SV-25268r2: The More Gadgets link must be disabled. | Windows 7 Security Technical Implementation Guide

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Assessment Title

Rule Text

The More Gadgets link must be disabled.

Description

Discussion Text

Uncontrolled installation of applications can introduce various issues, including system instability, and allow access to sensitive information. Installation of applications must be controlled by the enterprise. This setting prevents access to gadgets through the More Gadgets link.

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

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-001812CCE-9857-4

Additional Details

Responsibility

System Administrator

References

DPMS Target Windows 7 DISA DPMS Target Windows 7 1712

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.windows:def:3831
# The More Gadgets link must be disabled.
# Per-module read mechanism curated from static teardown of DISA's SCC tool
# (SCAP Compliance Checker) -- see the SCC Automation Reference above.

# Verifies 'Override the More Gadgets Link' is set to 'Enabled' with 'about:blank' as the option
# 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\Windows\Sidebar').GetValueKind('OverrideMoreGadgetsLink').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_sz') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Windows\Sidebar' -Name 'OverrideMoreGadgetsLink' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'OverrideMoreGadgetsLink') -eq 'about:blank'))
}
# Verifies 'Turn off desktop gadgets' is set to 'Enabled'
# registry_object (registry_test)
function test_2 {
  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\Windows\Sidebar').GetValueKind('TurnOffSidebar').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Windows\Sidebar' -Name 'TurnOffSidebar' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'TurnOffSidebar') -eq 1))
}

if ((test_1 -or test_2)) {
  Write-Output "PASS"
} else {
  Write-Output "FAIL"
}

Remediation

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Desktop Gadgets -> "Override the More Gadgets Link" to "Enabled" with "about:blank" entered in the "Override Gadget Location".

				To turn off Desktop Gadgets completely, configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Desktop Gadgets -> "Turn off desktop gadgets" to "Enabled".