Microsoft Defender Antivirus Security Technical Implementation Guide

The Microsoft Defender Antivirus Security Technical Implementation Guide (V2 R10) has 67 STIG checks. New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist?, CKL vs CKLB, and STIG vs SCAP benchmark.

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Severity

Version

V2 · R10

CurrentPublished Wed Sep 30 2026

Microsoft Defender AV must configure local administrator merge behavior for lists.

Microsoft Defender Antivirus Security Technical Implementation Guide

Assessment Title

Rule Text

Microsoft Defender AV must configure local administrator merge behavior for lists.

Description

Discussion Text

This policy setting configures how locally defined lists are combined or merged with globally defined lists. This setting applies to exclusion lists, specified remediation lists, and attack surface reduction.

New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist? and CKL vs CKLB.

Objective

V-278656

Rule

SV-278656r1192817_rule

Severity

medium

Rule Version

WNDF-AV-000052

Documentable

false

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Rev 5

Assessment Procedure

Check Text

Verify the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Configure local administrator merge behavior for lists is set to "Enabled". Otherwise, this is a finding.

Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: 
HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

Criteria: If the value "DisableLocalAdminMerge" is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

If the value is 0, this is a finding.

Implementation Procedure

Fix Text

Set the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Configure local administrator merge behavior for lists to "Enabled".

STIG check 51 of 67 in the Microsoft Defender Antivirus STIG checklist

← Previous · V-278655Microsoft Defender AV must block abuse of exploited vulnerable signed drivers.Next · V-278658 →Microsoft Defender AV must control whether exclusions are visible to Local Admins.