative, and other high level capabilities. The "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services" right defines the accounts that are prevented from logging on using Remote Desktop Services. If Remote Desktop Services is not used by the organization, the Everyone group must be assigned this right to prevent all access. In an Active Directory Domain, denying logons to the Enterprise Admins and Domain Admins groups on lower trust systems helps mitigate the risk of privilege escalation from credential theft attacks which could lead to the compromise of an entire domain. Local administrator accounts on domain-joined systems must also be assigned this right to decrease the risk of lateral movement resulting from credential theft attacks. The Guests group must be assigned this right to prevent unauthenticated access.

Description

Inappropriate granting of user rights can provide system, administrative, and other high level capabilities. The "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services" right defines the accounts that are prevented from logging on using Remote Desktop Services. If Remote Desktop Services is not used by the organization, the Everyone group must be assigned this right to prevent all access. In an Active Directory Domain, denying logons to the Enterprise Admins and Domain Admins groups on lower trust systems helps mitigate the risk of privilege escalation from credential theft attacks which could lead to the compromise of an entire domain. Local administrator accounts on domain-joined systems must also be assigned this right to decrease the risk of lateral movement resulting from credential theft attacks. The Guests group must be assigned this right to prevent unauthenticated access.

STIG	Date
Windows 7 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2014-12-13

Details

Check Text ( None )
None

Fix Text (F-62401r2_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment -> "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services" to include the following. If Remote Desktop Services is not used by the organization, assign the Everyone group this right to prevent all access. If RDS is used by the organization, assign the following groups. Domain Systems Only: Enterprise Admins group Domain Admins group All Local Administrator Accounts: Systems with the new built-in security groups - use "Local account" or "Local account and member of Administrators group". *Systems that do not have the new built-in security groups - use the "DenyNetworkAccess" or "DeniedNetworkAccess" group (see V-45589). Do not use the built-in Administrators group. This group must contain the appropriate accounts/groups responsible for administering the system. All Systems: Guests group Systems dedicated to the management of Active Directory (AD admin platforms, see V-36436 in the Active Directory Domain STIG) are exempt from denying the Enterprise Admins and Domain Admins groups. Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 added new built-in security groups, "Local account" and "Local account and member of Administrators group", for assigning permissions and rights to local accounts. Microsoft Security Advisory Patch 2871997 adds these groups to Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2012. Assign the group "Local account and member of Administrators group" or the more restrictive "Local account". **Documentation and scripts supporting the use of this group to restrict local administrative accounts were changed at one point. The original name, "DeniedNetworkAccess", was changed to "DenyNetworkAccess". Automated benchmarks will look for the groups referenced in the requirement. Use of other methods will require manual validation.

Fix Text (F-62401r2_fix)

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment -> "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services" to include the following.

If Remote Desktop Services is not used by the organization, assign the Everyone group this right to prevent all access.

If RDS is used by the organization, assign the following groups.

Domain Systems Only:
Enterprise Admins group
Domain Admins group
*All Local Administrator Accounts:
*Systems with the new built-in security groups - use "Local account" or "Local account and member of Administrators group".
**Systems that do not have the new built-in security groups - use the "DenyNetworkAccess" or "DeniedNetworkAccess" group (see V-45589).
Do not use the built-in Administrators group. This group must contain the appropriate accounts/groups responsible for administering the system.

All Systems:
Guests group

Systems dedicated to the management of Active Directory (AD admin platforms, see V-36436 in the Active Directory Domain STIG) are exempt from denying the Enterprise Admins and Domain Admins groups.

*Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 added new built-in security groups, "Local account" and "Local account and member of Administrators group", for assigning permissions and rights to local accounts.
Microsoft Security Advisory Patch 2871997 adds these groups to Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2012.
Assign the group "Local account and member of Administrators group" or the more restrictive "Local account".

**Documentation and scripts supporting the use of this group to restrict local administrative accounts were changed at one point. The original name, "DeniedNetworkAccess", was changed to "DenyNetworkAccess".

Automated benchmarks will look for the groups referenced in the requirement. Use of other methods will require manual validation.