SV-45439r2: The URL to be displayed for checking updates to Internet Explorer and Internet Tools must be a blank page. | Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 Security Technical Implementation Guide

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Assessment Title

Rule Text

The URL to be displayed for checking updates to Internet Explorer and Internet Tools must be a blank page.

Description

Discussion Text

This policy setting allows checking for updates for Internet Explorer from the specified URL, included by default in Internet Explorer. If you enable this policy setting, users will not be able to change the URL to be displayed for checking updates to Internet Explorer and Internet Tools. The URL must be specified to be displayed for checking updates to Internet Explorer and Internet Tools. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, users will be able to change the URL to be displayed for checking updates to Internet Explorer and Internet Tools.

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

Additional Details

Responsibility

System Administrator

References

DPMS Target IE Version 10 DISA DPMS Target IE Version 10 2351

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.fso.ie:def:347
# The URL to be displayed for checking updates to Internet Explorer and Internet Tools must be a blank page.
# Per-module read mechanism curated from static teardown of DISA's SCC tool
# (SCAP Compliance Checker) -- see the SCC Automation Reference above.

# Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Settings\Component Updates\Periodic check for updates to Internet Explorer and Internet Tools\Turn off changing the URL to be displayed for checking updates to Internet Explorer and Internet Tools must be Enabled with a blank or empty selection box
# registry_object (registry_test)
function test_1 {
  return (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main' -Name 'Update_Check_Page' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'Update_Check_Page') -match '^\s*$')
}

if (-not (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_ie10 target this check assesses.

# OVAL Definition: oval:mil.disa.fso.ie:def:347
$compliance = Test-Path -Path "HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Update_Check_Page" -and (Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main" -Name Update_Check_Page).Update_Check_Page -match "^\\s*$"
if ($compliance) { Write-Output "PASS"; Exit 0 } else { Write-Output "FAIL"; Exit 1 }

Remediation

Set the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> Internet Settings -> Component Updates -> Periodic check for updates to Internet Explorer and Internet Tools -> "Prevent changing the URL for checking updates to Internet Explorer and Internet Tools" to "Enabled" with a "blank or empty" selection box.