The default permissions of global system objects must be increased.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-1173	WN08-SO-000076	SV-48062r1_rule	ECSC-1	Low

Description
Windows systems maintain a global list of shared system resources such as DOS device names, mutexes, and semaphores. Each type of object is created with a default DACL that specifies who can access the objects with what permissions. If this policy is enabled, the default DACL is stronger, allowing non-admin users to read shared objects, but not modify shared objects that they did not create.

STIG	Date
Windows 8 / 8.1 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2015-06-16

Details

Check Text ( C-44801r1_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 "System Objects: Strengthen default permissions of internal system objects (e.g. Symbolic links)" is not set to "Enabled", this is a finding. The policy referenced configures the following registry value: Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Registry Path: \System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\ Value Name: ProtectionMode Value Type: REG_DWORD Value: 1

Check Text ( C-44801r1_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 "System Objects: Strengthen default permissions of internal system objects (e.g. Symbolic links)" is not set to "Enabled", this is a finding.

The policy referenced configures the following registry value:

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\

Value Name: ProtectionMode

Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

Fix Text (F-41200r1_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> "System Objects: Strengthen default permissions of internal system objects (e.g. Symbolic links)" to "Enabled".