Microsoft Defender Antivirus
TMA-DEFENDER-1.6.1.3
Ensure 'Configure Attack Surface Reduction rules: Set the state for each ASR rule' is set to '7674ba52-37eb-4a4f-a9a1- f0f9a1619a2c:1'
Description
This rule blocks Adobe Reader from creating processes. Rule ID and name: - 7674ba52-37eb-4a4f-a9a1-f0f9a1619a2c (Block Adobe Reader from creating child processes) The recommended state for this setting is: 7674ba52-37eb-4a4f-a9a1- f0f9a1619a2c:1 (Block). Note: More information on ASR rules can be found at the following link: Use Attack surface reduction rules to prevent malware infection | Microsoft Docs Rationale: Attack surface reduction helps prevent actions and apps that are typically used by exploit-seeking malware to infect machines. Malware can download and launch payloads and break out of Adobe Reader through social engineering or exploits. Audit reads the Group Policy registry value and prints 'compliant', 'unset' (policy not configured, reported as FAIL) or the non-compliant value. Registry value: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\ASR\Rules:7674ba52-37eb-4a4f-a9a1-f0f9a1619a2c (REG_SZ); compliant when it is 1.
How it is checked
Audit method: Windows registry
$v = (Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\ASR\Rules' -Name '7674ba52-37eb-4a4f-a9a1-f0f9a1619a2c' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).'7674ba52-37eb-4a4f-a9a1-f0f9a1619a2c'; if ($null -eq $v) { 'unset' } elseif (($null -ne $v -and @('1') -contains "$v")) { 'compliant' } else { "non-compliant: $v" }- Expected output
compliant
How it is fixed
Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch
Configure through Group Policy: Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Defender Antivirus\Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard\Attack Surface Reduction\Configure Attack Surface Reduction rules: Set the state for each ASR rule = 7674ba52-37eb-4a4f-a9a1-f0f9a1619a2c with a value of 1. Test in audit mode (2) first. Local alternative (writes Defender preferences, not the Group Policy value this audit reads): Add-MpPreference -AttackSurfaceReductionRules_Ids 7674ba52-37eb-4a4f-a9a1-f0f9a1619a2c -AttackSurfaceReductionRules_Actions 1
Properties
- Operating systems
- Any
- Tags
- defenderantiviruscis-l1
- Reference
- CIS Microsoft Defender Antivirus Benchmark v1.0.0 - 1.6.1.3 Ensure 'Configure Attack Surface Reduction rules: Set the state for each ASR rule' is set to '7674ba52-37eb-4a4f-a9a1- f0f9a1619a2c:1'
Check this host
Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.
tmaegis scan --target defender