The Task Scheduler service must be disabled.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-30037	WINSV-000106	SV-39605r1_rule	ECSC-1	High

Description
Unnecessary services increase the attack surface of a system. Some services may be run under the local System account. Compromising a service could allow an intruder to obtain system permissions and open the system to a variety of attacks.

STIG	Date
Windows XP Security Technical Implementation Guide	2013-03-14

Details

Check Text ( C-38508r1_chk )
Select “Start”. Right-click the “My Computer” icon on the Start menu or the desktop. Select “Manage” from the drop-down menu. Expand the “Services and Applications” object in the Tree window. Select the “Services” object. If the Task Scheduler service is not disabled, and the site has not documented required tasks, this is a finding. Documentable Explanation: If the Task Scheduler service is required it will be documented with the IAO to include the required tasks. Scheduled tasks will be regularly reviewed for unapproved tasks.

Check Text ( C-38508r1_chk )

Select “Start”.
Right-click the “My Computer” icon on the Start menu or the desktop.
Select “Manage” from the drop-down menu.
Expand the “Services and Applications” object in the Tree window.
Select the “Services” object.

If the Task Scheduler service is not disabled, and the site has not documented required tasks, this is a finding.

Documentable Explanation: If the Task Scheduler service is required it will be documented with the IAO to include the required tasks. Scheduled tasks will be regularly reviewed for unapproved tasks.

Fix Text (F-33770r1_fix)
Configure the system to disable Task Scheduler.