SV-226070r877392: Active Directory data files must have proper access control permissions. | Microsoft Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 Domain Controller STIG SCAP Benchmark

Loading benchmark…

Assessment Title

Rule Text

Active Directory data files must have proper access control permissions.

Description

Discussion Text

Improper access permissions for directory data related files could allow unauthorized users to read, modify, or delete directory data or audit trails.

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

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-002235SV-51175V-8316

References

DPMS Target Microsoft Windows Server 2012-2012 R2 DC DISA DPMS Target Microsoft Windows Server 2012-2012 R2 DC 4217

Checks

DISA STIG (Manual Reference)

Verify the permissions on the content of the NTDS directory.

Open the registry editor (regedit).
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Parameters.
Note the directory locations in the values for:
Database log files path
DSA Database file

By default they will be \Windows\NTDS. If the locations are different, the following will need to be run for each.

Open an elevated command prompt (Win+x, Command Prompt (Admin)).
Navigate to the NTDS directory (\Windows\NTDS by default).
Run "icacls *.*".

If the permissions on each file are not at least as restrictive as the following, this is a finding.

NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(I)(F)
BUILTIN\Administrators:(I)(F)

(I) - permission inherited from parent container
(F) - full access

Do not use File Explorer to attempt to view permissions of the NTDS folder. Accessing the folder through File Explorer will change the permissions on the folder.

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.

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_windows_2012_and_2012_r2_dc target this check assesses.

# OVAL Definition: oval:mil.disa.fso.windows:def:4981
$ntdsPath = (Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Parameters" -Name "Database log files path")."(default)"
if ($ntdsPath) {
    $files = Get-ChildItem -Path $ntdsPath -Filter "*.*" -File
    foreach ($file in $files) {
        $acl = Get-Acl -Path $file.FullName
        $systemAccess = $acl.Access | Where-Object { $_.IdentityReference -eq "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM" }
        $adminAccess = $acl.Access | Where-Object { $_.IdentityReference -eq "BUILTIN\Administrators" }
        if (($systemAccess -eq $null -or $systemAccess[0].FileSystemRights -ne [System.Security.AccessControl.FileSystemRights]::FullControl) -or
            ($adminAccess -eq $null -or $adminAccess[0].FileSystemRights -ne [System.Security.AccessControl.FileSystemRights]::FullControl)) {
            Write-Output "FAIL"
            exit 1
        }
    }
}
Write-Output "PASS"
exit 0

Remediation

Ensure the permissions on NTDS database and log files are at least as restrictive as the following:
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(I)(F)
BUILTIN\Administrators:(I)(F)

(I) - permission inherited from parent container
(F) - full access