Inbound exceptions to the firewall on domain workstations must only allow authorized management systems and remote management hosts.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-36440	WINFW-000100	SV-47849r1_rule	ECSC-1	Medium

Description
Allowing inbound access to domain workstations from other systems may allow lateral movement across systems if credentials are compromised. Limiting inbound connections only from authorized management systems and remote management hosts will help limit this exposure.

STIG	Date
Windows Vista Security Technical Implementation Guide	2015-09-01

Details

Check Text ( C-44688r2_chk )
Verify firewall exceptions for inbound connections on domain workstations only allow authorized management systems and remote management hosts. Review inbound firewall exception rules in Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. Firewall rules can be complex and should be reviewed with the firewall administrator. One method for restricting inbound connections is to only allow exceptions for a specific scope of remote IP addresses. If allowed inbound exceptions are not limited to authorized management systems and remote management hosts, this is a finding. If a third-party firewall is used, ensure comparable settings are in place.

Check Text ( C-44688r2_chk )

Verify firewall exceptions for inbound connections on domain workstations only allow authorized management systems and remote management hosts.

Review inbound firewall exception rules in Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. Firewall rules can be complex and should be reviewed with the firewall administrator.

One method for restricting inbound connections is to only allow exceptions for a specific scope of remote IP addresses.

If allowed inbound exceptions are not limited to authorized management systems and remote management hosts, this is a finding.

If a third-party firewall is used, ensure comparable settings are in place.

Fix Text (F-40975r4_fix)
Ensure firewall exceptions to inbound connections on domain workstations only allow authorized management systems and remote management hosts. Firewall rules can be complex and should be thoroughly tested be applying in a production environment. One method for restricting inbound connections is to only allow exceptions for a specific scope of remote IP addresses. For any inbound rules that allow connections from other systems, configure the Scope for Remote IP address to those of authorized management systems and remote management hosts. This may be defined as an IP address, subnet or range. Apply the rule to all firewall profiles. If a third-party firewall is used, configure inbound exceptions to only include authorized remote management hosts.

Fix Text (F-40975r4_fix)

Ensure firewall exceptions to inbound connections on domain workstations only allow authorized management systems and remote management hosts.

Firewall rules can be complex and should be thoroughly tested be applying in a production environment.

One method for restricting inbound connections is to only allow exceptions for a specific scope of remote IP addresses. For any inbound rules that allow connections from other systems, configure the Scope for Remote IP address to those of authorized management systems and remote management hosts. This may be defined as an IP address, subnet or range. Apply the rule to all firewall profiles.

If a third-party firewall is used, configure inbound exceptions to only include authorized remote management hosts.