SV-278672r1192825: Microsoft Defender AV must enable network protection to be configured into block or audit mode on Windows Server. | Microsoft Defender Antivirus STIG SCAP Benchmark

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Assessment Title

Rule Text

Microsoft Defender AV must enable network protection to be configured into block or audit mode on Windows Server.

Description

Discussion Text

Microsoft's Exploit Guard comprises several techniques to defend against phishing attacks and malware. These include controlled folder access, attack surface reduction, and network protection.

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

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-001170

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.windowsdefav:def:278672
# Microsoft Defender AV must enable network protection to be configured into block or audit mode on Windows Server.
# Per-module read mechanism curated from static teardown of DISA's SCC tool
# (SCAP Compliance Checker) -- see the SCC Automation Reference above.

# 'This settings controls whether Network Protection is allowed to be configured into block or audit mode on Windows Server' is 'Enabled'
# 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\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Network Protection').GetValueKind('AllowNetworkProtectionOnWinServer').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Network Protection' -Name 'AllowNetworkProtectionOnWinServer' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'AllowNetworkProtectionOnWinServer') -eq 1))
}

if (test_1) {
  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.windowsdefav:def:278672
$compliant = (Get-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Exploit Guard\Network Protection' -Name 'AllowNetworkProtectionOnWinServer' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).AllowNetworkProtectionOnWinServer -eq 1
if ($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 >> Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard >> Network Protection >> This settings controls whether Network Protection is allowed to be configured into block or audit mode on Windows Server to "Enabled".