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User Account Control must switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-14241 WN08-SO-000084 SV-48200r1_rule ECCD-1 ECCD-2 Medium
Description
User Account Control (UAC) is a security mechanism for limiting the elevation of privileges, including administrative accounts, unless authorized. This setting ensures that the elevation prompt is only used in secure desktop mode.
STIG Date
Windows 8 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2014-01-07

Details

Check Text ( C-44879r1_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 -> Security Options.

If the value for "User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation" is not set to "Enabled", this is a finding.

The policy referenced configures the following registry value:

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\

Value Name: PromptOnSecureDesktop

Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1
Fix Text (F-41336r1_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> "User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation" to "Enabled".