User Account Control - Elevate UIAccess applications that are in secure locations

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-14239	3.134	SV-14850r1_rule		Medium

Description
This check verifies whether Windows only allows applications installed in a secure location, such as the Program Files or the Windows\System32 folders, on the file system to run with elevated privileges.

STIG	Date
Windows Vista Security Technical Implementation Guide	2016-06-03

Details

Check Text ( C-32773r1_chk )
Analyze the system using the Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in. Expand the Security Configuration and Analysis tree view. Navigate to Local Policies -> Security Options. If the value for “User Account Control: Only elevate UIAccess applications that are installed in secure locations” is not set to “Enabled”, then 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: EnableSecureUIAPaths Value Type: REG_DWORD Value: 1

Check Text ( C-32773r1_chk )

Analyze the system using the Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in.
Expand the Security Configuration and Analysis tree view.
Navigate to Local Policies -> Security Options.

If the value for “User Account Control: Only elevate UIAccess applications that are installed in secure locations” is not set to “Enabled”, then 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: EnableSecureUIAPaths

Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

Fix Text (F-28845r1_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> “User Account Control: Only elevate UIAccess applications that are installed in secure locations” to “Enabled”.