Windows Server 2016 must be configured to audit DS Access

Windows Server 2016 must be configured to audit DS Access - Directory Service Changes failures.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-73441	WN16-DC-000270	SV-88093r1_rule		Medium

Description
Maintaining an audit trail of system activity logs can help identify configuration errors, troubleshoot service disruptions, and analyze compromises that have occurred, as well as detect attacks. Audit logs are necessary to provide a trail of evidence in case the system or network is compromised. Collecting this data is essential for analyzing the security of information assets and detecting signs of suspicious and unexpected behavior. Audit Directory Service Changes records events related to changes made to objects in Active Directory Domain Services. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000327-GPOS-00127, SRG-OS-000458-GPOS-00203, SRG-OS-000463-GPOS-00207, SRG-OS-000468-GPOS-00212

Description

Maintaining an audit trail of system activity logs can help identify configuration errors, troubleshoot service disruptions, and analyze compromises that have occurred, as well as detect attacks. Audit logs are necessary to provide a trail of evidence in case the system or network is compromised. Collecting this data is essential for analyzing the security of information assets and detecting signs of suspicious and unexpected behavior. Audit Directory Service Changes records events related to changes made to objects in Active Directory Domain Services. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000327-GPOS-00127, SRG-OS-000458-GPOS-00203, SRG-OS-000463-GPOS-00207, SRG-OS-000468-GPOS-00212

STIG	Date
Windows Server 2016 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2019-03-13

Details

Check Text ( C-73515r1_chk )
This applies to domain controllers. It is NA for other systems. Security Option "Audit: Force audit policy subcategory settings (Windows Vista or later) to override audit policy category settings" must be set to "Enabled" (WN16-SO-000050) for the detailed auditing subcategories to be effective. Use the AuditPol tool to review the current Audit Policy configuration: Open an elevated "Command Prompt" (run as administrator). Enter "AuditPol /get /category:*". Compare the AuditPol settings with the following. If the system does not audit the following, this is a finding. DS Access >> Directory Service Changes - Failure

Check Text ( C-73515r1_chk )

This applies to domain controllers. It is NA for other systems.

Security Option "Audit: Force audit policy subcategory settings (Windows Vista or later) to override audit policy category settings" must be set to "Enabled" (WN16-SO-000050) for the detailed auditing subcategories to be effective.

Use the AuditPol tool to review the current Audit Policy configuration:

Open an elevated "Command Prompt" (run as administrator).

Enter "AuditPol /get /category:*".

Compare the AuditPol settings with the following.

If the system does not audit the following, this is a finding.

DS Access >> Directory Service Changes - Failure

Fix Text (F-79883r1_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Advanced Audit Policy Configuration >> System Audit Policies >> DS Access >> "Directory Service Changes" with "Failure" selected.