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 scan packed executables.

Microsoft Defender Antivirus Security Technical Implementation Guide

Assessment Title

Rule Text

Microsoft Defender AV must scan packed executables.

Description

Discussion Text

This policy setting manages whether Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans packed executables. Packed executables are executable files that contain compressed code.

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

Objective

V-278679

Rule

SV-278679r1192831_rule

Severity

medium

Rule Version

WNDF-AV-000076

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 >> Scan >> Scan packed executables 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\Scan

Criteria: If the value "DisablePackedExeScanning" is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

If the value is 1, this is a finding.

Implementation Procedure

Fix Text

Set the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Scan >> Scan packed executables to "Enabled".

STIG check 65 of 67 in the Microsoft Defender Antivirus STIG checklist

← Previous · V-278678Microsoft Defender AV must enable asynchronous inspection.Next · V-278680 →Microsoft Defender AV must enable heuristics.