SV-278206r1181324: Windows Server 2025 machine inactivity limit must be set to 15 minutes or less, locking the system with the screen saver. | Microsoft Windows Server 2025 STIG SCAP Benchmark

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Assessment Title

Rule Text

Windows Server 2025 machine inactivity limit must be set to 15 minutes or less, locking the system with the screen saver.

Description

Discussion Text

Unattended systems are susceptible to unauthorized use and must be locked when unattended. The screen saver must be set at a maximum of 15 minutes and be password protected. This protects critical and sensitive data from exposure to unauthorized personnel with physical access to the computer. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000028-GPOS-00009, SRG-OS-000029-GPOS-00010, SRG-OS-000031-GPOS-00012

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

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-000056Not mappedCCI-000057Not mappedCCI-000060

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:278206
# Windows Server 2025 machine inactivity limit must be set to 15 minutes or less, locking the system with the screen saver.
# Per-module read mechanism curated from static teardown of DISA's SCC tool
# (SCAP Compliance Checker) -- see the SCC Automation Reference above.

# The machine inactivity limit is set to 15 minutes or less
# 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\System').GetValueKind('InactivityTimeoutSecs').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'InactivityTimeoutSecs' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'InactivityTimeoutSecs') -le 900)) -and (((@{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\System').GetValueKind('InactivityTimeoutSecs').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'InactivityTimeoutSecs' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'InactivityTimeoutSecs') -gt 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:mil.disa.stig.windows2025:def:278206
$regPath = "HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System"
$regName = "InactivityTimeoutSecs"
if (Test-Path $regPath) {
    $regValue = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -Name $regName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).$regName
    if ($regValue -ne $null -and ($regValue -le 900 -and $regValue -gt 0)) { 
        Write-Output "PASS"; Exit 0
    }
}
Write-Output "FAIL"; Exit 1

Remediation

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Local Policies >> Security Options >> Interactive logon: Machine inactivity limit to "900" seconds or less, excluding "0", which is effectively disabled.