The system is not configured to use Safe DLL Search Mode.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-3479	3.088	SV-3479r1_rule	ECSC-1	Medium

Description
The default search behavior, when an application calls a function in a Dynamic Link Library (DLL), is to search the current directory followed by the directories contained in the systems path environment variable. An unauthorized DLL inserted into an applications working directory could allow malicious code to be run on the system. Creating the following registry key and setting the appropriate value forces the system to search the %Systemroot% for the DLL before searching the current directory or the rest of the path.

Description

The default search behavior, when an application calls a function in a Dynamic Link Library (DLL), is to search the current directory followed by the directories contained in the systems path environment variable. An unauthorized DLL inserted into an applications working directory could allow malicious code to be run on the system. Creating the following registry key and setting the appropriate value forces the system to search the %Systemroot% for the DLL before searching the current directory or the rest of the path.

STIG	Date
Windows XP Security Technical Implementation Guide	2014-04-07

Details

Check Text ( None )
None

Fix Text (F-5699r1_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> “MSS: (SafeDllSearchMode) Enable Safe DLL search mode (recommended)” to “Enabled”.