TCP data retransmissions are not controlled.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-4438	5.098	SV-4438r1_rule	ECSC-1	Low

Description
In a SYN flood attack, the attacker sends a continuous stream of SYN packets to a server, and the server leaves the half-open connections open until it is overwhelmed and no longer is able to respond to legitimate requests.

STIG	Date
Windows XP Security Technical Implementation Guide	2014-01-06

Details

Check Text ( C-32757r1_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 “MSS: (TcpMaxDataRetransmissions) How many times unacknowledged data is retransmitted (3 recommended, 5 is the default)” is not set to “3” or less, this is a finding. The policy referenced configures the following registry value: Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Registry Path: \System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\ Value Name: TcpMaxDataRetransmissions Value Type: REG_DWORD Value: 3

Check Text ( C-32757r1_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 “MSS: (TcpMaxDataRetransmissions) How many times unacknowledged data is retransmitted (3 recommended, 5 is the default)” is not set to “3” or less, this is a finding.

The policy referenced configures the following registry value:

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\

Value Name: TcpMaxDataRetransmissions

Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 3

Fix Text (F-28832r1_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> “MSS: (TcpMaxDataRetransmissions) How many times unacknowledged data is retransmitted (3 recommended, 5 is the default)” to “3” or less.