SV-213443r1260204: Microsoft Defender AV must be configured to monitor for file and program activity. | Microsoft Defender Antivirus STIG SCAP Benchmark

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Assessment Title

Rule Text

Microsoft Defender AV must be configured to monitor for file and program activity.

Description

Discussion Text

This policy setting allows configuration of monitoring for file and program activity. If this setting is enabled or not configured, monitoring for file and program activity will be enabled. If this setting is disabled, monitoring for file and program activity will be disabled.

How this relates to the STIG checklist: STIG vs SCAP benchmark.

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-002624SV-89903V-75223

References

DPMS Target Microsoft Defender Antivirus DISA DPMS Target Microsoft Defender Antivirus 3985

SCC Automation Reference

The reconstructed evaluation script behind this rule's OVAL check(s) — every module a compound check combines, with this rule's own concrete values and DISA's SCC tool's real per-module mechanism curated from static teardown of SCC releases.

# Windows PowerShell
# Reconstructed from oval:mil.disa.stig.defenderantivirus:def:18
# Microsoft Defender AV must be configured to monitor for file and program activity.
# Per-module read mechanism curated from static teardown of DISA's SCC tool
# (SCAP Compliance Checker) -- see the SCC Automation Reference above.

# HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Policy Manager\AllowOnAccessProtection=1
# registry_object (registry_test)
function test_1 {
  return (((@{String='reg_sz';ExpandString='reg_expand_sz';Binary='reg_binary';DWord='reg_dword';MultiString='reg_multi_sz';QWord='reg_qword';None='reg_none'}[(Get-Item -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Policy Manager').GetValueKind('AllowOnAccessProtection').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Policy Manager' -Name 'AllowOnAccessProtection' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'AllowOnAccessProtection') -eq 1))
}
# Set by GPO
# registry_object (registry_test)
function test_2 {
  return (((@{String='reg_sz';ExpandString='reg_expand_sz';Binary='reg_binary';DWord='reg_dword';MultiString='reg_multi_sz';QWord='reg_qword';None='reg_none'}[(Get-Item -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Real-Time Protection').GetValueKind('DisableOnAccessProtection').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Real-Time Protection' -Name 'DisableOnAccessProtection' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'DisableOnAccessProtection') -eq 0))
}
# HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Policy Manager\AllowOnAccessProtection does not exist
# registry_object (registry_test)
function test_3 {
  return (-not ($null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Policy Manager' -Name 'AllowOnAccessProtection')))
}

if ((test_1 -or (test_2 -and test_3))) {
  Write-Output "PASS"
} else {
  Write-Output "FAIL"
}

Assessment Script Powered by AISyntax-verified

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Syntax-checked as valid PowerShell. Not executed here — running it for real needs the actual ms_defender_antivirus target this check assesses.

# OVAL Definition: oval:mil.disa.stig.defenderantivirus:def:18
$compliant = ((Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Policy Manager" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).AllowOnAccessProtection -eq 1) -or ((Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Real-Time Protection" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).DisableOnAccessProtection -eq 0 -and (Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Policy Manager" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).AllowOnAccessProtection -eq $null); if ($compliant) {Write-Output "PASS"; exit 0} else {Write-Output "FAIL"; exit 1}

Remediation

Set the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Real-time Protection >> "Monitor file and program activity on your computer" to "Enabled" or "Not Configured".