Unauthorized accounts must not be granted the "Act as part of the operating system" user right.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
WN08-UR-000003	WN08-UR-000003	WN08-UR-000003_rule		High

Description
Inappropriate granting of user rights can provide system, administrative, and other high level capabilities. Accounts with the "Act as part of the operating system" user right can assume the identity of any user and gain access to resources that user is authorized to access. Any accounts with this right can take complete control of a system.

STIG	Date
Windows 8 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2012-11-21

Details

Check Text ( C-WN08-UR-000003_chk )
Analyze the system using the Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in. (See "Performing Analysis with the Security Configuration and Analysis Snap-in" in the STIG Overview document.) Expand the Security Configuration and Analysis tree view. Navigate to Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment. If any accounts or groups (to include administrators), are granted the "Act as part of the operating system" user right, this is a finding. Severity Override: Some applications may require this right to function; only application/service accounts may be used in this case. Any exception must be documented with the IAO. Acceptable forms of documentation include vendor-published documents and application owner confirmation. In this case, downgrade the finding to a Cat III.

Check Text ( C-WN08-UR-000003_chk )

Analyze the system using the Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in. (See "Performing Analysis with the Security Configuration and Analysis Snap-in" in the STIG Overview document.)
Expand the Security Configuration and Analysis tree view.
Navigate to Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment.

If any accounts or groups (to include administrators), are granted the "Act as part of the operating system" user right, this is a finding.

Severity Override: Some applications may require this right to function; only application/service accounts may be used in this case. Any exception must be documented with the IAO. Acceptable forms of documentation include vendor-published documents and application owner confirmation. In this case, downgrade the finding to a Cat III.

Fix Text (F-WN08-UR-000003_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> User Rights Assignment -> "Act as part of the operating system" to be defined but containing no entries (blank).