SV-213463r1260221: Microsoft Defender AV must be configured to prevent user and apps from accessing dangerous websites. | Microsoft Defender Antivirus STIG SCAP Benchmark

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Assessment Title

Rule Text

Microsoft Defender AV must be configured to prevent user and apps from accessing dangerous websites.

Description

Discussion Text

Enable Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard network protection to prevent employees from using any application to access dangerous domains that may host phishing scams, exploit-hosting sites, and other malicious content on the internet.

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

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-001170SV-92675V-77979

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:38
# Microsoft Defender AV must be configured to prevent user and apps from accessing dangerous websites.
# Per-module read mechanism curated from static teardown of DISA's SCC tool
# (SCAP Compliance Checker) -- see the SCC Automation Reference above.

# Verify Windows 10 is release id 1709 or newer
# 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\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion').GetValueKind('ReleaseId').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_sz') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion' -Name 'ReleaseId' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'ReleaseId') -ge '1709'))
}
# Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Defender Antivirus\Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard\Network Protection\Prevent users and apps from accessing dangerous websites
# 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\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Network Protection').GetValueKind('EnableNetworkProtection').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Network Protection' -Name 'EnableNetworkProtection' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'EnableNetworkProtection') -eq '1')) -or (((@{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('EnableNetworkProtection').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Policy Manager' -Name 'EnableNetworkProtection' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'EnableNetworkProtection') -eq '1')))
}

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

Assessment Script Powered by AISyntax-verified

A standalone PowerShell script to assess this control automatically. Review before running it in your environment.

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:38
$compliant = $true
if (!(Test-Path -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ReleaseId' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) -or ((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ReleaseId' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).ReleaseId -lt 1709)) { $compliant = $false }
if ($compliant) {
    $regPaths = @('HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Network Protection', 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Policy Manager')
    foreach ($path in $regPaths) {
        if (Test-Path -Path $path -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
            if (!(Get-ItemProperty -Path $path -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).EnableNetworkProtection -eq 1) { $compliant = $false }
        }
    }
}
if ($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 >> Windows Defender Exploit Guard >> Network Protection >> "Prevent users and apps from accessing dangerous websites" to "Enabled" and select "Block" in the drop-down box.