Caching of logon credentials must be limited.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-1090	3.013	SV-25047r3_rule	ECSC-1	Low

Description
The default Windows configuration caches the last logon credentials for users who log on interactively to a system. This feature is provided for system availability reasons, such as the user's machine being disconnected from the network or domain controllers being unavailable. Even though the credential cache is well-protected, if a system is attacked, an unauthorized individual may isolate the password to a domain user account using a password-cracking program and gain access to the domain.

Description

The default Windows configuration caches the last logon credentials for users who log on interactively to a system. This feature is provided for system availability reasons, such as the user's machine being disconnected from the network or domain controllers being unavailable. Even though the credential cache is well-protected, if a system is attacked, an unauthorized individual may isolate the password to a domain user account using a password-cracking program and gain access to the domain.

STIG	Date
Windows 7 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2015-09-02

Details

Check Text ( C-59057r6_chk )
If the system is not a member of a domain, this is NA. Analyze the system using the Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in. Expand the Security Configuration and Analysis tree view. Navigate to Local Policies -> Security Options. If the value for "Interactive Logon: Number of previous logons to cache (in case Domain Controller is unavailable)" is not set to "2" logons or less, this is a finding. The policy referenced configures the following registry value: Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Registry Path: \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ Value Name: CachedLogonsCount Value Type: REG_SZ Value: 2 (or less)

Check Text ( C-59057r6_chk )

If the system is not a member of a domain, this is NA.
Analyze the system using the Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in.
Expand the Security Configuration and Analysis tree view.
Navigate to Local Policies -> Security Options.

If the value for "Interactive Logon: Number of previous logons to cache (in case Domain Controller is unavailable)" is not set to "2" logons or less, this is a finding.

The policy referenced configures the following registry value:

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\

Value Name: CachedLogonsCount

Value Type: REG_SZ
Value: 2 (or less)

Fix Text (F-63547r1_fix)
If the system is not a member of a domain, this is NA. Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> "Interactive Logon: Number of previous logons to cache (in case Domain Controller is not available)" to "2" logons or less.