SV-223019r961092: The Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe property must be disallowed (Internet zone). | Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 STIG SCAP Benchmark

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Assessment Title

Rule Text

The Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe property must be disallowed (Internet zone).

Description

Discussion Text

ActiveX controls that are not marked safe for scripting should not be executed. Although this is not a complete security measure for a control to be marked safe for scripting, if a control is not marked safe, it should not be initialized and executed. This setting causes both unsafe and safe controls to be initialized and scripted, ignoring the Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting option. This increases the risk of malicious code being loaded and executed by the browser. If you enable this policy setting, ActiveX controls are run, loaded with parameters and scripted without setting object safety for untrusted data or scripts. If you disable this policy setting, ActiveX controls that cannot be made safe are not loaded with parameters or scripted. This setting is not recommended, except for secure and administered zones.

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

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-001170SV-59365V-46501

References

DPMS Target Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 DISA DPMS Target Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 4095

Checks

OVAL

oval:mil.disa.fso.ie:var:42400 ← xccdf_mil.disa.stig_value_InitializeScriptActiveXControlsNotMarkedAsSafe_InternetZone_LocalComputer_var

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:424
# The Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe property must be disallowed (Internet zone).
# Per-module read mechanism curated from static teardown of DISA's SCC tool
# (SCAP Compliance Checker) -- see the SCC Automation Reference above.

# Computer Configuration\Network\Internet Explorer\Internet Control Panel\Security Page\Internet Zone\Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe
# 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\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3').GetValueKind('1201').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3' -Name '1201' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty '1201') -eq 3))
}

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_ie11 target this check assesses.

# OVAL Definition: oval:mil.disa.fso.ie:def:424

$registryPath = "HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3\1201"
if (Test-Path $registryPath) {
    $regValue = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).PSObject.Properties["3"].Value
    if ($regValue -eq 3) {
        Write-Output "PASS"; exit 0
    }
}
Write-Output "FAIL"; exit 1

Remediation

Set the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer -> Internet Control Panel -> Security Page -> Internet Zone -> 'Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe' to 'Enabled', and select 'Disable' from the drop-down box.