Ensure 'Create a pagefile' is set to 'Administrators'

HighLevel 1Automatedwindows

Description

This policy setting allows users to change the size of the pagefile. By making the pagefile extremely large or extremely small, an attacker could easily affect the performance of a compromised computer. The recommended state for this setting is: Administrators.

How it is checked

Audit method: Shell command

shell

$f = Join-Path $env:TEMP ('tmaegis-' + [guid]::NewGuid().ToString() + '.inf'); secedit /export /cfg $f /areas SECURITYPOLICY USER_RIGHTS /quiet | Out-Null; $c = Get-Content $f -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue; Remove-Item $f -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue; $line = $c | Where-Object { $_ -match '^\s*SeCreatePagefilePrivilege\s*=' } | Select-Object -First 1; $v = if ($line) { ($line -split '=', 2)[1].Trim().Trim('"') } else { $null }; $have = @(if ($v) { $v -split ',' | ForEach-Object { $_.Trim().TrimStart('*') } | Where-Object { $_ } }); if ((($have | Sort-Object -Unique) -join ',') -eq 'S-1-5-32-544') { 'compliant' } else { 'non-compliant: ' + ($have -join ',') }

Expected output: compliant

How it is fixed

Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch

Set through Group Policy (domain policy for domain members): Computer Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment\Create a pagefile

Properties

Operating systems: windows-10
Tags: cis-convertedseceditwindows
Reference: CIS Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise Benchmark v4.0.0 - 2.2.10

Check this host

Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.

shell

tmaegis scan --target windows