SV-278111r1268251: Windows Server 2025 File Explorer shell protocol must run in protected mode. | Microsoft Windows Server 2025 STIG SCAP Benchmark

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Assessment Title

Rule Text

Windows Server 2025 File Explorer shell protocol must run in protected mode.

Description

Discussion Text

The shell protocol will limit the set of folders that applications can open when run in protected mode. Restricting files an application can open to a limited set of folders increases the security of Windows.

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

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-000366

References

DPMS Target Microsoft Windows Server 2025 DISA DPMS Target Microsoft Windows Server 2025 5719

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.windows2025:def:278111
# Windows Server 2025 File Explorer shell protocol must run in protected mode.
# Per-module read mechanism curated from static teardown of DISA's SCC tool
# (SCAP Compliance Checker) -- see the SCC Automation Reference above.

# 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\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer').GetValueKind('PreXPSP2ShellProtocolBehavior').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'PreXPSP2ShellProtocolBehavior' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'PreXPSP2ShellProtocolBehavior') -eq 0))
}

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_windows_server_2025 target this check assesses.

# OVAL Definition: oval:mil.disa.stig.windows2025:def:278111
$compliant = Test-Path -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue && (Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" -Name PreXPSP2ShellProtocolBehavior -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).PreXPSP2ShellProtocolBehavior -eq 0
if ($compliant) { Write-Output "PASS"; exit 0 } else { Write-Output "FAIL"; exit 1 }

Remediation

The default behavior is for shell protected mode to be turned on for File Explorer.

To correct this, configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> File Explorer >> Turn off shell protocol protected mode to "Not Configured" or "Disabled".